[lg policy] Loudoun School Board Rejects Specific LGBT Protection Language

[Harold Schiffman]

 Loudoun School Board Rejects Specific LGBT Protection Language
2017-01-11
<http://loudounnow.com/2017/01/11/loudoun-school-board-opposes-lgbt-protection-language/>
Danielle
Nadler <http://loudounnow.com/author/dnadler/> 0 Comment
<http://loudounnow.com/2017/01/11/loudoun-school-board-opposes-lgbt-protection-language/#respond>

In a split vote Tuesday night, the Loudoun County School Board declined to
add “sexual orientation and gender identity” to the protected
characteristics listed in its equal employment policy.

Instead, the board unanimously voted to add a paragraph to the policy that
states the school system hires employees based on merit and excellence. It
also states that the board “recognizes and values the diversity of the
students and broader community it serves and encourages diversity within
its workforce.”

The School Board had twice delayed voting on the proposal policy in the
wake of concerns raised by critics.

Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) offered the compromise. He said the new paragraph
was intended to go beyond the requirements of state and federal law to
highlight the school system’s values. “This is an opportunity to say more …
that we hire because of merit because we want the best people working in
our schools,” he said.

Four of the School Board members—Brenda Sheridan (Sterling), Beth Huck (At
Large), Tom Marshall (Leesburg) and Joy Maloney (Broad Run)—settled for
adding the paragraph, but said they preferred to specifically spell out in
policy that employees and applicants will not be discriminated against
based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Sheridan, who initially made the amendment to add the protective language
to policy, said she knows of several LGBTQ teachers who feel they cannot
put a picture of their spouse on their desk or bring their spouse to a work
holiday party because they fear that their jobs could be at risk.

“Those are real stories in our school system,” she said. “I see you, I hear
you, I speak for you. I may not have a majority with me tonight, but I will
continue to use my voice and my position to stand with you.”

She also noted that the county board added the language to its employee
policy seven years ago, saying, “I can’t believe we’re seven years behind
the Board of Supervisors.”
School Board Vice Chairwoman Brenda Sheridan (Sterling). (Renss
Greene/Loudoun Now)

Several board members said they received “nasty” and “hateful” emails, from
people on both sides of the debate. Beth Huck (At Large) said those proved
to her that the board should do all it can to specifically protect members
of the LGBT community.

In response to Bible verses that were read by several speakers ahead of the
vote by those opposed to the LGBT protection language, Huck asked that they
consider what their underlying faith teaches them. “My faith teaches me to
love and that judgment is not mine,” she said.

Chairman Jeff Morse (Dulles), Eric DeKenipp (Catcotin) and Debbie Rose
(Algonkian), who opposed the proposed policy change, said the board should
wait for more clear direction from the state and supreme courts, which are
both considering cases related to sexual orientation protections and
rights. “It’s not the School Board’s role to identify our protected
classes. It’s not our job,” DeKenipp said.

More than two dozen speakers addressed the board ahead of the vote. A
similar number of people spoke in favor of adding the language and
excluding it.

Charlotte McConnell, one of about a dozen people who spoke in support of
specifying gender identity in the anti-discrimination policy, said that
transgender people are more likely to face harassment on the job. “We are
living in uncertain times. I think it’s time we all stand up and show that
we appreciate them and we will protect them,” she said.
School Board member Jill Turgeon (Blue Ridge) and Chairman Jeff Morse
(Dulles). (Renss Greene/Loudoun Now)

Bethany Kozma, of Fairfax County, where the School Board recently adopted
similar language, said the change in policy could lead to a slippery slope
that ultimately allows a male gym teacher who identifies as a woman to
shower in the girls’ locker room with students. “You could potentially be
opening your students up to sexual harassment,” she said.

The School Board also got the 2 cents of Loudoun County native and Virginia
Attorney General Mark Herring (D). Ahead of Tuesday’s decision, he wrote a
letter urging them to add the specific language to policy to protect all of
its employees and students, following an official legal opinion he wrote in
2015 about school boards’ authority to enact non-discrimination policies.

“I concluded in that opinion that local school boards have the authority to
protect their students and teachers from discrimination, including on the
basis of sexual orientation or gender identity,” he wrote.

Still, Will Estrada, chairman of the Loudoun County Republican Committee,
warned School Board members Tuesday night that they may face legal
challenges if they add “sexual orientation, gender identity”
anti-discrimination wording to its policy. Fairfax County Public Schools’
adoption of a similar policy is being challenged in court.

“What this is is a solution in search of a problem,” he said. “There is no
evidence that Loudoun teachers, principals, and staff are being
discriminated against because of their sexual orientation.”

Connie Rice, a transgender woman who lives in Leesburg, told the board that
transgender people should not be seen as the predators but vulnerable
individuals in need of protection. “They are the most attacked people
group. There are no cases of transgender people attacking people in
bathrooms,” she said. “What’s the problem here? Is it just our mere
presence or our mere appearance? Because that is the definition of
discrimination.”

http://loudounnow.com/2017/01/11/loudoun-school-board-opposes-lgbt-protection-language/


-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its
members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or
sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who
disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write
directly to the original sender of any offensive message.  A copy of this
may be forwarded to this list as well.  (H. Schiffman, Moderator)

For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/attachments/20170111/03725eff/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list