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A northern Virginia school board voted Wednesday night to approve a new policy expanding the rights of transgender students.
In what was seen as a victory for LGBTQ advocates, the Loudoun County School Board approved the policy in a 7-2 vote after hours of debate and after minor changes were made.
“The number one priority of LCPS is to foster the success of all students and to ensure that they feel safe, secure, accepted and ready to learn in school,” said the public schools of the Loudoun County in a statement. “The school division will continue to demonstrate due diligence in creating this environment and remaining open and transparent with all LCPS partners, community members and stakeholders. “
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Shelley Slebrch and other angry parents and community members protest after a Loudoun County school board meeting was interrupted by the school board because crowds refused to calm down, in Ashburn, Virginia, States United, June 22, 2021. REUTERS / Evelyn Hockstein
(Reuters)
Policy 8040 requires teachers to use preferred pronouns and allows “transgender and transgender students” to participate in sports and other activities “in a manner consistent with the gender identity of the student”.
It also enables transgender students to access school facilities that match their “consistently asserted gender identity”.
The policy follows Virginia law, which ordered districts to review the revised anti-harassment guidelines.
School board member Jeff Morse spoke out against the guidelines on Wednesday, according to FOX 5 from Washington DC
“Politics is not necessary. Politics does not solve the problems it is supposed to solve. Politics has forced us to focus on education and I will not support it,” Morse said.
“Before, compared to today’s classroom and today’s workforce, it’s like comparing the technology of 1980 to the technology of today, our teachers, administrators and counselors. are well trained to identify problems and provide emotional support to students, ”he added, according to WDVM-TV.
After his comments, Ian Serotkin, another board member, encouraged Morse to speak to “more of our gay and transgender students.”
“You seem to be suggesting that bullying or discrimination against LGBTQ students at LCPS is a thing of the past and not happening today,” Serotkin said. “If you think I encourage you to talk to more of our gay and transgender students.”
Supporters of politics celebrated his passage.
“I think they have spent years fighting against these issues and against discrimination, harassment, bullying, and it will be an opportunity for them to get out of there and enter a school year that is going fully embrace them, “said Chris Candice Tuck, President of Equality Loudoun.” This will allow them to learn to their full potential. “
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Wednesday’s meeting was lightly attended – in contrast to the board meeting on Tuesday where rallies at the parking lots were held and a public comment period lasted over four hours. Nearly 200 people came to speak.
The length of the meeting prompted the school board to postpone its decision until Wednesday.
Tuesday’s meeting came just months after physical education teacher Tanner Cross spoke out against the policies. Cross told the school board that he wouldn’t assert that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because it’s against my religion. It’s lying to a child, it’s child abuse, and it’s a sin against our God.
His suspension and subsequent trial fueled an already heated debate over freedom of speech and identity in one of the nation’s wealthiest counties, located about 35 miles west of Washington DC.
Ryan Mooney, who identified himself as a former LCPS student, had recounted his own alleged assault. He feared the new policy would create loopholes for further abuses
“I don’t want sexual predators to slip through the cracks, or [inaudible] these loopholes and these policies provide, ”Mooney said.
Hundreds of people also attended a meeting in June when the board first considered the proposal publicly for the first time. The chairman of the board cut public commentary when the parents refused to calm down.
A man is being held after a scuffle broke out at a Loudoun County School Board meeting that included a discussion of critical theory of race and transgender students, in Ashburn, Virginia, United States on 22 June 2021. REUTERS / Evelyn Hockstein TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
(Reuters)
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At least one person was arrested during this meeting.
Sam Dorman of Fox News and The Associated Press contributed to this report
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