In the same Virginia county whose Board of Supervisors once voted to <a href="https://www.potomaclocal.com/2021/03/29/fairfax-restricts-flags-declares-moral-bankruptcy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restrict the size of American flags</a>, the county’s Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/virginia-county-declares-trans-visibility-day-easter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">observe its Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter</a>, March 31, this year.
Although March 31 is the date when the Transgender Day of Visibility is marked every year, critics are furious that the holiest day on the Christian calendar will see the transgender celebration. County Board Chairman Jeff McKay, a Democrat, said the decision was the board’s “moral responsibility to stand up for all people, not just the people we like or the people we agree with.”
Supervisor Jimmy Bierman, another Democrat, echoed, “I&#8217;m just very happy that we&#8217;re recognizing a community that has too often been pushed into the shadows and celebrating yet another community within our diverse tapestry here in Fairfax County,” adding that the county wants “to make sure that everybody who&#8217;s a part of our community feels welcomed, feels loved and feels empowered.”
One Republican member of the board,  Patrick Herrity, was absent for the vote, prompting Democrat board member James Walkinshaw to state he was  &#8220;looking forward to the day when we have a full dais for this proclamation, and that day will come.&#8221;
“By voting to make Easter this year Transgender Visibility Day, they are intentionally trying to offend Christians on the holiest of days by forcing gender ideology down their throats,” Stephanie Lundquist-Arora, the Fairfax chapter leader of the Independent Women&#8217;s Network, said, adding, “This is reprehensible and unbecoming of our elected representatives.”
A 2021 county youth survey directed at schoolchildren as young as 12 years old in Fairfax County, Virginia, asked them questions such as whether they had ever had sex, how old they were when it happened, and how many people they had had sexual intercourse with.
The 2021 Fairfax County <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/538162041/Fairfax-Youth-Survey-Grades-8-10-12#from_embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Youth Survey</a>, a collaboration between Fairfax County Government and Fairfax County Public Schools, as WJLA<a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/new-survey-asks-fairfax-students-12-and-up-about-sex-life-dating-life-home-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> reported</a>, targeted students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grade. The survey was anonymous and not mandatory.
Some sample questions included:
<ul>
<li>Some people describe themselves as transgender when their sex at birth does not match the way they think or feel about their gender. Are you transgender?</li>
<li>Which of the following best describes you: Heterosexual (straight), Gay or Lesbian, Bisexual, Not Sure.</li>
<li>Have you ever had sexual intercourse?</li>
<li>How old were you when you had sexual intercourse the first time?</li>
<li>During your life, with how many people have you had sexual intercourse?</li>
<li>During the last three months, with how many people have you had sexual intercourse?</li>
<li>The last time you had sexual intercourse, did you or your partner use a condom?</li>
<li>Have you ever had oral sex?</li>
</ul>
In 2022, The Daily Wire reported:
<blockquote>
A Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools curriculum has students play “privilege” bingo, giving them privilege points if they are white, male, employed or “involved in extra-curricular [sic] activities,” or “feel represented in the media.” It also says one has “privilege” if they are a “Military Kid,” drawing shock from parents who pointed out that children of military members must move away from their friends constantly, not see one of their parents for months on end, potentially deal with post-traumatic stress disorder, and risk becoming orphans.
</blockquote>
Luke Rosiak contributed to this article.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fairfax-schools-tell-children-of-military-members-that-they-have-privilege">Fairfax Schools Tell Children Of Military Members That They Have &#8216;Privilege&#8217;</a>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fairfax-county-asks-12-year-old-school-children-about-their-sex-life">Fairfax County Asks 12-Year-Old School Children About Their Sex Life</a>

Easter

Fairfax County Board Votes Unanimously To Celebrate ‘Transgender Day Of Visibility’ On Easter

Fairfax County

Transgender

Virginia

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/virginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia</a> judge ruled last month that frozen embryos can be considered property, a decision based in-part on a 19th century <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/slavery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slavery</a> law, according to a new report. 
The ruling was part of a dispute between a divorced couple who both hope to gain control over two frozen embryos, which were created by Honeyhline Heidemann and Jason Heidemann during their marriage, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/embryos-slavery-chattel-custody-virginia-82e1f36ecbcf35ec4659e8e2c3443c4f">reported</a> this week. 
“Upon independent research, this court was unable to find any Virginia law prohibiting the purchase or sale of human embryo, nor has either party cited a federal law prohibiting the activity,” Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Richard Gardiner <a href="https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/circuit/sites/circuit/files/assets/documents/pdf/opinions/cl-2021-15372-honeyhline-heidemann-v-jason-heidemann.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> in a ruling related to the battle over the embryos. “As there is no prohibition on the sale of human embryos, they may [be] valued and sold, and thus may be considered ‘goods or chattels’ within the meaning of Code § 8.01-93.”
Since the couple split, Honeyhline has hoped to move forward with using the embryos, but Jason has sought to block her saying that implanting the embryos “would force Mr. Heidemann to procreate against his wishes and therefore violate his constitutional right to procreational autonomy.”
According to a 2015 contract that the couple had drawn up, they “own any stored embryos jointly.”
While Gardiner has not made a decision on Jason’s procreational autonomy claim, he did rule that the embryos could be viewed as property. His ruling in part relied on a Virginia law from the 1800s that regulated “goods and chattel,” which included slaves at the time the law was written. 
“I would like to think that the bench and the bar would be seeking more modern precedent,” said Solomon Ashby, president of the Old Dominion Bar Association. 
A human embryo is typically frozen very soon after fertilization before the unborn child has been able to develop much. 
In recent months, some conservatives <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/11/29/republicans-abortion-fertility-ivf-pence">have considered</a> or voiced support for increasing protection for embryos and prohibiting the disposal of embryos as pro-life organizations have often raised concerns about what happens to embryos that do not end up being implanted. 
Gardiner’s ruling to treat embryos as property could draw the attention of pro-lifers, who have often <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-star-parker-gives-powerful-testimony-frank-camp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compared</a> slavery and abortion over their callous treatment of human life.

Embryo selection for IVF light micrograph

Virginia Judge Rules Embryos Are Property, ‘Chattel’ Using Slavery Law

Abortion

Judge

Slavery

Social Issues

U.S.

