The Virginia Beach School Board has revised its transgender model policies to align with the guidelines advocated by Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration. This decision comes as Virginia school districts grapple with policies surrounding transgender students’ rights and the Republican administration’s attack on them.
With a 9-1 vote in favor of the amendments, the board on Tuesday set new stipulations regarding the modification of students’ official records, naming conventions to be adhered to by school personnel, and the usage of facilities by students based on their sex as designated in official documents, according to Hampton Roads area NBC affiliate WAVY. One member cast a dissenting vote, while another abstained from voting.
Related: Glenn Youngkin Scrambles as Virginia Schools Reject His Anti-Trans Policies
The revised policies now mandate that any amendment to a student’s official record concerning their legal name or sex requires a legal document such as a birth certificate or a court order. School personnel are instructed to refer to each student using only the name that appears in the official record, a designated nickname, or a name commonly associated with the name appearing in the official register.
Additionally, the policies dictate that students are to use restrooms, locker rooms, and changing facilities corresponding to the sex designated in their official records, except when state or federal laws mandate otherwise.
This move marks a divergence from the stance taken by other school districts in Virginia. Earlier in the year, many communities rejected Youngkin’s model policies, criticizing them for discriminating against transgender students.
Related: Arlington Schools Chief Rejects Youngkin’s ‘Discriminatory’ Transgender Student Policies
The Advocate previously reported that Francisco Durán, the superintendent of Arlington Public Schools, said that his district’s existing policies were already in compliance with Virginia law, thus not necessitating the adoption of Youngkin’s new guidelines, which he did not believe served all students in the community.
Other school districts in the state have also rejected the policies, for which the governor has demanded compliance, though there doesn’t appear to be an enforcement mechanism to implement what critics call Youngkin’s bigoted policies.
The Virginia Beach School Board’s decision follows several heated meetings over the past three months since the Virginia Department of Education released the governor’s model policies. During these meetings, board members heard impassioned remarks from supporters of the governor’s model policies and LGBTQ+ students who opposed them.
The discourse in Virginia Beach mirrors a larger statewide and national conversation surrounding transgender rights and parental involvement in education. As school districts across the state navigate these complex issues, the actions of the Virginia Beach School Board could set a precedent for other districts in the state.
