Two parents have withdrawn their lawsuit against the Virginia Beach School Board (VBSB) after the board adopted the state's policies for transgender students, as reported by The Virginian Pilot.
The lawsuit was initially filed in September when VBSB decided not to adopt the policies recommended by Republican Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, as advised by the Virginia State Department of Education (DOE).
The parents argued that by not implementing Youngkin's policies, which require schools to inform parents about any changes to their child's gender identity, the school board was infringing upon parental rights. However, VBSB voted 9-1 in favor of implementing the Virginia DOE's policies on October 10, prompting the parents to drop the lawsuit.
According to the parents' attorney, they "courageously stood up for the rights of their children and parents in the Commonwealth," as stated in the Virginian Pilot.
Youngkin's policies mandate that school officials inform parents if their child identifies as a different gender than their biological sex and if the student wishes to participate in sports as a different gender. Additionally, parents can request that their child be allowed to use a single-sex restroom if they have concerns about their child's privacy and safety.
While VBSB chose to implement the policies, the Amherst County School Board voted against their adoption. In September, many Virginia students staged a walkout in protest of the Virginia DOE's proposed policies. The walkout was organized by the Pride Liberation Project, an LGBTQ group representing Virginia students.
Login