A middle school in a woke Virginia school district sent a <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11833027/Woke-Virginia-school-bans-white-Asian-students-applying-college-prep-program.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to parents offering college preparation classes urging black and Hispanic students to apply, but ignored white and Asian students.
“Do you have an 8th grader who WANTS to go to college?” the letter, which was sent to parents on March 1, asked. “Do they fall into one or more of these categories?” The deadline for application was March 10.
“Black or African American” and “Hispanic students, of one or more race” were listed, along with students who would be the first in their family to go to college in the U.S., students with disabilities, English learners, and economically disadvantaged students.
“If you do, PLEASE APPLY for Fairfax County’s Partnership Program,” the letter urged. “A typical CCP student represents a traditionally underrepresented population in higher education.”
“In the 20th century, Asian Exclusion Act denied Asians equal opportunities,” former Wall Street Journal reporter Asra Nomani noted. “Now @FCPSNews promotes a college prep program with race-based admissions, excluding Asians + whites. A judge already ruled FCPS violated US Constitution in new anti-Asian admissions.”
Nomani also pointed out, “The perks also include monetary rewards: ‘A summer experiential learning opportunity (you actually visit a college and stay on their campus!).’”
“This program excludes children based on race, and it seems to be in direct violation of the school district’s own anti-discrimination policy.” Glenn Miller, an attorney whose child is in the school system, told <a href="https://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/fairfax_county/new-asian-exclusion-act-pops-up-in-fcps-program/article_58d6ac88-bc68-11ed-a99f-3bb8fa2182a9.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fairfax Times</a>.
Asian students comprise 19% of the 181,447 students, school district data tabulated in February revealed; the 666,263 white students comprise 37% of the total student population.
“No applicant or employee on the basis of, of race, sex, color, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, pregnancy status, childbirth or related medical conditions, marital status, veteran status, and disability shall be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under, any education program or activity, as required by law,” the Fairfax School District&#8217;s anti-discrimination policy states.
In 2021, the Fairfax County School District <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/fairfax-school-district-sends-educators-powerpoint-on-how-to-implement-critical-race-theory-in-the-classroom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent a PowerPoint</a> to teachers explaining how to implement Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the classroom.
Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) district sent out a resource — intended to be a “teacher facing item” — which defined Critical Race Theory, explaining how to implement the ideologies in the classroom. Examples included “culturally relevant pedagogy,” “institutional/systemic racism,” “anti-racism education,” “anti-hate education,” and more.
“In adopting this approach, CRT scholars attempt to understand how victims of systemic racism are affected by cultural perceptions of race and how they are able to represent themselves to counter prejudice,” the PowerPoint read.

Rear View Of Boy Standing Against Building

Woke Virginia Middle School Ignores Whites, Asians When Offering College Prep Classes

Virginia Middle School Ignores Whites, Asians When Offering College Prep Classes

Education

Wokeness

An embattled northern <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/virginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia</a> school district has aggravated both parents and teachers with a new policy that would see boys and girls in grades 4-8 taught sex education together, apparently in order to avoid alienating their trans-identifying classmates.
Currently, instruction at those grade levels in Fairfax County Public Schools is separated by sex, but LGBTQ activists have argued that this harms trans-identifying students by potentially forcing them to out themselves or to pick a gender they don’t identify with. Opponents of the proposal have argued that combining the classes by sex would create awkwardness and tension, decrease student participation in class and lead to a greater number of students opting out of the program entirely.
“Notwithstanding the public expressing its clear opposition to this &amp; explaining how combined classes will be less effective, the Family Life Committee plans to push forward with the plan for political reasons,” The Fairfax County Parents Association said via Twitter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨Breaking: Activists Buried FCPS Survey Showing Overwhelming Opposition to Combined Sex-Ed Classes🚨
Activists on FCPS&#39;s Family Life Committee plan to recommend &amp; push for a vote proposing combined gender sex-ed classes despite survey showing ~85% opposition to plan. <a href="https://t.co/XPjOYxL6nO">pic.twitter.com/XPjOYxL6nO</a>
&mdash; Fairfax County Parents Association (@FFXParentsAssoc) <a href="https://twitter.com/FFXParentsAssoc/status/1632037908466081793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fairfax County Public schools have drawn fire for <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/virginia-mom-equity-warriors-sons-merit-award-secret-2-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">withholding academic awards </a>from minority students in the name of &#8220;equity&#8221; and for its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michael-delaney-isnt-the-first-judicial-nominee-to-traumatize-child-sexual-abuse-survivors">handling of sexual abuse allegations</a>. The county, one of the wealthiest in the nation, is just outside of Washington D.C. It is also Virginia’s most populous county and its school district is the 10th largest in the country.
The parents association on Saturday released data from an internal survey conducted by the school district which had until that point been hidden from the public, which found overwhelming opposition to the proposal — almost 85% of survey respondents opposed combined instruction. Every subcategory that was surveyed opposed the changes by a large majority: among parents 183 were in favor compared to 1392 who were opposed, among teachers 14 were in favor and 100 were opposed, and among students 20 were in favor and 60 were opposed.
The group alleges that the survey data has been deliberately suppressed in order to keep the issue out of the public eye so that supporters on the school board and attendant committees can push the changes through in an upcoming vote on March 30 with minimal opposition.
The Daily Wire reached out to several members of the Fairfax County School Board about the proposed changes to the curriculum. At the time of writing, they had not responded.
Several concerned residents of Fairfax County expressed concern about the proposed changes to The Daily Wire and the transparency of the process.
Family Life Education (FLE) and issues surrounding sex and gender identity have been highly contentious within the district for much of the last decade. The controversy within the community began as far back as 2015, when gender identity was first added as a protected class under the district’s non-discrimination policy, with later overhauls to the curriculum striking terms such as “biological sex” in favor of “sex assigned at birth”.
The Fairfax County school board has <a href="https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/10/10/fairfax-county-school-board-commits-to-supporting-transgender-students-as-community-speaks-out/">allied itself with LGBTQ activists</a> and against critics such as Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/curl-heres-what-really-drove-the-vote-in-virginia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">centered his campaign</a> on this issue of parents’ rights in their children’s education.
“The Fairfax County School Board understands that our LGBTQIA+ students, staff, and families are worried about the impact of Governor Youngkin’s proposed model policies for transgender and gender-expansive students.” The school board <a href="https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/10/10/fairfax-county-school-board-commits-to-supporting-transgender-students-as-community-speaks-out/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a public statement last year. “Nearly one in five transgender and non-binary youth attempted suicide in the last year. LGBTQIA+ youth who found their school to be affirming reported lower rates of attempting suicide. It is necessary to ensure our school community is a place where all students can live without fear of prejudice, discrimination, harassment, or violence.”
“Fairfax County has prided itself for a long time on being a progressive wedge and setting the tone.” Laura Bryant Hanford, a former member of the county’s FLE Curriculum Advisory Committee told the Daily Wire.
Still, Fairfax is not a monolith, and many parents, instructors, and residents have reservations about gender ideology and its influence on FLE.
“We’re oversexualizing kids,” one community member, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of personal and professional reprisal, told The Daily Wire. “We’re asking the kids their sexual preferences … their gender … why are we even talking sexual preference in middle or elementary school? &#8230; This is an age when they’re confused.”
Still, the issue has become contentious enough that many residents believe they can only speak out at great personal cost.“People have jobs,” Andrea Bayer, a former school board candidate, told The Daily Wire. “They’re contractors and government employees, and anything they say will be used against them.”
“Fairfax County doesn’t play around,&#8221; one resident told The Daily Wire. “If, somehow, they got wind that I talked to you, they’re coming for me now.”

