FALLS CHURCH, Va. — A delay in establishing guidelines regarding how schools should support transgender and gender nonconforming students drew criticism at a Fairfax County School Board meeting Thursday.
Last week the school board announced it would delay the implementation of the regulation.
David Aponte, the chair of GLSEN, an LGBT advisory group, told the board he is concerned that until the regulation is established, the decision on how to handle situations involving transgender and gender nonconforming students will be left up to school officials.
“When will it be time” to address the issue? Aponte said.
Speaking after a board meeting on Thursday in Falls Church, school board chair Sandy Evans said the delay isn’t a retreat in any way.
“As a board we simply felt that we need a little bit more time to hone those guidelines,” Evans said.
Parent Adam Hiatt says he doesn’t believe any child deserves to be discriminated or bullied but he says he cannot support this regulation.
“Gender identity is defined as male and female, by your biology,” Hiatt said.
The school board is also waiting to see the outcome of a case which has been sent to the Supreme Court. In that case a 17-year-old transgender student sued the Gloucester County, Virginia, School Board over access to the boys’ restrooms and won in federal district court.
Lawyers for the student are asking the highest court in the land to not get involved in the case. The outcome of the case could create legal issues for Fairfax County School’s regulation.
As the future of the regulation remains in question, the school board did extend a nondiscrimination policy which forbids discrimination based on a student’s gender identity. Evans says any violations to the policy will continue to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
“We are as strong and unwavering on nondiscrimination for our transgender and non-gender conforming student,” Evans said.
