CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The Chesapeake School Board voted 7-2 Monday night to prohibit district employees from asking students and colleagues to use preferred pronouns that differ from their biological sex.
The decision immediately revises Policy 8-02 and applies only to district employees. The policy does not address students' preferred pronouns.
Vice Chairman Kim Scott voted in favor of the policy change.
"It is problematic to walk into a classroom and not know what subject to teach but to only be focused on your preferred identity that is not in line with the curriculum," Scott said.
More than 20 people spoke during public comment Monday night about the issue. Most speakers opposed the policy, with only a handful supporting the prohibition on staff members asking others to use preferred pronouns.
One supporter said staff and students should not be pressured into using certain pronouns.
"Staff and students should not be bullied into using pronouns that they're not comfortable with and that are simply unnatural," the supporter said.
Those opposing the policy argued it could create a hostile work environment.
Katrina Kassel, a Portsmouth educator who uses they/them pronouns and the Mx prefix, spoke against Chesapeake's proposed policy.
"I have taught for over a decade in public schools and I have never had one kid or one parent become irreparably confused by any of this information," Kassel said.
"Knowing that somebody else could turn to me and say 'well I don't feel like addressing you that way, so I won't be.' How is that not creating a hostile work environment for me or anyone actually does work and live in Chesapeake," Kassel said.
After hearing about 45 minutes of public comments, the board voted in favor of the prohibitive policy, which takes effect immediately.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
