Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
New rules for Loudoun County School Board meetings that include banning audiences aren’t sitting well with some parents.
“I think that we were all expecting that the school board was going to do something with the rules for public comment to limit parents’ ability to get their voice out there,” said Ian Prior, executive director of Fight for Schools.
Starting at the Aug. 10th meeting audiences will not be allowed at school board meetings. People will need to register in advance for in-person or virtual public comment, and only 10 speakers will be allowed in at a time. Those speakers will not be allowed to bring certain things in with them including supports for signs or flags, purses and weapons.
“In order to help assure the safety and security of the public, division staff, and School Board, the Loudoun County School Board is revising procedures for school board meetings including the public comment process and meeting attendance procedures. These modifications are in direct response to the increase in threats and the unruly and unsafe behavior at the June 22 board meeting,” a statement on the school system’s website said.
Public comment ended early at the June 22 meeting when it got out of hand. Angry parents and residents spoke out against a proposed policy requiring teaches to refer to transgender students by their chosen pronouns – a policy change mandated by a new state law – and allegations that LCPS is teaching critical race theory. The school system denies that.
A school spokesperson declined WMAL’s request for an interview.
“I think that the school board is getting on dangerous grounds here when they’re opening meetings up for public comment and then limiting the ability for parents to speak,” Prior said.
He believes some people may file lawsuits challenging the changes, but he doesn’t plan to do so himself.
Copyright 2021 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (Photo: Ian Prior)
