Both sides weigh in as Chesterfield school board debates transgender student policy change
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- The hot-ticket item at the Chesterfield County Public School (CCPS) school board meeting Tuesday night was a policy dealing with the rights of transgender students and parents. Under the administration of Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) released updated model policies on the treatment of transgender students in K-12 schools in 2023 -- but CCPS has continued to follow the previous policies from 2021. The school board now has to vote on whether to implement Youngkin’s policies or keep the 2021 policies in place. Parents on both sides are hoping for a vote at the school board’s next meeting in December. Supporters of the revision said this will protect a CCPS parent's right to know if their child wants to go by a different name or use different pronouns at school. PREVIOUS: Youngkin tells transgender kids to ‘trust your parents, they love you’ after VDOE releases new policy “The policy currently in place allows educators to actually hide vital information from parents that really could have life-altering impact on kids," said Candi Cushman with The Family Foundation, a faith-based organization. Those who oppose changing CCPS' policies said it would discriminate against LGBTQ+ students. “If the policies do roll back and they put these [new] policies in place that take away [transgender students'] rights, I'm afraid that we’re gonna have really drastic results," said Shannon McKay, the executive director He She Ze & We, a transgender and non-binary youth advocacy group. Cushman and McKay both spoke at Tuesday’s meeting. It was the first reading of the policy revision draft, which outlines that schools would need to notify parents if their child gets counseling about gender identity, want to use a different name or go by different pronouns. Nearly 50 people lined up to speak on this issue at the meeting. “Adding to the teacher’s workload to essentially nark on their students to their parents," said someone opposed to changing the policy. "If we make the proposed policy changes, we will be creating a hostile environment for our transgender students," another in opposition said. Virginia House advances constitutional amendments on abortion, marriage equality, felons’ voting rights “The current policy allows for adults to help and encourage children to keep secrets from and lie by omission to their parents," said someone in favor of the change. “We can all agree that kids thrive best when their parents are involved in their lives at school and in the educational process," another in favor said. "Kids are harmed when parents are cut out." The current policy allows parents to call or email the school to ask if their child is using a different name or pronouns, but the school doesn’t have to notify them voluntarily. “People are thinking that Chesterfield should do away with the policies they currently have, which are working and really help trans and non-binary students feel like they belong there," McKay said. “We can protect kids fairly and equally without trampling on the constitutional rights of parents and also the safety and privacy of our young women, our young girls, in bathrooms and locker rooms," Cushman said, referring to girls sharing a bathroom and sports locker room with someone assigned male at birth. CCPS policy requires one more reading of the draft before the board votes on it. The next school board meeting is Dec. 10, but it’s unclear if they’ll do the second reading and then vote at that same meeting.
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CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- The hot-ticket item at the Chesterfield County Public School (CCPS) school board meeting Tuesday night was a policy dealing with the rights of transgender students and parents.
Under the administration of Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) released updated model policies on the treatment of transgender students in K-12 schools in 2023 -- but CCPS has continued to follow the previous policies from 2021.
The school board now has to vote on whether to implement Youngkin’s policies or keep the 2021 policies in place. Parents on both sides are hoping for a vote at the school board’s next meeting in December.
Supporters of the revision said this will protect a CCPS parent's right to know if their child wants to go by a different name or use different pronouns at school.
“The policy currently in place allows educators to actually hide vital information from parents that really could have life-altering impact on kids," said Candi Cushman with The Family Foundation, a faith-based organization.
Those who oppose changing CCPS' policies said it would discriminate against LGBTQ+ students.
“If the policies do roll back and they put these [new] policies in place that take away [transgender students'] rights, I'm afraid that we’re gonna have really drastic results," said Shannon McKay, the executive director He She Ze & We, a transgender and non-binary youth advocacy group.
Cushman and McKay both spoke at Tuesday’s meeting. It was the first reading of the policy revision draft, which outlines that schools would need to notify parents if their child gets counseling about gender identity, want to use a different name or go by different pronouns.
Nearly 50 people lined up to speak on this issue at the meeting.
“Adding to the teacher’s workload to essentially nark on their students to their parents," said someone opposed to changing the policy.
"If we make the proposed policy changes, we will be creating a hostile environment for our transgender students," another in opposition said.
“The current policy allows for adults to help and encourage children to keep secrets from and lie by omission to their parents," said someone in favor of the change.
“We can all agree that kids thrive best when their parents are involved in their lives at school and in the educational process," another in favor said. "Kids are harmed when parents are cut out."
The current policy allows parents to call or email the school to ask if their child is using a different name or pronouns, but the school doesn’t have to notify them voluntarily.
“People are thinking that Chesterfield should do away with the policies they currently have, which are working and really help trans and non-binary students feel like they belong there," McKay said.
“We can protect kids fairly and equally without trampling on the constitutional rights of parents and also the safety and privacy of our young women, our young girls, in bathrooms and locker rooms," Cushman said, referring to girls sharing a bathroom and sports locker room with someone assigned male at birth.
CCPS policy requires one more reading of the draft before the board votes on it. The next school board meeting is Dec. 10, but it’s unclear if they’ll do the second reading and then vote at that same meeting.
