Youngkin: Teachers Should Out LGBT Kids To Parents

According to numerous studies, LGBT youth make up in the neighborhood of 40% of the homeless youth nationwide.  Many are homeless because they were driven out or discarded by their parents, especially far right evangelical parents.  Virginia governor Glen Youngkin seemingly wants to exacerbate the problem here in Virginia by requiring teachers to out LGBT students to their parents - something not currently done but likely to change as Youngkin puts right wingers on the Virginia Board of Education.   Never mind the potential negative consequences be it youth thrown out of their homes or driven to suicide.  With Youngkin, it is all about pandering to the Christofascists and extremists with the Republican Party of Virginia base and positioning himself for a possible White House run.  Sadly, to Youngkin, homeless or dead LGBT youth is not on his radar as revealed by an interview with WJLA News.  Here are story excerpts:  

In several school districts in Virginia, teachers are strictly prohibited from informing parents of their kids’ sexual orientation and gender identity without the student’s permission.

For instance, if a Fairfax County or Loudoun County student identifies as transgender at school, teachers aren’t allowed to tell the student’s parents unless the student says it’s OK.

Now that Youngkin has a majority on the Virginia Board of Education, 7News asked the governor if he thinks the board will pass new guidance for school districts.

"With regards to informing parents with most important decisions about their children, I think everybody knows where I stand, parents matter," said Youngkin. "Parents should be at the forefront of all of these discussions. And I firmly believe that teachers and schools have an obligation to make sure that parents are well informed about what's happening in their kids' lives. And one of the things we learned last year during the campaign is that parents were tired of being pushed to the background in their child's education."

LGBTQIA+ advocate Robert Rigby said Fairfax County Public School's policy protects and preserves the communication and relationship between students and their parents and guardians. . . . No one [including school staff] should take this crucial discussion of 'coming out' away from the students and parents by 'outing' someone. It feels and is really intrusive and can be damaging to the parent/child relationship, sometimes permanently."

A Loudoun County Public Schools spokesperson said Regulation 8040 states this:

"Student Privacy and Confidentiality. Staff shall follow and adhere to legal standards of confidentiality relating to information about a student’s gender identity, transgender status, legal name or sex assigned at birth. Staff must support student privacy and safety and not disclose a student’s gender identity or transgender status to other students or other parents. A student’s gender identity or transgender status should not be shared without the student’s consent, even internally among school personnel except to those with a legitimate educational interest or need to know.

Youngkin’s state Department of Education is developing a policy that will require schools to notify parents of sexually explicit materials in schools.  . . . "We're so pleased this year, to be able to sign legislation on a bipartisan basis to give parents the ability to decide where their children wear a mask, to give parents the ability to whether materials are appropriate for their children in their instruction," said Youngkin. . . . I firmly believe that parents should be informed on all aspects of their children's lives. And it's an obligation of our school system and teachers in order to do that."