SUFFOLK, Va. — Students rights are a priority for Suffolk schools when it comes to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s model policies that impact LGBTQ+ students.
The Suffolk school district is the latest Hampton Roads school district to adopt and vote on a policy that is different from Governor Youngkin’s model policies.
Suffolk school district superintendent, Dr. John Gordon says Suffolk Public Schools adopted a transgender policy that puts students rights in mind.
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Many critics of Youngkin’s model polices have said the policies out students before they are ready to come out.
"The biggest challenge we saw with the current model policy is there wasn’t enough information in their to protect student rights," said Dr. John Gordon, the Suffolk Public Schools Superintendent. "The false narrative that was out there is we were eliminating parents rights, which was not true."
Recently, the Suffolk school board voted on a transgender policy that went into effect on November 10th.
The key difference between Youngkin’s model policies and the Suffolk policies: The Suffolk school district’s policy says counseling services pertaining to gender identify will be offered to middle and high school students and students must get parental consent, unless parental consent would pose a danger to the student’s health or mental wellness.
Watch related story: Church honors victims of transphobic violence on Transgender Day of Remembrance
Youngkin’s model polices says parental consent is required before any counseling services pertaining to gender take place.
"Anytime a student has any questions or wants to make any changes with their gender identity on school property, the very first question from the school counselor is ‘can we talk to your parent about this,'" Gordon said. "Basically, we’re going through the student to make sure they are comfortable with having their parent involved."
If a child tells the school district they don’t want their parent to know, here’s what the superintendent says will happen next: "Depending on what the child says, we will bring in other clinical professionals to dig a little deeper. Depending on what’s shared, then they recommend next steps for the student and school division."
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Another key difference between Youngkin’s model policies and the Suffolk schools' policies is about restrooms:
The Suffolk school district says students can use restrooms that correspond with their gender identity. Whereas, Youngkin’s model policy says students must used restrooms that correspond with their sex on their birth certificate.
"Part of that plan could be a designated bathroom or something else we can take a look at," Gordon said.
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Several parents and students have spoken out at previous board meetings to voice their concerns.
"Any person who believes the Governor’s policies will makes every student feel safe is deluded," Patricia Holoman, a Suffolk parent, said at a recent school board meeting.
"Ensure parents are notified a hundred percent of the time of their children’s confusion," said Theresa Anderson, a Suffolk resident said at a recent school board meeting.
Newport and Virginia Beach have adopted Youngkin's model policy.