Sex Ed

Fairfax County Schools Accused Of Suppressing Sex-Ed Data

LGBTQ

Public Schools

Schools

Last week, senators grilled President Biden’s judicial nominee Michael Delaney about the aggressive tactics he used against a child sexual abuse survivor while representing St. Paul&#8217;s boarding school. Mr. Delaney asked a court to publicly reveal the identity of a child sexual abuse survivor that sued St. Paul&#8217;s under the pseudonym &#8220;Jane Doe.&#8221; Mr. Delaney&#8217;s tactics sadden me, but they don&#8217;t surprise me.
Stuart A. Raphael, now a Virginia Court of Appeals judge, did the same thing to me in my lawsuit against Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) when he represented the school.
In 2019, I sued FCPS and some of its employees for their failure to address the severe sexual abuse I suffered at age 12 in middle school. My lawsuit is ongoing. In short, I suffered violent rapes and gang rapes that were entirely preventable had school employees acted appropriately. The school&#8217;s response was so deficient that the U.S. Department of Education found multiple violations of my rights. Like the survivor from St. Paul&#8217;s, I filed my lawsuit as &#8220;Jane Doe&#8221; to protect my safety and privacy. 
But FCPS&#8217;s lawyer, Mr. Raphael, tried to dismiss my case by arguing that pseudonyms are unconstitutional because pseudonyms permit lawsuits from &#8220;phantoms.&#8221;
Mr. Raphael&#8217;s argument could have had sweeping ramifications for child sexual abuse survivors. If he had won, sexual abuse survivors could almost never use pseudonyms. That would have harmed countless people — pseudonyms can provide the safety and privacy survivors need to seek justice. According to the organization Darkness to Light, only 38% of child sexual abuse victims disclose their abuse, often due to fears about privacy. I know this fact from experience.
Coming forward was among the most challenging decisions I have ever made because I feared for my safety. There were previous threats against my life. When I decided to file, I was a 19-year-old college student beginning adulthood. I feared what it would mean for my future to make the gory details of my sexual abuse, including sensitive information and identifying factors, accessible to anyone who Googled my name. Yet I knew I needed to hold FCPS accountable so no child would suffer the same abuse. Using a pseudonym made me feel safe enough to fight the institution.
Thankfully, I defeated Mr. Raphael&#8217;s &#8220;phantom&#8221; argument — the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that pseudonyms are constitutional. Survivors now have precedent that protects their safety and privacy. But it was a pyrrhic victory. Mr. Raphael added to my trauma and delayed my case by almost two years — making a mockery of the Eastern District of Virginia&#8217;s motto, “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
In reality, Mr. Raphael&#8217;s pseudonym argument was a gimmick to silence me. His legal briefs said so. He wrote, if he were right that my case should be dismissed because I used a pseudonym, then I couldn&#8217;t refile my lawsuit because, in his view, the time limit under my statute of limitations had expired. Raphael, however, didn&#8217;t object to the pseudonyms granted to my perpetrators and the school employees. It was only about stopping me. 
These tactics are why victims don’t come forward. They cause pain, trauma, and delay.
My case isn&#8217;t the first time Mr. Raphael tried to silence vulnerable children. In another case against FCPS, he argued that a student who reported her sexual assault wasn&#8217;t really sexually assaulted because, according to him, the girl was only uncomfortable with forceful penetration of her genitals because her assaulter had a girlfriend. In another FCPS case, he argued that handcuffing and caging disabled students did not cause legal injuries. Each time, Mr. Raphael&#8217;s arguments challenged vulnerable children.
Nonetheless, the Virginia General Assembly selected Mr. Raphael to be a Court of Appeals judge. His appointment happened virtually overnight behind closed doors without public questioning, such as the confirmation hearings for federal judges. Had there been a hearing, the public could have examined Mr. Raphael&#8217;s record and severe lack of judgment before the General Assembly voted. I was disturbed to learn he would be a judge after how he treated me, but there was no opportunity for me to share my experience.
I know Chessy Prout, the survivor from St. Paul&#8217;s, feels frustrated knowing that Michael Delaney could become a federal judge. I&#8217;m glad Chessy <a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2.13.23%20-%20Chessy%20Prout%20Letter%20to%20Committee%20on%20Delaney%20Nomination.pdf">wrote to the Senate</a> about Mr. Delaney&#8217;s tactics, forcing him to defend his record, which should sink his nomination. And I wish I had a chance to share my experience with the Virginia General Assembly before it appointed Mr. Raphael in haste.
Judges make decisions that affect real people. It&#8217;s a serious job, not a job for people like Delaney and Raphael that can&#8217;t see the broader impact of their actions. The Senate should reject Mr. Delaney&#8217;s nomination, and Mr. Raphael&#8217;s current term on the Virginia Court of Appeals should be his last.
B.R. is a survivor of sexual abuse in Fairfax County Public Schools. She has been fighting for over a decade to hold FCPS accountable, not just for herself, but for all other students and families harmed.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Senate Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing

Michael Delaney Isn’t The First Judicial Nominee To Traumatize Child Sexual Abuse Survivors

Michael Delaney Isn't The First Judicial Nominee To Traumatize Child Sexual Abuse Survivors 

