HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The Hanover County School Board voted Tuesday to disapprove a proposed nondiscrimination policy to protect transgender and nonbinary students.
As mandated by state law, policy changes were supposed to be made by Sept. 7, putting Hanover County Public Schools in noncompliance for more than two months now. On Tuesday night, a majority of the school board members indicated they do not intend to implement the state guidelines.
One member of the school board motioned on Tuesday night to approve the revisions but was met with no seconds to their motion. Since no vote was brought to approve the policy changes, there was a motion made to disapprove the proposed revisions. School board members voted 4-3 to disapprove the proposed revisions.
The policy in question set by the Virginia Department of Education said schools must allow the use of name and gender pronouns students identify with, and allows students to use restrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their gender identity. The guidelines also say schools should let students participate in gender-specific programs or activities — such as physical education, overnight field trips and intramural sports — that correspond with their gender identities.
