Parent group files petition to remove Loudoun County School Board chair
Parents are battling school board members over the teaching of critical race theory
By Tyler O’Neil | Fox News
11/10/2021
FIRST ON FOX: The parent organization Fight for Schools has obtained enough signatures to challenge all four of the remaining Loudoun County School Board members who were in the private Facebook group that launched a campaign against parents who oppose critical race theory in the classroom. The organization filed the petitions against Board Chair Brenda Sheridan on Tuesday.
Ian Prior speaks about latest effort to remove embattled Loudoun County School Board members
Ian Prior, a father and executive director at Fight for Schools, told Fox News that his organization has acquired enough signatures to petition the court to remove Sheridan (Sterling District), Board Vice-Chair Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian District), Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge District), and Denise Corbo, the at-large member.
“Today, we just filed 1200 signatures to remove the chairwoman of Loudoun County School Board, Brenda Sheridan,” Prior told Fox News on Tuesday. “We decided that for the chairwoman and the vice-chairwoman, the buck stops with them, that we were going to draft new petitions. … We were able to finish those off in 13 days.”
“For six months, Fight for Schools has been out collecting signatures in the heat, the cold, the rain, and even hail,” Prior told Fox News on Monday. “To get 20,000 signatures during that time is a testament to the dedication of our volunteers and an engaged community that wants to see a change on its school board.”
“We are looking forward to the next steps and replacing school board members that are political servants with non-partisan public servants who will put the focus back on excellence in education,” he added.
In order to remove an elected official in Virginia, petitioners must acquire a number of signatures equal to 10% of the votes cast in the previous election for that office. If a judge approves the petition, the Commonwealth’s Attorney prosecutes the case. Prior told Fox News that Fight for Schools had obtained 1,217 signatures against Sheridan (152% of the required amount), 1,859 signatures against Reaser (153%), 2,979 of the signatures against Serotkin (137%), and 13,336 signatures against Corbo (124%).
Fight for Schools previously acquired enough signatures to challenge Beth Barts (Leesburg District) before she resigned. The court had allowed the case against Barts to proceed, but a judge barred Buta Biberaj, the county’s Commonwealth’s Attorney, from presiding over the case. Biberaj had expressed support for the district’s racial equity policies, which parents have faulted for inculcating critical race theory.
Prior told Fox News that he expects the court to bar Biberaj from the cases against Sheridan, Reaser, Serotkin, and Corbo, as well.
The petition effort began earlier this year, after reports emerged that members of a Facebook group called “Anti-Racist Parents of Loudoun County” had compiled a list of outspoken conservatives and opponents of critical race theory in order to track, hack, and “doxx” them.
Many parents have opposed critical race theory (CRT) — a framework that involves deconstructing aspects of society to discover systemic racism beneath the surface — believing it to be divisive and racist. While many have insisted that Virginia’s schools do not teach CRT, various government documents contradict this narrative, including a contract showing that Loudoun County Schools paid more than $300,000 to The Equity Collaborative, which begins its trainings with an “Intro to Critical Race Theory.”
The petitions allege that Sheridan, Reaser, Serotkin, and Corbo failed to report “a campaign of targeted harassment sparked by Beth Barts’ March 12 Facebook post” in the Anti-Racist Parents group. The board members did not report the campaign to law enforcement, warn their constituents about it, denounce it, or abide by the school board’s requirement for transparency whenever school board members are gathered, the petitions claim.
The petitions claim that board members “focused board attention on open bathroom policies, renaming schools, removing class rank, issuing special proclamations… and other issues unrelated to the core issue of a safe environment that is focused on an education program of high quality.”
Education issues in Loudoun County took center stage in the Virginia governor’s race, which Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin won in part by championing parental rights in education, and pledging to ban CRT in schools. Youngkin has called for many school board members to resign.
If the cases go to trial, a judge or a jury will rule whether or not to remove the board members. If any board member is removed, the board would have 45 days to appoint an interim replacement and 15 days to petition the court for a special election.
The school board members did not respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
Loudoun County superintendent apologizes, board member resigns as backlash grows over alleged sexual assaults
Loudoun County Public Schools has faced intense public pressure after Scott Smith revealed his daughter was allegedly assaulted in a school bathroom
By Peter Hasson | Fox News
10/15/2021
The superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools issued an apology and a school board member resigned on Friday as the district faces mounting backlash over its response to two alleged sexual assaults, one of which was allegedly carried out by a skirt-wearing male student in a girls’ bathroom.
Superintendent Scott Ziegler apologized for saying during a June event that the Virginia district had no record of assaults taking place in its bathrooms. His comments came amid debate about policy changes related to self-identified transgender students. Ziegler said Friday that he misunderstood the question when he made the comment.