Child Sex Abuse

Court

Judges

Rape

Readers Pass

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/virginia">Virginia</a> school district turned a blind eye to horrific <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/human-trafficking">sexual abuse</a> in a middle school in 2012, with staff members showing more compassion for an alleged attacker than for the victim, a new court filing alleges.
The allegations have come to light a decade later because the victim waited until she was an adult to sue and the case has been in the courts for the last three years. The explosive claims against Fairfax County Public Schools were revealed in a newly filed amended complaint and paint a disturbing picture of gang activity and sex trafficking in the area.
The events occurred when the girl, identified in court papers as B.R., was a 12-year-old student at Rachel Carson Middle School. One of her alleged attackers was an eighth grader called only C.K. in court papers, while other alleged attackers were unknown men who allegedly gang raped her in a closet in the school after C.K. bragged that he was grooming her for &#8220;friends&#8221; who would &#8220;make a lot of money&#8221; off of her, the complaint says.
The complaint says that C.K. waited for B.R. at the bus stop after school, brandished a knife, and “led Plaintiff to a secluded nearby area outside where he wrestled Plaintiff to the ground, held her there against her will, removed her clothing, and forced Plaintiff… to perform oral sex.” Similar events occurred on a near-daily basis for several days, until the girl&#8217;s mother heard a voicemail message in which her daughter&#8217;s tormentor crudely threatened to sodomize her, according to the complaint.
Although it was before the alleged gang rape and the girl had not yet told her parents the extent of the abuse she had allegedly endured, her parents went to school officials in February of 2012 to complain of persistent sexual harassment in the school halls, the voicemail from C.K., and so claim that C.K. had stolen $50 from B.R. Officials allegedly brushed her complaint aside.
“Assistant Principal S.T. told Plaintiff and her parents that C.K. ‘had a very hard life and been in enough trouble,’ and asked Plaintiff and her mother why they were trying to ‘ruin a young boy’s life,’” the complaint states.
Assistant Principal S.T. then visited C.K.&#8217;s home, where his mother told him that he was &#8220;borrowing&#8221; the $50. After that conversation, the assistant principal told B.R.&#8217;s parents that it appeared to be a &#8220;boy girl thing&#8221; in which B.R. was &#8220;sexually active&#8221; with C.K. The assistant principal returned the $50 while laughing that B.R. should take it back before she spent it on Christmas shopping herself, the complaint says.
The abuse got worse after she went to school officials, culminating in a student dragging her into a closet in the school building after school where she was &#8220;raped by three unknown males (Mike Roes 1 – 3) consistent with the modus operandi of human and sexual traffickers in the Fairfax community,&#8221; the lawsuit alleged.
In February 2012, B.R.&#8217;s parents began keeping her home from school, and she disclosed the full extent of the alleged sexual abuse. On March 5, her parents went to the police and spoke with Detective Fred Chambers – the former School Resource Officer for the middle school &#8212; who directed her to take a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (“SANE”) evaluation which “revealed she suffered contusions inside her anus thereby corroborating her report of rape and sodomy,” the suit says.
Yet the detective went on to accuse the girl of making a false rape accusation &#8220;despite his knowledge of corroborating evidence,” the complaint says. School officials began investigating the alleged victim, the complaint claims.
“Under the guise of a school investigation, and in the course and scope of his authority as principal of RCMS, Principal A.F. visited Plaintiff’s elementary school to dig up ‘dirt’ on Plaintiff,&#8221; it says.
Although little is known of the assailants alleged to have gang-raped the girl, the events happened at the same time that  <a href="https://www.npr.org/2011/11/14/142300731/gangs-enter-new-territory-with-sex-trafficking">NPR</a> was reporting that the gang MS-13 was forcing children into prostitution in Fairfax. In 2014, FCPS warned of sex trafficking in a page on its website that included a <a href="https://www.fcps.edu/node/32026">video</a> saying one gang alone had attempted to recruit more than 800 girls in the county.
FCPS had a pattern of downplaying sexual misconduct so that the school system&#8217;s statistics looked better, the complaint says. &#8220;In effect, FCSB had a policy, custom, and practice of sweeping student-on-student sexual violence and sexual harassment under the rug,&#8221; it says.
Schools also required to disclose certain incidents in a statewide database. Loudoun County acknowledged <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-loudoun-schools-did-not-record-multiple-alleged-sexual-assaults-over-a-period-of-years-despite-state-law-records-show">failing to report</a> to the database properly after The Daily Wire pointed out that both the infamous bathroom rape and an earlier well-known locker room incident were missing.
In the 2011-2012 school year, when the Rachel Carson complaints were filed, FCPS reported <a href="https://www.doe.virginia.gov/statistics_reports/school_climate/discipline_crime_violence/11-12_annual_report.pdf">zero</a> sexual assaults and five sexual batteries across its 180,000 students. In the 2018-19 school year, the most recent before coronavirus disruptions, FCPS reported <a href="https://www.doe.virginia.gov/statistics_reports/school_climate/index.shtml">10 incidents</a> of &#8220;sexual battery against student.&#8221;
FCPS did not return a request for comment.

School System Downplayed Alleged Sexual Misconduct Against 12-Year Old, Citing ‘Hard Life’ Of Suspect, Suit Claims

Fairfax Schools Downplayed Rachel Carson Middle School Sexual Misconduct, Citing 'Hard Life' Of Suspect, Suit Claims

