Virginia school boards’ anti-trans bathroom and locker policy called invasive and unnecessary

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A new policy passed by a Virginia school board has come under fire as “the most horrific bathroom policy ever.”

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The New York Daily News reported the anti-trans bathroom and locker policy by the Hanover County School Board, adopted after a 5-2 vote on Tuesday, will make “trans and non-binary students jump through hoops simply to exist in schools,” according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia.

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Under the new policy, trans students and their parents or legal guardians will be required to “submit a written request to the principal of the school where the student attends” so they can use the restrooms and locker rooms that align with the student’s gender identity, the Daily News reported.

School administrators could then ask for “relevant information,” which could include a statement from the student that “specifies their gender identity and how they have consistently, persistently and insistently expressed that identity;” statements from the student’s parents; documents “from other interested parties;” and even “student disciplinary or criminal records.”

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After that, the school’s principal will provide a written summary of the request and submit it to the board. Only after that — “and no later than at its next regularly-scheduled monthly business meeting,” the board will consider the request.

School board members might still “request additional information if necessary” before making their final decision — whether to allow a trans student to use the bathroom according to the student’s gender identity — and inform the student’s parents or legal guardian, the report said.

“Tonight the Hanover County School Board voted to adopt an invasive and unnecessary policy regarding restroom and locker room access for transgender and non-binary students,” Equality Virginia said in a statement shared with the media Tuesday night.

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The policy “will do nothing more than further stigmatize transgender and nonbinary students who are already at risk for bullying and discrimination,” said the group’s executive director Narissa S. Rahaman.

Hanover School Board Chairman John F. Axselle III told television station WRIC-TV that the policy was the result of an effort between the board, its attorney and counsel from Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).