Former FCPS school board member, Elizabeth Bradsher, has given me statements regarding the gender identity regulation, and how the current school board is moving forward with it. Here are some exerts: "Although I am no longer on the Board I can definitely still call out​ or see a statement which is hiding something such as the following statement made by Pat Hynes: "We do not hold up regulations for board review. Any board member may at any time propose that the school board direct the superintendent to amend any regulation to bring it in line with policy. That proposal would require a majority board vote and until then, the regulation would be in effect as written. Our forum conversation on July 14 is only about process.” "A school board is about the business of the delivery of education and making sure such delivery is equitable for all students despite race, gender, culture, etc. This current FCPS Board is rather more about social issues such as their Gender Non-Conforming and Transgender Student Policy which is to be discussed in a Forum on 7/14 without previous discussion elsewhere. The recent Board has promoted this issue and continues to take on certain complex social matters with great delight. The perception from many like myself is that this is a Board hungry for national media attention. The fact is the Board has had a strong nondiscrimination policy for many years, it's verbiage covered, race, gender, culture, etc. So why did the Board take it upon itself to identify and present the Transgender issue when only .3% (according to a Williams Survey) of the population identified with this issue on a national level? A question never really posed to the Board. "The School Board has lost its focus of the real issues such as the delivery of education in a global environment, renovations of current facilities in a timely manner, partnering education opportunities with institutions of higher learning, expanding language programs to the elementary schools, etc. It is my understanding the gender matter became an issue due to the persistence of a few individuals who took it to an At Large Member, Ryan McEleven, and then later to the Democratic local party. Board members are to be impartial of political party loyalties but let us not be naive, their votes are driven by party directives. Our education Board is broken if we are letting political parties determine votes on matters of curriculum and other issues which are perceived to be important for the sake of gaining party votes. Let there be no misunderstanding, this is exactly what this issue is all about, party votes and a social agenda. "School Board member Elizabeth Schultz, FCPS Springfield District School Board Representative, has little hope in changing anything due to the political party influence on the Board. Her vote will continue to be a lonely vote and in this particular issue common sense has lost out" Concerning parents she said, "...the Board has not publicized this issue to any great extent and they were unaware it was being brought forth in a July forum. Excellent planning on the Board's part. The month of July is a wonderful time for controversial Board issues as it this takes advantage of the fact that a large majority of parents and residents are gone on vacation, therefore it is easier to pass motions and generate policies. After such, the Board goes on recess and all controversies seem to be forgotten. Thus there is little vocal objection from the public or notice."