The Chesterfield County School Board voted 3–2 Wednesday morning to approve new policies for trans students that some say roll back protections put into place during the administration of former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam.
“I recognize this is a contentious topic, with both sides raising valid arguments,” said Midlothian District’s Lisa Hudgins, who voted for the policies during the marathon, seven-hour session. “Virginia law recognizes that parents have a right to decisions concerning the upbringing of their child.”
At the center of this debate are statewide policies on transgender youth in schools unveiled last year by the Virginia Department of Education and supported by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
The policies, which aim to strengthen “parental rights,” include requirements that parents be notified if a student asks to be called a name different from what’s on their birth certificate, use a bathroom that doesn’t correspond with their gender assigned at birth or identify with new pronouns.
The plan yielded near-universal displeasure, as voiced by more than 130 residents on either side of the issue during the four-hour public commenting period. Many in support of Youngkin’s 2023 guidelines thought the board didn’t go far enough.
The guidelines adopted are a substantial revision from what Chesterfield’s board discussed a month ago. The approved standards largely excised citations of state laws and constitutional amendments, as well as removed definitions that the Youngkin administration has used regarding gender identity.
Parents, teachers and staff were sent the approved provisions by email on Thursday. Those guidelines included updated passages such as:
- “Schools shall allow students to assert a name and gender pronouns that reflect their gender identity without any substantiating evidence. School staff shall, at the request of a student and parent, address the student using the asserted name and pronoun that corresponds to their gender identity.”
- “Upon request, single-user facilities or other reasonable alternatives shall be made available to any student who seeks privacy. Any options offered shall be non-stigmatizing and shall not result in lost instructional time.”
- “A parent/guardian may provide a preferred name in the student information system by, together with their child, completing, signing and returning this form to the school registrar.”
Some advocates for transgender students noted that by avoiding gender terminology in the school board’s policy — such as defining “sex” as gender at birth and laying down what constitutes “gender identity” — the board pushed that responsibility on to teachers.
“Administrators will then be faced with hundreds of teachers not following School Board policy. What are these administrators to do?” Allison Crerie, a James River High School teacher, asked the board. “You should deeply consider how you would like us to spend our time.”
Some fear the county’s transgender students will be further ostracized under the new policies.
Christina Mejia is a school counselor at Bailey Bridge Middle School. She told VPM News that her work with students is often bound by confidentiality clauses.
“It is so important that we care more about our children’s right to privacy,” she said, “than care about parents being fearful of some sort of fake propaganda being pushed out.”
The resulting guidelines, which already had been revised over the past month, ended up getting two “no” votes from board members on opposite sides of the issue: Dominique Chatters voted no, citing concerns that the new policy would ostracize trans students: and Steve Paranto didn’t support the guidelines because the new language did not include parents enough.
The three “yes” votes came from Ann Coker, Lisa Hudgins and chair Dot Heffron, who cast the deciding vote to some jeers from trans advocates. Some attendees applauded the move, but with qualifications.
“Involving parents in that conversation is going to be more conducive to keeping the family element together and doing right by the child, regardless of what the circumstances are,” said Jason Spoon, director of Speak Up! Chesterfield, a faith-based group that pushed for the district to pass VDOE’s guidelines. “But based on what the language was in November, versus what the language is in December, there’s a lot of changing course.”
Others fear the new policies will create dangerous situations for transgender students.
Mejia, the counselor, suggested that requiring parental notification when students request to be called by a different name or pronouns could lead to an increase in suicide rates.
“Not everyone goes home to a safe home,” she said.
The county's next school board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2025.
