The Manassas Park City School Board on Feb. 26, 2018, voted to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the district’s nondiscrimination policy.
State Del. Danica Roem (D-Manassas), who represents House District 13 in the Virginia House of Delegates that includes Manassas Park, is among those who urged board members to support the additional protections.
“I’m so proud of the (Manassas Park City) School Board for unanimously voting to include gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy so every student and faculty member knows they’re welcomed and now protected because of who they are, not despite it,” tweeted Roem.
The Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William County School Districts are among the Virginia school districts that have added sexual orientation and gender identity to their nondiscrimination policies. The city of Alexandria has also implemented these measures in their schools.
Virginia’s statewide nondiscrimination law does not include sexual orientation or gender identity.
Attorney General Mark Herring in 2015 wrote an opinion that says Virginia law allows school boards to add sexual orientation and gender identity to their nondiscrimination policies. Former state Del. Bob Marshall, who Roem defeated last November, and others contend the Dillon Rule prohibits school boards from adding LGBT-specific protections to their nondiscrimination policies unless the General Assembly were to pass a law that allows them to do so.
I’m so proud of the @MPCSVA School Board for unanimously voting to include gender identity, gender expression & sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy so every student and faculty member knows they’re welcomed & now protected because of who they are, not despite it.
— Danica Roem (@pwcdanica) February 27, 2018
