NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Residents in Newport News are asking the local school board to revise procedures for transgender students that they put in place to align with Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s model policy.
“Youngkin’s guidance is not legally binding and districts across the state have ignored and outright rejected it for violating state and federal anti-discrimination laws,” one resident said.
Toward the end of 2023, the school board changed its procedures without a vote on it.
Newport News
NN parents, advocacy group call on school boards to adopt model policies
At the time of the model policy’s implementation, Youngkin said “parents just need to be involved and are the first stop. And then collectively there is a support mechanism around a child that can be most effective.”
Here’s what the school policy states:
- School personnel will refer to students by the name that appears on their official record.
- Faculty are required to refer to students by the pronouns on their record, not the pronouns they feel comfortable with using
- Teachers cannot conceal information about a student from the student’s parent
- A student’s participation in sports and other activities are determine by sex rather than their gender identity.
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“My big thing is if students can’t safely talk to an adult at home they should be able to safely talk to an adult somewhere,” said Katelyn O’brien, a Newport News resident. "This model policy by Governor Youngkin will forcibly out students."
According to the school board members that News 3 talked with off camera, the reason why there was no vote is because the new rules were deemed procedures, not policy. The official policy states in part that the division does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or sex.
Now, some residents are asking for a vote so the procedures fit with the policy.
Watch previous coverage: Newport News parents, advocacy group call on Va. school boards to adopt Youngkin's model policies
“All I want is to make sure the children in this school system are safe,” said Natalie Chamberlain, a Newport News resident and reverend of Hilton Christian Church. "And I’ll come here any time someone is messing with kids because that’s important to me."
On Tuesday, there was a motion to amend the policy that allows for the superintendent to write procedures without it being voted on.
The board voted to send this back to the policy committee, and maybe in the future, the concerned residents will have more transparency on how these decisions are being made.
