Loudoun County School Board approves guidelines on transgender student rights
Breaking: After months of turmoil, Loudoun County schools board approves guidelines requiring transgender students to be granted access to sex-specific activities and facilities that match their gender identities.
Vote was 7-2, opposed by conservative members Morse & Beatty
Education
Loudoun County School Board approves guidelines on transgender student rights
By Hannah Natanson
Yesterday at 9:10 p.m. EDT
Amid skyrocketing tension and in a victory for LGBTQ advocates, the Loudoun County School Board voted Wednesday evening to allow transgender students access to school facilities and groups, such as sports teams, that match their gender identities.
The new guidelines, which take effect immediately, also require teachers to address transgender children by their names and pronouns.
The policy was approved by a 7-to-2 vote, with the boards two conservative members John Beatty (Catoctin) and Jeff Morse (Dulles) opposed to it.
The evening saw open conflict between Beatty and Morse, and the liberal members of the board. Morse gave a lengthy, passionate speech denouncing the guidelines shortly before the vote.
Tonights a difficult night for our community, Morse said, asserting that the guidelines will hurt children and calling them divisive, anti-family, anti-privacy, anti-teacher.
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By Hannah Natanson
Hannah Natanson is a reporter covering education and K-12 schools in Virginia. Twitter
https://twitter.com/hannah_natanson