In light of a recent mass shooting at a Colorado Springs nightclub, an LGBTQ advocacy group is asking Virginia officials to rescind proposed policies for transgender and nonbinary students.
According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Equality Virginia wrote a letter to Gov. Glenn Youngkin and State Superintendent Jillian Balow urging the two leaders to “do the right thing and rescind the proposed VDOE (Virginia Department of Education) 2022 model policies.”
The Department of Education released the policies in September. One guideline requires schools to defer to parents on what names and pronouns teachers and staff should use when referring to the student.
They also require students to use bathrooms that correspond to their sex, “except to the extent that federal law otherwise requires.”
“After this week’s tragic mass shooting in Colorado Springs, now is the time to stop the misinformation, transphobia and rhetoric that fuels such violence,” the letter states. “The crisis our transgender and nonbinary community is facing is urgent and must be met with urgency. Rescinding the policies now will help save lives.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for Youngkin’s office said the governor “is going to continue empowering parents and, as the guidance clearly states, protecting the privacy, dignity and respect of all Virginia students.”