Ziegler also said he is “sorry that we failed to provide the safe, welcoming, and affirming environment that we aspire to provide.” He told affected students and families: “We acknowledge and share in your pain and we will continue to offer support to help you and your families through this trauma.”
Scott Smith, a Loudoun County father who was arrested at that June event, said this week that his daughter was sexually assaulted in a girls’ bathroom at Stone Bridge High School by a male student who was wearing a skirt. The Loudoun County sheriff’s office has confirmed that an on-campus sexual assault was reported on the day Smith says his daughter was victimized.
The boy accused of assaulting Smith’s daughter later allegedly groped a female student at nearby Broad Run High School after forcing her into an empty classroom, Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj told WTOP in an interview this week.
Board member Beth Barts announced her resignation on Friday, though she didn’t say whether it was related to the ongoing controversy. “This was not an easy decision or a decision made in haste. After much thought and careful consideration, it is the right decision for me and my family,” Barts said.
Barts has repeatedly butted heads with Loudoun parents concerned about critical race theory and similar left-wing topics being taught in schools, leading residents to seek her recall. Brenda Sheridan, the school board chair, thanked Barts for her service and said that the position is expected to be filled during the board’s December meeting.
LCPS didn’t immediately return Fox News’ inquiry on whether Barts’ resignation was linked to the current controversy.
“This could not have been an easy decision for Ms. Barts. We have made known our displeasure with her actions as a school board member over the past several months, but today she has done the right thing. Her former colleagues should take notice,” Ian Prior, the executive director of Virginia parent group Fight for Schools, said in a statement Friday.
“The community should know, however, that the problems at Loudoun County Public Schools and on the school board go well beyond one school board member,” Prior added. “We will continue to shine a light on Loudoun County Public Schools and will keep fighting until we have a school board of common sense, non-partisan members and a superintendent who is accountable to parents and tells the truth.”
自定义厕所性别 美中学女生在厕所遭裙装”男生“性侵
文章来源: 综合新闻
10/13/2021
今年5月，弗吉尼亚州劳登县的一名父亲被告知，自己上中学的女儿在学校受到“攻击”，但是校方没有报警。
男子后来得知，一名穿着“裙子”的男孩在女厕所内对女儿性侵犯。
于是愤怒的父亲报警，但是校方表示从未接到过关于在双性洗手间发生性侵犯的报告。
48岁的斯科特-史密斯对于学校的态度十分不满，6月22日他走入了学校董事会的会议，并且当面指责女儿在学校女厕所被一个 “穿裙子 “的男学生 “强奸”，他想用发生在她身上的事情来说明他为什么认为每个人不应该自己选择使用哪种性别的洗手间。
但是后来在视频分享中，这位父亲向媒体透露，学校否认这一切，并在他完全分享他的观点前就将其拖出了会议室。
愤怒的父亲表示场面一度很混乱。6辆警察负责带我离去。
这位父亲说自己从未这么无助，他只是想保护自己的孩子。
史密斯说，这名男孩利用学校的变性政策，进入女生洗手间并袭击了他的女儿
事件发生两个月后，这名男孩，因强迫鸡奸而被捕。
就在10月，他因不同的指控再次被捕，据称他在不同的学校袭击了一个不同的女孩。
目前这么中学生被关在一个青少年拘留中心。
但史密斯说，劳登县的学校却仍在不遗余力地保护这个孩子–“一个性侵者”。学校目前没有发表评论。
据悉，这一家人在被赶出后，一直联系律师为这个案子10月14日的开庭做准备，但他们没想到就在10月6日这个男孩再次因为同样事件被逮捕。
劳登县警长办公室确实证实了10月6日的事件，调查确定在10月6日下午，这名嫌疑人强迫受害者进入一个空教室，在那里他违背她的意愿扣留她并不适当地触摸她，目前被指控对他人进行性攻击和绑架。
据称，该14岁男孩在警方的询问中已经承认了所发生的一切。
而这位父亲如今终于能再次站出来，他之前被校方指责为偏激的右翼分子，还将他的信息发送给所有学区的家长。
Hill’s report said that Montgomery County, which has about 1 million residents, received about $2.61 million in revenue in 2017. Hill’s report noted that the revenue would decline over time as customers start using reusable bags, although it will take several years.
He wrote that it would be difficult to estimate potential revenues because Virginia’s legislation applies only to certain retailers while Montgomery County’s applies to virtually all and doesn’t have certain exemptions.
Earlier this year, Prince William County supervisors began drafting a similar plastic bag tax but decided to wait until after the fiscal 2022 budget was passed.
Loudoun County responds after dad says school district tried to conceal daughter’s bathroom assault
Virginia school board under fire after father alleges daughter sexually assaulted in bathroom
By Jessica Chasmar | Fox News
10/13/2021
Loudoun father claims city concealed sex assault
Scott Smith joins ‘The Ingraham Angle’ to discuss his claims that his daughter was sexually assaulted in girl’s bathroom by boy wearing a skirt
The Loudoun County school district in Virginia issued a statement Wednesday saying it correctly followed all legal protocols, two days after a father – who was arrested during a June school board meeting – accused the district of trying to cover up an alleged bathroom sexual assault against his daughter by a skirt-wearing male student.
