NORFOLK, Va. — Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is speaking out for the first time on Virginia's new transgender policy recommended for schools.
In her "Hampton Roads Tour" on Norfolk State University's campus, 13News Now asked the state leader her stance on the change.
"I don't want the school boards, and I think parents don't want the school boards, to make policies that separate them from their families, and they don't want policies that will destroy their families," said Earle-Sears. "They just want to know what's going on in school and they want to play a part in that."
The change in policy is a move by Gov. Glenn Youngkin earlier this year.
In this proposed change, all students would have to use the bathroom and locker room that is based on their biological sex. The same goes for all students who participate on teams that align with their sex assigned at birth.
There is also more discussion on parental rights and the role of the parent with regard to transgender children.
The proposed policy states teachers cannot hide information about a child's gender orientation from parents. Parents would also be able to object to counseling services given to their children about gender.
Student protests across Virginia at the end of September, including some schools in Hampton Roads, highlighted the push against Youngkin's decision.
Many students and advocates called these policies "detrimental" and said they can single people out and eventually cause mental and physical harm for the individual who identifies as transgender.
When 13News Now asked Earle-Sears about this stance, she went on to say it's important to keep the parents involved.
"All people need to be considered: all transgender children, the children who are not and the parents of both," said Earle-Sears. "This is something that the families will have to discuss, but ultimately, we don't want school boards to make policies that destroy our families."
While Earle-Sears said she doesn't want Virginia school board members to make the ultimate choices without parental input, those members will have to vote before implementing any new policy.
The 30-day comment period with the Virginia Department of Education regarding its 2022 policy model opened two weeks ago.
Virginians still have the next couple of weeks to make their voices heard on the latest policies.