Virginia implemented new anti-transgender policies for schools, but Fairfax County Public Schools will not comply with them. The new policies go against federal law by restricting bathroom access for transgender students and allowing teachers to ignore using students’ chosen names and pronouns. Studies show that affirming policies help transgender students feel safer and have better educational outcomes. FCPS affirmed its commitment to protecting transgender students and allowing them to fully participate as their authentic selves. The policies have faced opposition from residents, students, and civil rights groups who argue they violate nondiscrimination laws and harm transgender youth. Superintendent Reid echoed that affirming policies are critical to providing quality education for all students. Overall, the new state policies have ignited debate around balancing students’ welfare with claims of parental rights.

  • EarthlingHazard@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Purple state is more accurate.

    From Northern Virginia. Besides my region, Richmond and Virginia Beach the state is largely Republican. The reason we have Youngkin as governor isn’t because we wanted to take a chance. It’s because voter turnout for democratic areas wasn’t what it was supposed to be combined with the fact that Democratic candidate ran a poor campaign.

    • GiddyGap@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Purple state is more accurate.

      I don’t think that’s true anymore. It’s pretty much solidly blue at this point. VA has not voted for a Republican President since 2004 and haven’t had a Republican Senator since 2006.

      • EarthlingHazard@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Sure you can take the presidential and senate elections as a data point but from someone who lives in Virginia and makes trips to see friends all over the state I can tell you it’s not so black and white (or red/blue).

        • sim_@beehaw.org
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          1 year ago

          That’s true of any blue state though; WA, OR, CA, NY. Solidly “blue” but leave major metro areas and it’s a whole different story. It’s a shortcoming of brushing any state with a red or blue brush.

          • GiddyGap@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            Only region where both the urban and rural populations are majority blue would be New England.

            There are no areas where both urban and rural areas are red.

            That’s why Republicans have problems in any state with a large, dominant urban area.

            • Zaktor@sopuli.xyz
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              1 year ago

              Sooner or later they’re going to figure out that growing urban centers are a threat to their power and start explicitly sabotaging them. If Atlanta wasn’t doing so well, Georgia probably wouldn’t have turned purple.