Loudoun County

Sexual Assault

Terry McAuliffe

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, pledged to use the state&#8217;s power to protect Supreme Court justices from rioters who may threaten them at their homes in the wake of a major abortion ruling.
&#8220;I am in regular contact with the Supreme Court Justices and my administration is in coordination with our mayors, and local and state police to ensure we are ready to take appropriate action if need be. Virginia will not stand for lawlessness or violence,&#8221; Youngkin said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorVA/status/1540382198678831107/photo/1">statement</a> shortly after the release of the court decision <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/united-states-supreme-court-overturns-roe-v-wade-leaves-abortion-restrictions-to-states">overturning Roe v. Wade</a>.
&#8220;Today&#8217;s ruling is a landmark decision for our country. While I understand that people across the nation have strong beliefs about this ruling, Virginians must always respect the rule of law and I appeal to their civility on this historic day. Our administration is committed to protecting individuals&#8217; constitutional rights and ensuring Virginians are safe,&#8221; he added.
Multiple justices live in the Northern Virginia suburbs, and far-left protesters have targeted them &#8212; with one group even <a href="https://twitter.com/RuthSentUs/status/1534530178298150913">advertising</a> when and where Justice Amy Coney Barrett attends church and putting signs up where her daughter goes to school.
Posters around D.C. have, for the last week, encouraged people to riot when the Supreme Court issued its decision, while others called for a &#8220;night of rage.&#8221;
The <a href="https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter9/section18.2-419/">Code of Virginia</a> prohibits “picketing before or about the residence or dwelling place of any individual … in a manner which disrupts or threatens to disrupt any individual’s right to tranquility in his home,” though others have questioned such laws on constitutional grounds.
But far-left politicos from Fairfax County rejected Youngkin&#8217;s entreaties that local police “establish an expanded security perimeter” and limit “unauthorized vehicle and pedestrian access” around the residences of Justices Barrett,  Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito, <a href="https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/05/12/fairfax-county-board-chair-rejects-youngkins-advice-for-supreme-court-justice-protests/">Fairfax Now</a> reported May 12.
After an armed man traveled to the home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh in Maryland and was indicted for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alleged-would-be-kavanaugh-assassin-indicted-for-attempted-murder-of-a-justice">attempted murder</a> of a justice, Youngkin introduced an amendment to the state&#8217;s budget that would make it a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/proposed-youngkin-amendment-would-make-it-a-felony-to-protest-outside-a-justices-home">felony</a> to try to influence or intimidate a judge with protests. Lawmakers blocked the amendment.
Youngkin, a Republican who last year won election in a generally blue-leaning state, signaled Friday that he will pursue a 15-week abortion ban. &#8220;We can build a bipartisan consensus on protecting the life of unborn children, especially when they begin to feel pain in the womb and importantly supporting mothers and families who choose life,&#8221; he said in a statement. He added that he has asked legislators to prepare a bill for &#8220;when the General Assembly returns in January.&#8221;

Supreme Court

Virginia Governor Says He Will Protect Justices From Rioters At Their Homes

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin Says He Will Protect Supreme Court Justices From Rioters At Their Homes

Glenn Youngkin

Roe v. Wade's Long And Brutal Legacy

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) requested assistance from the Fairfax Police Department on Wednesday, calling for local law enforcement to &#8220;establish an expanded security perimeter&#8221; around the private residences of Supreme Court justices.
Youngkin <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/573691148/Office-of-the-Governor-May-11-2022-Glenn-Youngkin#download">sent a letter</a> to the Fairfax County Board confirming that the request was a response to the continued and credible threat posed by ongoing <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/psaki-says-there-is-no-official-u-s-government-position-on-activists-protesting-outside-scotus-justices-homes/">planned demonstrations</a> outside the homes of sitting justices, three of whom reside in Fairfax County.
&#8220;I am writing to respectfully request that the Fairfax County Police Department establish an expanded security perimeter around the homes of the three current Supreme Court Justices who reside in Fairfax County,&#8221; Younkgin&#8217;s letter began.
&#8220;This request is based on credible and specific information received about upcoming activities planned at or involving the homes of the Justices in Fairfax County. We believe for the safety of the Justices and their families, their neighbors, and the law enforcement heroes dedicated to preserving peace and order in our communities, that an expanded security perimeter should be established,&#8221; Youngkin continued, noting that a well-defined perimeter would not only ensure safety and security of the Justices and their neighbors but for the protesters as well.
Youngkin also noted that the Virginia State Police were prepared to offer backup to local law enforcement officers should the need arise.
&#8220;The Virginia State Police have offered and stand ready to provide their assistance to Fairfax County Police. We are prepared to provide the manpower and resources necessary to ensure a safe perimeter, which should include limited unauthorized vehicle and pedestrian access, and be established prior to planned events on Wednesday, May 11, 2022,&#8221; he added.
Youngkin concluded by making it clear that he did not believe protesters should be allowed to gather outside the Justices&#8217; private residences at all, adding, &#8220;In addition to my clear safety concerns, I fundamentally believe such demonstrations and picketing should not be allowed at the Justices&#8217; homes as they are meant to intimidate and influence the Justices, not to mention, scaring their families and small children.&#8221;
Fox News&#8217; Gillian Turner responded to Youngkin&#8217;s letter during Wednesday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;America Reports,&#8221; and she told anchor John Roberts that she lived nearby one of the justices.
&#8220;I&#8217;m not going to tell you who,&#8221; she said, noting that often when she passed the house, she thought about just how vulnerable they might be. &#8220;It’s about time we provided these very vulnerable high profile public figures with some degree of protection,&#8221; she concluded.

Glenn Youngkin Is Inaugurally Sworn-In As Governor Of Virginia

Glenn Youngkin Calls For Law Enforcement To Create ‘Security Perimeter’ Around Justices’ Homes

Glenn Youngkin Calls Fairfax County Police To Create 'Security Perimeter' Around Justices' Homes