“Loudoun County Public Schools is aware of the media and social media reports concerning alleged sexual assaults at two of our high school campuses,” the school district said.
“While LCPS takes student privacy seriously and cannot reveal details concerning the actions of any specific student, we do want to clarify our investigative process. Principals are legally required to report to the local law enforcement agency any act, including sexual assault, that may constitute a felony offense under Va. Code § 22.1-279.3:1. That process was followed with respect to these allegations.”
The statement comes two days after Scott Smith, who was arrested for disorderly conduct during a June 22 school board meeting, alleged that the school district tried to cover up a sexual assault by a gender-fluid individual against his ninth-grade daughter in order to further its transgender rights agenda.
Smith told The Daily Wire on Monday that weeks before his arrest, his daughter at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn was sexually assaulted by a boy wearing a skirt who entered the girls’ bathroom on May 28.
“We can confirm a May 28, 2021 case that involved a thorough 2-month-long investigation that was conducted to determine the facts of the case prior to arrest,” the sheriff’s office previously told Fox News. “This case is still pending court proceedings. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is not able to provide any documents that pertain to a pending case.” The sheriff’s office confirmed that the case involved sexual assault.
All juvenile records are sealed, but Smith’s attorney Elizabeth Lancaster told The Daily Wire that the boy was subsequently charged with two counts of forcible sodomy, one count of anal sodomy, and one count of forcible fellatio.
The school district said in its statement that it contacted the sheriff’s office on May 28 within “minutes of receiving the initial report.”
“Once a matter has been reported to law enforcement, LCPS does not begin its investigation until law enforcement advises LCPS that it has completed the criminal investigation,” the school district said. “To maintain the integrity of the criminal investigation, law enforcement requested that LCPS not interview students until their investigation is concluded. LCPS has cooperated and continues to cooperate with law enforcement.”
The statement differs dramatically from Smith’s account, who said school officials told him on May 28 that the matter would be handled in-house, and that they actually called law enforcement on him for creating a scene on campus.
According to The Daily Wire, the school sent an email to parents later that day saying there had been an “incident in the main office” that required sheriff’s deputies to respond. The email made no mention of the alleged sexual assault and said there was “no threat to the safety of the student body.”
Smith told The Daily Wire that he was arrested at the June 22 school board meeting shortly after LCPS Superintendent Scott Ziegler declared that to his knowledge, “we don’t have any record of assaults occurring in our restrooms.” Smith said he then flew into a rage after a local progressive activist said she did not believe his daughter’s story.
On Aug. 11, nearly two months after Smith’s arrest, the school board voted to approve its transgender rights policy, which requires teachers to call students by the pronouns they identify with and requires bathroom renovations in order to make them more private.
Smith said he received a letter before the Aug. 11 vote informing him he was banned from the school board building.
Then on Oct. 6, the sheriff’s office said a 15-year-old boy was charged with sexual battery and abduction of a fellow student at Broad Run High School in Ashburn. In an Oct. 7 press release, the sheriff’s office said the suspect forced a female victim into an empty classroom where he held her against her will and inappropriately touched her.
The Daily Wire, citing a government official, reported that the boy accused in the Broad Run case had the same name as the student who allegedly assaulted Smith’s daughter.
Elizabeth Lancaster, Smith’s attorney, also told the outlet the suspect in the Oct. 6 incident was the same boy who allegedly attacked Smith’s daughter.
Smith’s wife, Jess, said prosecutors told her the suspect’s court date had been postponed from this Thursday to Oct. 25 in order to handle both cases together. The sheriff’s office declined to confirm or deny to Fox News that the same male student was suspected in both cases.
The school district said in its statement that it is “prohibited from disciplining any student without following the Title IX grievance process, which includes investigating complaints of sexual harassment and sexual assault.”
“LCPS does impose interim measures to protect the safety of students involved in the original incident, deter retaliation, and preserve the integrity of the investigation and resolution process,” it said. “LCPS has complied and continues to comply with its obligations under Title IX.”
The school district added that board members were “not aware of the specific details of this incident until it was reported in media outlets earlier this week.”
Loudoun County parents demand resignation of $295K-a-year superintendent who DENIED school had any reports of sex assault by a trans kid in a restroom – one month after girl, 15, told teachers she was raped by a ‘boy in a skirt’ in women’s toilets
Ziegler took the job in Loudoun County in January after working in HR for years. He is paid $295,000 a year.
Tel: 551-580-4856 | Email: F.WINNIE.S@GMAIL.COM
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