Elections have consequences. Virginia is one of the most recent examples of that fact.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, The Epoch Times<\/a> reported the following:<\/p>\n Virginia took a sharp turn on transgender<\/a> student policies with new guidelines\u00a0released<\/a> on Sept. 16.<\/strong><\/p>\n According to the new guidelines<\/a>, public schools cannot affirm a student\u2019s gender without parents\u2019 written requests. In addition, bathroom and locker room use is to be based on students\u2019 sex, defined as the biological sex at birth. Student sports participation should be sex-based as well unless federal laws require otherwise.<\/strong><\/p>\n The new policies are is a complete reversal of the previous guidelines, which define transgender as a student\u2019s \u201cself-identifying term.\u201d Those rules, which took effect in March 2021 under former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam, ask schools to consider not disclosing a student\u2019s gender identity to the parents \u201cif a student is not ready or able to safely share\u201d it with their family.<\/strong><\/p>\n The new policies have common ground with the previous rules with regard to ensuring a safe learning environment without bullying, discrimination, or harassment for students. It lists the First and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution as primary evidence.<\/strong><\/p>\n The new guidelines will enter a 30-day public comment<\/a> period around Sept. 26 and take effect after the state superintendent approves the final version.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Democrat response was predictable:<\/p>\n Virginia Del. Marcus Simon (D-Fairfax), who introduced the state House bill<\/a> that became a 2020 law<\/a> and the basis of the 2021 rules, said in a tweet<\/a> on Sept. 16: \u201cThese new policies are cruel and not at all evidence-based. \u2026 If enacted, these policies will harm Virginia children. Stop bullying kids to score political points.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Was it harmful to Virginia children when young girls were sexually assaulted in the restrooms at their schools?<\/p>\n The article concludes:<\/p>\n Clint Thomas, a father to Loudoun County schoolchildren, echoed Fight for Schools\u2019 sentiment. He has two daughters, both studying in Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS). Caroline, the elder daughter, is a high school senior and was on the school\u2019s soccer team.<\/strong><\/p>\n He\u2019s also a plaintiff in a lawsuit<\/a> against LCPS administrators and school board members, filed by America First Legal (AFL), a nonprofit conservative legal group, on his and 10 other parents\u2019 behalf. At the end of June, the defendants were sued for \u201cpromoting secret gender transitions\u201d and \u201cforcing children to change in locker rooms with members of the opposite sex,\u201d according to AFL<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cVirginia is returning to a focus on parents\u2019 rights in education with its 2022 revision to model policies,\u201d Thomas told The Epoch Times. \u201cIt feels so good as a father of children in LCPS to know our state Department of Education is returning to sanity when it comes to the basic rights of girls and women in our schools and athletic competitions.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear whether school districts will face budgetary consequences if they don\u2019t follow the requirements. Porter didn\u2019t respond to a question by The Epoch Times about the potential ramifications of noncompliance.<\/strong><\/p>\n When ordinary citizens get involved, good things happen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Elections have consequences. Virginia is one of the most recent examples of that fact. On Saturday, The Epoch Times reported the following: Virginia took a sharp turn on transgender student policies with new guidelines\u00a0released on Sept. 16. According to the … Continue reading