Law Enforcement

The entire Fairfax County, Virginia school board fled their own meeting on Thursday as Asian parents chanted that they were &#8220;racist,&#8221; following a federal judge&#8217;s ruling that the board broke the law by pushing Asians out of its magnet math and science school, and the board&#8217;s vow to appeal the ruling rather than reinstitute merit-based admissions to the school.
The Thomas Jefferson School For Science and Technology once had the highest math scores in the country, but after the school board determined that that was not &#8220;equitable,&#8221; they jettisoned the math test used for admission in favor of a process based on how &#8220;disadvantaged&#8221; students were. The result was that the famed school had to begin offering remedial math.
Asra Nomani, the India-born mother of a TJ student who was involved in the successful lawsuit, spoke at Thursday&#8217;s meeting, and told the board &#8220;For the last two years you have been trying to make us invisible, but a federal judge has ruled that in fact you are going to go down in history just like I told you you would, just like the school board in Brown vs. Board.&#8221;
&#8220;You are the new face of racism,&#8221; she said.
<div id="attachment_353300" style="width: 1210px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-353300" class="wp-image-353300 size-full" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/main2.png" alt="" width="1200" height="650" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/main2.png 1200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/main2-300x163.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/main2-1024x555.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/main2-768x416.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />Daily Wire</div>
The school board&#8217;s high-priced law firm, Hunton Andrews Kurth, is the successor to Hunton &amp; Williams, which fought to preserve segregation in cases that ultimately became Brown vs. Board, the case in which the Supreme Court struck down school segregation.
Nomani brought with her to the podium a stack of copies of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Race-Bottom-Uncovering-Destroying-Education/dp/0063056720/">Race To The Bottom</a>, a new book by Daily Wire investigative reporter Luke Rosiak, which highlights anti-merit, anti-Asian school policies and chronicles the Fairfax school board in particular.
&#8220;I have here a copy of a book for each one of you, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Race-Bottom-Uncovering-Destroying-Education/dp/0063056720/">Race To The Bottom</a>. And you are all in this book. A book for you Karen Corbett Sanders, a book for you Stella Pekarsky, a book for you Abrar Omeish,&#8221; she said, as the crowd erupted in cheers. &#8220;All of you have failed us. I have all of these books, I hope you read them from cover to cover and see yourself in the pages of history &#8212; as failures.&#8221;
A security guard then approached her, and a crowd of parents, including many immigrants, began shouting &#8220;Racist, racist, racist&#8221; at the board.
&#8220;I&#8217;d like the board to take a recess,&#8221; the board chair abruptly declared, and the members vacated their seats and scurried backstage.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-353301" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/flee.png" alt="" width="1066" height="524" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/flee.png 1066w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/flee-300x147.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/flee-1024x503.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/flee-768x378.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1066px) 100vw, 1066px" /></div>
&#8220;You have caused us pain. There are people here who have survived the Cultural Revolution. Yuyan stood in Tiananmen Square&#8230; I am a woman of color but you don&#8217;t care, do you. You&#8217;ll bring all of the white security guards&#8230; We, the Asians, don&#8217;t matter to you&#8230; We&#8217;re supposed to be the good, obedient Asians, that&#8217;s what you expect of us, don&#8217;t you. Especially women,&#8221; Nomani said.
The crowd of Asian moms chanted again: &#8220;Racist, racist, racist.&#8221;
One shouted, &#8220;Evil!&#8221;
<div id="attachment_353304" style="width: 266px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-353304" class="size-full wp-image-353304" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ss15-evil.png" alt="" width="256" height="342" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/ss15-evil.png 256w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/ss15-evil-225x300.png 225w" sizes="(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px" />A woman shouts &#8220;evil!&#8221; at the school board / Daily Wire</div>
&#8220;Your equity plan didn&#8217;t think about the Asians, did you. We were on the wrong side of brown for you,&#8221; Nomani said.
A security guard monitored Nomani after she returned to her seat. Nomani asked why he treated her, a five-foot tall woman, as a threat. &#8220;What did he think I was going to do, storm their wall?&#8221; she asked.
Another woman replied with a heavy accent and a laugh: &#8220;With the books.&#8221;
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-353302" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/storytime.png" alt="" width="764" height="525" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/storytime.png 764w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/storytime-300x206.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px" /></div>
With the school board having abandoned their own meeting hall, the space became a forum for what one mom called &#8220;story time&#8221;: Nomani read from a chapter about the Fairfax County school board.
&#8220;In this new era, school board members took their seats to pursue a variety of agendas, none of which had to do with education,&#8221; she began reading.
But the school board wasn&#8217;t listening.
<div id="attachment_353303" style="width: 1099px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-353303" class="size-full wp-image-353303" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/books.png" alt="" width="1089" height="603" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/books.png 1089w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/books-300x166.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/books-1024x567.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/03/books-768x425.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1089px) 100vw, 1089px" />Copies of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Race-Bottom-Uncovering-Destroying-Education/dp/0063056720/">Race to the Bottom</a> sit on school board clerk&#8217;s desk / Daily Wire</div>

Asra Nomani at Fairfax County school board meeting 3/11/2022

Fairfax School Board Flees Meeting As Asian Moms Chant ‘Racist!’ At Them

A federal judge ruled Friday that school officials in Fairfax County, Virginia, violated the law by altering admissions requirements at the nation&#8217;s top-ranked high school, since the changes discriminated against Asian Americans.
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) system, which is <a href="https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia/districts/fairfax-county-public-schools/thomas-jefferson-high-school-for-science-and-technology-20461">ranked</a> by U.S. News &amp; World Report as the best school nationwide, came under fire last year for abolishing an entrance exam at which Asian students excelled, <a href="https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia/districts/fairfax-county-public-schools/thomas-jefferson-high-school-for-science-and-technology-20461">The Daily Wire</a> reported. Community members, represented by Pacific Legal Foundation, filed a lawsuit against the school board last March.
U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton for Virginia&#8217;s Eastern District ruled that the admissions process change was discriminatory toward Asian American students. The school board had adopted an equity policy to balance racial groups, thereby gutting an exam on which Asians performed well, and accepting other minorities who did not do well largely on the test.
The first class of students under the new district policy showed Asian students were admitted in lesser numbers, The Daily Wire had reported in June 2021. There was a 54% reduction in Asian students, while an overwhelming 80% of parents said in two PTA polls that the admissions policy should continue like before.
&#8220;This is a monumental win for parents and students here in Fairfax County, but also for equal treatment in education across the country,” attorney Erin Wilcox for Pacific Legal Foundation said in a statement. &#8220;We hope this ruling sends the message that government cannot choose who receives the opportunity to attend public schools based on race or ethnicity.&#8221;
Asra Nomani, who co-founded the community member coalition opposing Fairfax County Public Schools&#8217; policy, applauded Judge Hilton for his ruling. &#8220;It is a victory for equality under the law, merit education and the American Dream,&#8221; said Nomani, vice president for investigations at Parents Defending Education. &#8220;We are so grateful to the team at Pacific Legal Foundation for being relentless defenders of justice.&#8221;
Hilton, who was appointed by former President Ronald Reagan, wrote in his ruling that &#8220;discussion of TJ admissions changes was infected with talk of racial balancing from its inception.” In addition to that, school board members &#8220;sought to use geography to obtain their desired racial outcome.&#8221; The judge wrote:
<blockquote>Even aside from the statements confirming that the board&#8217;s goal was to bring racial balance to TJ, the board&#8217;s requests for racial data demonstrate discriminatory intent. … Discriminatory intent does not require racial animus. What matters is that the board acted at least in part because of, not merely in spite of, the policy&#8217;s adverse effects upon an identifiable group.</blockquote>
&#8220;That is the case here,&#8221; the judge continued. &#8220;The board&#8217;s policy was designed to increase Black and Hispanic enrollment, which would, by necessity, decrease the representation of Asian-Americans at TJ.&#8221;
Admissions for the high school were previously race-blind and merit-based. The Fairfax school board also began awarding bonus points for things like attendance at a middle school that typically did not send many students to Thomas Jefferson, and mandated high school seats for 1.5% of every eighth grade middle school grade in the district.

