(VA) Chesterfield School Board rolls back transgender student protections

[Jessica_Rose]

Chesterfield School Board rolls back transgender student protections

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/chesterfield-school-board-rolls-back-transgender-student-protections/ar-AA1vJCrw?ocid=windirect&cvid=cd587cdd7d104caea301325cad3f217b&ei=43

Story by Sabrina Moreno (12 Dec 2024)

Chesterfield School Board voted early Wednesday to roll back some protections for transgender students that have been in place since 2021.

The new policy:
- Says parents may provide "input" on the counseling services their child is receiving.
- Requires parental permission if a student wants to be called by a different name or pronouns from what's officially listed, unless the student takes back the request.
- Says the district can't force students or staff to use a student's chosen name or pronouns if it "would violate their constitutionally protected rights."

Yes, but: If public and written comments are any indicator, the 3-2 decision to change existing policy might be extremely unpopular.
- In the 49 pages of written public comment, teachers, students, parents and residents overwhelmingly asked board members to keep the protections in place.
- So did 63 of the 93 people who spoke in this week's meeting, said Dale District board member Dominique Chatters, who voted against the changes.
- Of 176 emails sent to the School Board about it, Chatters told members 132 (or 75%) were about keeping it.

[Lori Dee]

That's how Democracy works nowadays. The majority says, "We want this" and the government says "No". 

[Sarah B]

Hi Everyone

I have the perfect solution to the following

- Says the district can't force students or staff to use a student's chosen name or pronouns if it "would violate their constitutionally protected rights."

I have no problem with this. The best response a student can give in this situation, where they are being addressed with the wrong name, is to completely ignore the person.

I know this approach works because I've applied it a couple of times with my own family. For example, when my mum called me by my previous name, I didn't respond at all. She wasn't happy about it, but she eventually addressed me correctly, and I responded accordingly. After that, my mum never called me by my previous name again.

Another approach is to respond by deliberately addressing the person with a wrong name or misgendering them in return.

It is up to the individual whether they should use the above tactics

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator

[Sephirah]

That's so weird. I thought this was talking about Chesterfield in the UK.

- Says the district can't force students or staff to use a student's chosen name or pronouns if it "would violate their constitutionally protected rights."

Maybe it might be helpful to teach/help kids (and staff) to be decent, understanding, compassionate people who would do it by choice, not mandate. Trying to force people to do something rarely ends well whatever the thing in question is. Telling someone what to do is far riskier than helping people understand why they might want to do it.

[Moonflower]

That's how Democracy works nowadays. The majority says, "We want this" and the government says "No". 

I understand that U.S. Supreme Court justice Elena Kagan said something like this during the Skrmetti hearing, "When you're 1% of the population, it's very hard to see how the democratic process will protect you".

How will the majority support us if we're hiding, in denial, ignorant, untreated, incognito...? Can our 1% become the majority who understand and support us?

Correction: the quote is from Justice Sonia Sotomayor
https://www.yahoo.com/news/scotus-hears-arguments-tennessee-gender-225653240.html