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Vol. 37, No. 28 | Richmond Suburban News | October 20, 2021
STOPS AT EVERY HOME IN TOWN
Transgender policy revisions considered
MEET YOUR Wyatt, Scott seeking 97th District seat The 97th District encompasses all of New Kent County and portions of Hanover and King William counties and is currently represented by Del. Scott Wyatt, who has served since 2020. Wyatt is opposed by challenger Stan Scott. By Jim Ridolphi For The Mechanicsville Local Editor’s note: Incumbent Del. Scott Wyatt’s responses appeared last week and challenger Stan Scott’s answers are featured in this week’s edition. A few words about why you decided to seek or continue public service. What motivates you to serve and why are you seeking election, re-election to the General Assembly. Scott: First and most simply, I believe that no incumbent office holder should go unchallenged. Democracy works best when voters have a clear choice. More importantly perhaps, I spent much of my youth serving my country, and I intend to continue this commitment to service. Too many Virginians lack political power because they have little wealth or live in marginalized com-
munities. I’m running to make sure that the wealthy and powerful can’t expand this wealth and power by taking advantage of others. The Wegman’s project in Hanover’s Brown Grove is a perfect example of the need for delegates who will listen to every constituent and support everyone in the community – however rich and well-connected they happen to be – or not be. Central Virginia including Hanover is experiencing a lack of broadband access. How can the General Assembly assist localities in solving these issues and how would you address the problem of underserved areas? Scott: We need to start thinking about broadband internet as a utility – like electricity, water, and sewer services. We need to make one big change to make this happen. First, we stop grant pro-
Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Mechanicsville, VA Permit No.141
School board plans to vote in November By Jim Ridolphi For The Mechanicsville Local
S SCOTT
grams that fund expansion of corporate systems and amount to taxpayer subsidies of private infrastructure. While this can help expand rural broadband, it also creates new revenue streams for corporate internet companies like Comcast at taxpayer expense. Instead, let’s invest these funds in creating community internet service providers on the model of the Tennessee Valley Authority – which bypassed corporations to bring electricity to rural Tennessee in the 1930s. This would create revenue streams see SCOTT, pg. 5
chool districts across the Commonwealth have amended policies on the treatment of transgender students since the General Assembly approved legislation requiring the changes last year. Many of Virginia’s 132 school districts have accepted or are considering the new guidelines that require school systems to amend documents to reflect the preferred gender of the student and provide for the confidentiality of those records and then allow transgender students to use the bathroom of the gender with which he or she identifies. At a workshop meeting last month, Hanover School Board members began the difficult task of amending current policies in the county that do not comply with the new Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) guidelines. While the new law does not require districts to wholesale adopt the policy, it does require systems install policies that meet or exceed those required goals.
Jim Ridolphi / The Local
A full-capacity crowd attended last week’s school board meeting, where revisions to the District’s current Transgender Student Policy were reviewed. The board has scheduled a vote on the amended policy next month.
The Hanover School Board received public comment at last week’s meeting, filled to capacity with concerned parents and residents, the majority of them opposed to the policy revisions. Sabrina Civils said she respects everyone but asked board members “not to enact such a huge issue at the expense of those who are male or female and go to the appropriate bathrooms.” “I understand the law where the state is forcing the school board to make policies
regarding transgender bathrooms and for those using certain pronouns to utilize the appropriate bathroom,” she said. Civils said her daughter has expressed that she is “not ok” with the new policy and “does not want to share a bathroom with them. My daughter does not use the restroom at school because she dosen’t want to deal with a male student invading her privacy.” She urged board members see POLICY, pg. 9