Prince William School Board Delays Vote on Non-Discrimination Policy

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Photo by Ashleigh Henegar Photo by Ashleigh Henegar

After nearly six hours of citizen’s time, the Prince William School Board voted to table to the motion to update non-discrimination policy 060 to include “sexual orientation and gender identity” to the second board meeting in June 2017.

Chairman Ryan Sawyers said he would support the motion, but Neabsco representative Diane Raulston said while she originally thought it was going to be a “no-brainer,” she changed her mind and requested a delay.

“What you showed tonight was determination and grit, but that didn’t sway me,” Raulston said. “I was swayed a long time ago because I believe everyone has the right, the absolute right, to not be discriminated against.”

Raulston said that since issue will be addressed by the Virginia Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court, she would not want Prince William County students to have to undergo a controversial transition more than once.

“This is going to be a difficult piece for the whole entire United States. If the Supreme Court picks this up, their ruling will guide every single school district.”

Potomac representative Justin Wilk agreed with Raulston’s motion to delay the vote, saying, “To me it comes down to the policy and the process… A fast vote erodes the necessary trust any business or government body needs.”

Wilk said he spoke with community leaders and researched how other school divisions went about applying the policy. He found there was no agreement on how to implement the policy, and thus determined more time was needed.

“We need an opportunity, more than two weeks, to reach out to our community…so we are not just recklessly putting something forward where we do not know the unintended consequences,” Wilk said.

Willie Deutsch (Coles) also voted to postpone the vote. “We need to stop the politics, especially when it’s done with reckless policies, and we’ve really got to get back to education.”

Occoquan representative Lilly Jessie agreed that the motion was brought forth in haste, saying community members and members of the community who were directly affected should have been consulted.

Jessie asked that citizens show compassion for LGBT people, saying it is not a choice.

“I think it is a fate no one would want, and I think people in this room need to be sensitive to that,” she said.

She added that she understands why an LBGT person might be afraid to attend a public meeting, but she would like to seek their input.

“We have competing issues here," she said. "We have safety for all, including transgender and regular students, in bathroom facilities."

Loree Williams (Woodbridge) abstained from voting as she said she did not understand how so many people said they believe everyone should be treated fairly, "but." She said she does not understand where the “but” belongs in that conversation.

Williams said she would have hoped there would have been more discussion on how the policy would apply to employees. However, she said that LGBT employees probably felt they were not protected to speak here, which she believes  the policy change is needed.

“To delay I think only makes sense,” Alyson Satterwhite, of the Gainesville District, said, explaining the Board should continue to research the issue to avoid potential lawsuits.

“This decision has to be well planned out, thoughtful and deliberate,” she said.

Satterwhite did not like the compromise. She said she thought the point of the amendment was to protect transgender people, and if they could not use the bathroom of their gender-identity, wouldn’t that still be discrimination?

Chairman Sawyers said he was standing by his amendment. He said the reality is PWCS has 3,300 LGBT students and staff members. Staff members are afraid to show up, speak out so not to lose their job because they have no protection.

He said he never expected it to be an easy thing to pass, because adding a group to a non-discrimination policy never is.

He took issue with the way the citizens portrayed adolescent boys as though they all meant to do young girls harm. He said if that is the case, Prince William has a big problem.

Sawyers also said that while some residents may not realize it, the LGBT community is being marginalized. and they are afraid. He said he has heard things knocking on doors during his campaign that people would not want to share in public.

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