001now to Spotsylvania County where the school board is set to vote on some new guidelines for transgender students this is expected to happen tonight possibly at any moment it's been going on for a while now Katie lusso is live in Spotsylvania County where the board meeting is still underway Katie still underway Leslie and I just checked minutes ago and they still had not voted on this agenda item so since 5 30 tonight that's when this meeting started around 6 45 they started allowing public comment and that went on for nearly two hours at points things got heated but as of right now the Spotsylvania school board has still not decided whether or not to implement these policies the name of this policy contradicts its true intentions if you wish to deteriorate the mental health of
002transgender students adopt policy ja one after another and it's definitely going to bring opportunities for more parent involvement than we've had before at points things got heeded get it back have a seat everyone but for nearly two hours people shared their thoughts on a variety of topics including the model policies that Governor Glenn Younkin says are meant to empower parents according to those guidelines students will be referred to by the names on their record and the pronouns Associated to their biological sex a parent can issue written instructions if they prefer otherwise and kids will only play in sports based on their biological sex and not by gender identity among other items this woman shared her own personal Journey with her child who she says uses they them pronouns we don't love them any less we
003don't hate them but it was hard she shared that she found out her child went by a different name at a ceremony imagine my shock when the name that call was called didn't match the name that I put on their birth certificate that was how my child decided to out themselves but for almost a year they had had the benefit of several teachers who supported their choice this choice is going to be taken away from them if this policy is put into place I just I fear for the safety of these students but others say this policy is needed parents are the ones that should be raising their children they are the guiders of their children so to not tell them or to kind of lie to them I just don't feel comfortable now just
004for some contacts Alexandria City and Arlington County Public Schools have both said that they are opposed to these policies loud and County Superintendent last week said that he's still reviewing all of these items as you know he just began his journey here in Loudoun County now as for what the consequences will be if a district chooses not to well that's still unclear but a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Education says that this is the law and schools are expected to follow the law Leslie we'll see if they do that there in Spotsylvania County Katie thank you