Fairfax County School Officials Broke Law Reducing Asian American Enrollment, Judge Rules

Affirmative Action

In Virginia, the president of the Fairfax Education Association, who has been fighting legislation that would make masks optional in public schools, wrote in response to the news of the county’s high COVID-19 transmission rates that it was “good news,” according to a post shared by the Fairfax County Parents Association.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Teacher Union Head: It&#39;s &quot;good news&quot; that COVID cases are high so that kids can&#39;t unmask.
In a recent FB post, the FEA Pres. celebrated Fairfax County&#39;s high COVID rates, which under FCPS&#39;s &quot;roll back&quot; plan would mean parents are denied any option to unmask their kids. <a href="https://t.co/3Cvpg4N6oZ">pic.twitter.com/3Cvpg4N6oZ</a>
&mdash; Fairfax County Parents Association (@FFXParentsAssoc) <a href="https://twitter.com/FFXParentsAssoc/status/1493654297187426306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Adams’ reference to a “plan” referred to the Fairfax Public School System <a href="https://www.fcps.edu/blog/update-our-roll-back-plan">issuing an update</a> on their “Roll Back Plan” with this statement on February 10:
<blockquote>Dear FCPS Families and Staff,
As we mentioned in our most recent community letter, we have been working with health experts to develop a plan to safely scale back layered prevention measures. The health and safety of our students and staff is our number one priority, guiding every decision we make during this pandemic. Our roll back plan uses community transmission data and health expert recommendations to inform our decision-making.
While we continue to see declines in COVID cases across our community, we remain in high transmission and all current layered prevention strategies, including masking, remain in place. FCPS will implement our roll back strategy when the Fairfax County community reaches moderate transmission and remains there for seven consecutive days.
When that happens, the following changes will go into effect:
Masking will be optional. Universal masking will only be required during high or substantial community transmission rates. There may also be times, such as an outbreak, when some students and staff will be asked to wear masks during mask-optional community transmission levels to protect the public health.
FCPS employees who are not fully vaccinated or are unvaccinated will still be required to wear a mask indoors, regardless of transmission level, as outlined by the <a href="https://www.doli.virginia.gov/final-covid-19-standard-frequently-asked-questions/#PPE%20and%20Face%20Masks" data-extlink="">Department of Labor and Industry</a>.</blockquote>
On Monday, a bill that would make masks optional in Virginia schools was passed by the Republican-controlled House of Delegates, and is expected to be signed by GOP Governor Glenn Youngkin.
ABC 7 <a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/fairfax-county-schools-announce-roll-back-plan-with-an-off-ramp-for-universal-masking">reported</a> last Thursday, “Right now, the CDC and Virginia Department of Health classify Fairfax County as being in &#8216;High Transmission&#8217;, with over 250 cases per 100,000 people. Case numbers and positivity rates are currently dropping, but the county won&#8217;t reach &#8216;Moderate Transmission&#8217; levels until there are less than 50 cases per 100,000 people.”
Bonnie Myshrall, the president of the <a href="https://www.fairfaxparents.org/">Fairfax County Parents Association</a>, told ASBC 7 that the FCPS roll back plan on masking came far too late, commenting, “It was frustrating, because as parents we had been advocating for these off-ramps for a year and a half or more.”
Adams traveled to Richmond on Friday, where she <a href="https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/some-teachers-oppose-bill-to-make-masks-optional-in-virginia/65-6d71b1c9-fc31-4532-80fa-8e5f5286e479">stated</a> her opposition to the Legislation that would make masks optional in Virginia schools, saying, “The first reason that we’re opposed to it is it takes away the local control&#8230;.If the pandemic sparks up again in a couple of months, we don’t have the power then to say masks are necessary.&#8221;
She added, &#8220;The other piece is it doesn’t really protect the people who need everyone around them to be masked, so it forces parents to make a decision if they’re going to have to pull their children out of school again.”

Child hands holding protective face mask

President Of Fairfax Ed Association, Opposed To Law Making Kid’s Masks Optional, Celebrates ‘Good News’ Of High COVID Transmission

