NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Newport News Public Schools has changed its procedures for transgender students to align with Gov. Glenn Youngkin's model policy.
On Friday, NNPS' superintendent released the revised procedures. According to a spokesperson the board had voted to revise the procedure on Equal Educational Opportunities in 2021.
Newport News Public Schools already followed VDOE's "Respect for All Students" model policy, but these procedures outline specific processes for school personnel.
In the revised release they say, "Generally speaking the new Virginia Department of Education guidance provides that students may only be treated as Transgender, in certain outlined areas, if the student's parent or eligible student states in writing that the student's gender differs from their biological sex."
The procedure states that school division personnel will refer to all students, not just transgender students, by the name that appears in the student's official record, or nicknames commonly associated with the name that appears in the student's official record.
They outline the exception that allows students to use a name more common in a foreign country while in a foreign language course.
Personnel are also required to use the pronouns corresponding to the sex in the student's official record.
The new procedure also dictates that teachers cannot "conceal information about a student from the student's parent, including information about gender (subject to exceptions set out by law such as the possibility of suicide or potential parental abuse and neglect."
The new procedure does not extend to the dress code. They specify that "students are not required to dress in a gender-neutral manner", but student participation in sex-specific school activities and events including athletics will be "determined by sex rather than gender or gender identity."
This change comes after Virginia Beach Public Schools faced criticism and a lawsuit for not changing policies to align with Youngkin's model policies, and the school eventually did change its policies to fall in line with VDOE.
The new model policies were released by VDOE on July 18, 2023.
