CHS students protest Youngkin’s proposed transgender student policy
Several hundred Charlottesville High School students walked out of class in protest of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed transgender student policy on September 28, emphasizing the harmful impacts the guidelines could have on the health and safety of transgender students across Virginia.
The controversial policy would force transgender students to participate in programing and use facilities based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Staff would also be prohibited from concealing information about a student’s gender from their parents, and from referring to transgender students by their preferred name and pronouns—unless a parent submits legal documentation of their child’s gender identity and requests name and gender be changed on school records. Even with parental permission, staff would not be required to use a student’s name and pronouns if it goes against their beliefs.
“You would have to be outed to your parents if you wanted to get anything to change—again, detrimental to people’s mental health,” said Lucy Gray, president of CHS’ gender and sexuality club.
Thousands of students at more than 90 schools across the state also protested the policy last week. If it is adopted, Charlottesville and Albemarle County schools would be forced to change their current policies, which allow transgender students to participate in activities and use facilities that align with their gender identity, and require staff to address all students by their preferred name and pronouns, in line with guidance issued by then-governor Ralph Northam in 2020.
“We’re human too, and we deserve the same rights to stay comfortable, because we already don’t feel comfortable in the cisgender bathrooms with our biological peers,” said Alex, a 10th grader who is transgender. “We should come out on our terms with our parents [and] it shouldn’t be the school who tells our parents what we are.”
“This is wrong and it’s insane. … Our identity is what’s important to us, and [Youngkin is] trying to take that away from us,” said one student speaker. “Youngkin’s a bully!” shouted another.
The student protesters later marched across the CHS parking lot and down Melbourne Road, chanting “Trans lives matter.” Members of The Voice, an advocacy group for students of color, also made speeches criticizing police for making students feel unsafe during a September 19 lockdown, and calling for more care and safety assistants at CHS. They also demanded the school end its no-phone policy, and create a safe, welcoming space for students of color.
“We feel that there are some people in our building who will fight for trans lives, but who won’t fight for the lives of those students of color,” says Nya Bryant, assistant director of The Voice. “We just wanted to let people know that they go hand in hand—if you’re gonna fight for one issue, you gotta fight for all issues. The only way we can make change is by coming together and fighting for all issues.”
As of October 3, nearly 55,000 comments on the governor’s proposed policy have been submitted. Once the public comment session ends on October 26, the state education department will review the comments and recommend any edits to the policy, before the state superintendent decides whether or not to approve the final policy. To comment, visit townhall.virginia.gov
In brief
Shots fired
On September 28, the Charlottesville Police Department responded to an aggravated assault report at around 2:40pm on the 900 block of Anderson Street, and found two men who had been shot outside a home in the 10th and Page neighborhood. The victims appeared to be in stable condition, and were taken to the hospital. Witnesses saw a white sedan rush away from the scene driving south toward Page Street, according to police. Anyone with information can contact CPD at 970-3280.
Target-less
After sitting empty for five years, the former Kmart and Gold’s Gym on Hydraulic Road will soon become a shopping center called Hillsdale Place. Riverbend Development has yet to announce the businesses that will occupy the new center—but denies there will be a Target, though previous renderings suggested it would include the big box store. Charlottesville City Council approved the center’s name on September 26, but the earliest the development might be approved for construction is December, reports CBS19.
Fire chief quits
Charlottesville Fire Chief Hezedean Smith is leaving after just two years on the job—the latest in a long line of leadership departures since 2017. Smith has accepted a fire chief position in Polk County, Florida, which he is expected to start in mid-October.
New names?
Charlottesville City Schools has resumed discussing school name changes, after pausing the process in 2020 due to the pandemic. Clark—named after George Rogers Clark, who perpetuated genocide against Indigenous peoples and stole their land during and after the Revolutionary War—and Venable—named after Confederate officer Charles Venable—are the first names under review. A survey seeking community input is available on the division’s website.