masks

schoolchildren

A Virginia Democrat state senator had his &#8220;Joe Manchin moment&#8221; when, in a fiery letter to the Fairfax County Public Schools superintendent, he responded to the district&#8217;s doubling down on what he called &#8220;Forced Masking of Children&#8221; by vowing to pass a law prohibiting it &#8220;in the coming days.&#8221;
&#8220;It has become hard, if not impossible, to find a respected medical researcher who still defends Forced Masking of Children as a public safety measure,&#8221; Sen. Chap Petersen wrote Monday. Petersen, a moderate Democrat from Fairfax City, serves in a state senate where Democrats have such a thin majority that, when he votes with Republicans, Republicans can pass legislation.
&#8220;The decision to wear a mask in public &#8211; when there is so little correlation with public health &#8211; makes it de facto a political decision. In other words, by wearing a mask in a public setting, the wearer is able to communicate a political message, e.g. “I Care About Others&#8221; or &#8220;I voted for Biden&#8221; &#8230; You are forcing children to make a political statement that they (and their parents) may not believe. That violates the First Amendment,&#8221; he wrote.
It was a remarkable example of an elected Democrat politician calling out a nominally nonpartisan schools chief for being more partisan than he is &#8212; so partisan, in fact, that the superintendent was willing to implement what Petersen described as &#8220;inhumane&#8221; policies in service of political virtue signaling.
&#8220;For the past two years, we have seen the lives of our children disrupted and destroyed by a pandemic that posed little, or no, threat to them physically. Too many decisions involving children have been dictated by political expediency. As a parent, I&#8217;ve had enough,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;In the coming days, I will ask the Governor to either send down special legislation or amend existing legislation so as to end the Forced Masking of Children. We will pass that with a bipartisan majority and this sad episode will finally end.&#8221;
School districts in liberal areas have defied an executive order from Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin that gave parents the right to opt-out of school mask mandates. They have cited as justification a Senate bill called SB 1303 that forced northern Virginia jurisdictions to resume in-person learning, saying the bill also says schools should follow CDC guidance where &#8220;practicable.&#8221;
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fairfax-schools-suspend-kids-call-police-as-system-defies-virginia-governor-on-masks">Fairfax Schools Suspend Kids, Call Police As System Defies Virginia Governor On Masks</a>
But Petersen, an architect of that bill, said FCPS has no excuse. He previously warned that Fairfax should be clear with the community about what circumstances would be enough to remove masks, and to set a maximum end date. When they doubled down instead, he shook the state with a letter that&#8217;s worth reading in its entirety:
<blockquote>On Friday evening, February 4th, in my capacity as a parent, I received the attached press release from Fairfax County Public Schools which announced the ruling of the Arlington County Circuit Court on the Governor&#8217;s Executive Order No. 2 regarding &#8220;parental option&#8221; for any child masking policies.
The press release begins by lauding the Court&#8217;s ruling as an &#8220;immediate action to protect the health of the community and also reaffirms the constitutional rights of the school boards.&#8221; It then states that FCPS will indefinitely continue its policy of Forced Masking for &#8220;all students, staff and visitors, a regulation which is overwhelmingly supported by our staff and families” which &#8220;has been a critical safety measure during the pandemic, especially during the most recent surge.&#8221;
No evidence is cited for any of these statements, which are clearly opinions &#8211; not facts. Since FCPS has circulated its opinions via a public forum, I will respond in kind on the two key presumptions:
I. &#8220;Forced Masking of Children Saves Lives&#8221;
Ever since the General Assembly required FCPS to re-open in the spring of 2021, the students and staff of FCPS have been forced to wear masks, regardless of their health, vaccination status or whether the community was experiencing a &#8220;surge.&#8221; To the best of my knowledge, no scientific basis has ever been offered for Forced Masking; rather parents are asked to assume that this policy &#8220;saves lives.&#8221;
After a year, the data on student masking is easily found and it is overwhelming: the forced masking of school children has no correlation with community health.
Let us examine the data points. First of all, there are major states around the United States (e.g. Ohio, Florida and Texas) which have had no mask mandate for at least the past year, when vaccinations became widely available. There is no meaningful discrepancy between the health outcomes of their children and those living in states like New York and California &#8212; or jurisdictions like Fairfax County &#8211; which have strictly masked children. According to CDC data, numbers regarding child health in these states are functionally equal; an outcome which reflects the fact that the COVID19 pandemic, over two years, has had no statistical impact on child mortality rates.
The residual question is whether the Forced Masking of Children is beneficial to others, i.e. family members who may have compromised immune systems. Again, the data shows the opposite: that masking has no meaningful impact on community transmission. In a comprehensively researched article published January 26th in The Atlantic magazine, the authors who are infectious disease specialists concluded that &#8220;no real-world data indicate that these masks decrease transmissions in school settings.&#8221;
Numerous other studies by impartial media sources confirm these same findings, including publications from left-leaning sources as Bloomberg News, The Washington Post and The New York Times. Indeed, it has become hard, if not impossible, to find a respected medical researcher who still defends Forced Masking of Children as a public safety measure.
II. &#8220;Forced Masking of Children is Popular&#8221;
In the absence of compelling scientific evidence, the fall-back argument from FCPS and other pro-mask advocates has been that Forced Masking of Children is &#8220;popular&#8221; with staff and parents and, therefore, it should be kept in place for as long as possible, regardless of whether anyone objects.
In my years as a parent, I have been asked to take multiple surveys by FCPS over issues such as &#8220;community racism&#8221; or &#8220;bullying.&#8221; To date, I have not been asked to take a survey on Forced Masking (or &#8220;universal masking&#8221; as it&#8217;s more euphemistically called). Therefore, I am skeptical of this statement, especially since I&#8217;ve been contacted by so many FCPS parents and staff in the past few weeks who want to speak out against Forced Child Masking but are afraid of the consequences.
More critically, the decision to wear a mask in public &#8211; when there is so little correlation with public health &#8211; makes it de facto a political decision. In other words, by wearing a mask in a public setting, the wearer is able to communicate a political message, e.g. “I Care About Others&#8221; or &#8220;I voted for Biden&#8221; or even &#8220;I&#8217;m Vaccinated.&#8221; The ability to communicate a political message is the essence of our First Amendment, but coercing others into adopting that statement, especially a student in a public school, is the exact opposite.
For this reason, your argument that &#8220;Forced Masking is Popular&#8221; is the very reason why this policy must end. You are forcing children to make a political statement that they (and their parents) may not believe. That violates the First Amendment.
III. Where Do We Go From Here?
For the past two years, we have seen the lives of our children disrupted and destroyed by a pandemic that posed little, or no, threat to them physically. Too many decisions involving children have been dictated by political expediency. As a parent, I&#8217;ve had enough.
In 2021, the General Assembly solved the issue of school closures by ordering schools to reopen for in person learning five days a week via the passage of SB 1303. We stepped in because school districts were failing to do the right thing for children. This is not just my opinion &#8211; it is reflected in the fact that Virginia public schools, such as FCPS, had a record loss of enrollment in 2021, which has continued into the current year. Something is not right.
In the coming days, I will ask the Governor to either send down special legislation or amend existing legislation so as to end the Forced Masking of Children. We will pass that with a bipartisan majority and this sad episode will finally end.
Of course, FCPS is free to end the Forced Masking policy on its own accord. If it does so, I am confident there will the same public health impact as when we (i) re-opened schools, (ii) permitted school sports, and (iii) did away with the &#8220;six foot&#8221; rule inside school buildings. In other words, there will be no negative health effect and, again, Virginians will be wondering (like we did after the reopening of schools) how we ever allowed an unscientific and inhumane policy to last as long as this one did.
Thank you.
Sincerely 
J. Chapman Petersen 
Member Senate of Virginia</blockquote>
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virginia-judge-denies-governors-request-to-immediately-strike-down-mask-mandates">Virginia Judge Denies Governor’s Request To Immediately Block School Mask Mandates</a>
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-standoff-in-virginia-as-schools-defy-governors-order-making-masks-optional">Standoff In Virginia As Schools Defy Governor’s Order Making Masks Optional</a>

Virginia Dem Says Masks Are Just Political Symbols, ‘Forced Masking’ Violates 1st Amendment

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