Parent Power Prevails in Hanover
The power of parents’ voices was demonstrated in Hanover County yesterday evening—Tuesday, Aug. 30—when the school board approved in a bipartisan 5 – 2 vote a restroom and locker room policy that retained the strong protections for parental rights and students' privacy and safety rights. We thank God for bringing fruit from the courage of the Speak Up! Hanover team and many other local parent groups, who were willing to speak the truth with compassion (Click image below to hear news report).
Though LGBTQ activists and the ACLU brought continued pressure on the school board to adopt a policy that cut parents out of the process and opened multiuse restrooms (as well as locker rooms) up to any individual regardless of biological sex and without any common-sense protections—instead the board listened to parents and approved a policy that allows for cooperation between the school board, families and parents on a case-by-case basis.
The policy requires a formal request from the student along with the parent/guardian with supporting documentation before permission can be granted by the School Board for a student to use a restroom or locker room that does not correspond with the student’s biological sex. Here is an excerpt from the final policy:
" A student, along with their parent or guardian, must submit a written request to the principal of the school where the student attends. School administration will receive all relevant information, which may include:
a statement from the student that, among other things, specifies their gender identity and how they have consistently, persistently and insistently expressed that identity;
signed statements from the student’s personal physician, therapist or licensed counselor verifying that the student has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and/or that the student consistently and authentically expresses a binary gender identity; statements from the student’s parent or guardian;
student disciplinary or criminal records; information related to the privacy and safety of other students;
and any other relevant information, including documents from other interested parties.
… After compiling all relevant documentation, the principal of the school in which the student is enrolled will provide a written summary of the request. This summary, along with the supporting documentation, will be considered by the School Board, which retains the final authority to approve or decline the request."
““I feel pleased with the decision—it encompasses parental rights and privacy rights for our students,” said Hanover mom Terra Lawrence to a local television station (Click the image to listen).
Becca, another Hanover mom who was also supportive of the school board's policy, offered some encouragement for parents wanting to get involved and speak up.
Given the legal landscape the board was navigating (Grimm v. Gloucester case and ACLU legal threats), it’s encouraging to see the Hanover school board listening and responding to the concerns of parents--unlike the extreme disrespect or disdain we’ve seen exhibited elsewhere around the state by other school boards toward parents. This outcome demonstrates the of power consistently speaking up and persevering to support for a parent-friendly/"protect every kid" focused policy.