VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — After an hours-long meeting that ended early Tuesday morning, the Virginia Beach School Board passed a resolution outlining its stance on harassment and discrimination toward LGBTQ+ students.
The resolution was presented by school board member Jessica Owens, who stated in previous meetings that it protects students who identify as LGBTQ+.
An excerpt of the resolution is as follows:
"VBCPS is committed to eliminating all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment in the educational environment. Accordingly, no student shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to unlawful discrimination under any VBCPS education program or non-athletic activity based on sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or on any other characteristic protected by state or federal law regarding non-discrimination and anti-harassment."
The resolution comes after Governor Youngkin's administration released model policies on the treatment of LGBTQ+ students.
Youngkin's model policies have not gone into effect but would require parental consent for students wishing to change their pronouns. It would also require parents to be notified if a student seeks counseling services pertaining to their gender.
The state's model policy would also require parental approval for any changes to students’ names, nicknames and pronouns. Additionally, under the policy, students would have to use bathrooms that correspond to their sex.
Owens' resolution goes against the state's model policy and gives protections to LGBTQ+ students.
More than 100 speakers including current students, former students and parents signed up to speak at Monday night's board meeting regarding the policy. Many students spoke in support of the resolution.
"Being outed by the school system will end lives. I would have killed myself had I been outed before I was ready. This school year, I have been harassed online and physically harassed in bathrooms," one student said before the board.
Another student echoed these concerns regarding the model policy's guidelines.
"When I came out as trans to my parents, I was met with confusion, division and denial," another student said during the meeting. "School offered me the opportunity to befriend people who understood me. Queer youth deserve to have their rights enshrined in the same rights their straight counterparts do."
Some parents spoke out against the resolution.
"Ms. Owens' resolution tells every other marginalized student that they don’t matter," one parent said. What about Black or Hispanic, Special Ed, Christian, short, overweight? We already have policies to prevent discrimination and bullying, why single out one group to say they matter more than any other."
Prior to the meeting, students gathered outside Holland Road Annex, where the school board meeting is taking place, in support of the resolution.
Several Virginia Beach LGBTQ students gather ahead of tonight's school board meeting where the board is set to discuss non discrimination and anti-harassment of LGBTQ students. At least 50 students are signed up to speak at tonight's meeting. pic.twitter.com/LMnLPU0UwP
— Leondra Head (@Leondrahead) June 12, 2023
The board's decision came just after 2 a.m. The resolution narrowly passed with a vote of 6-5.
