On June 22 the Loudoun County School Board voted on policies regarding the treatment of transgender students and critical race theory -- school board meeting that drew crowds of concerned parents on one hand and left-wing activists on the other. All along the medians and sidewalks there were different flags and signs advocating each side's message. The far-left group had posters and yard signs that read “gay rights are human rights,” while the opposing side’s read “Loudoun County’s Worst Nightmare: Educated Parents.”
Many different organizations gathered in adjacent parking lots, including Family Foundation of Virginia, Virginia Education Association, The Radiance Foundation and members of Glenn Youngkin’s campaign team. There were tents set up for both sides and obvious tension between the two, although the real action didn’t occur until the meeting came to an end.
The protesters gathered around 2:15pm, with doors opening around 3:30pm. The meeting only lasted until around 5:50pm before the board voted to shut down the meeting and police declared an "unlawful assembly." A few of the frustrated parents were even arrested.
The individuals advocating against Critical Race Theory and allowing children to pick their genders had American flags set up around their tents and played the National Anthem while waiting for the meeting to begin. They also invited speakers including Fairfax county lawyer Cathy Ruse, the executive director of Fight for Our Schools, Ian Prior, and co-founder of The Radiance Foundation, Ryan Bomberger.
Ruse spoke at the opening of the rally and called out the school board for using “taxpayer money to indoctrinate children.” She emphasized that “my children are worth fighting for harder than they fight to destroy them.”
Prior told Laura Ingraham during an interview that he believes many of the left-wing protestors were brought in on busses.
They can keep trying, they can keep bussing people in or holding rallies outside, but we are not going to stop. This is the wokest school board in America, and it's also is the worst school board in America, and we are not going to stop until we get a seat at the table.
The leftist group in support of the proposed policies had gay and trans-pride flags scattered across the parking lot and grassy areas. Protesters could be seen with rainbow masks and most were wearing purple clothing (which they use to represent fluidity between genders). While talking to some of the crowd about where they were from it became obvious that very few of them actually had students in the school system. One Loudoun County public school alumni explained that he did not have any children but he was there because “pronouns make all the difference” and recognizing someone's “identity” could “save their life.”
There was even a bus displaying the message “Recall Beth Barts,” a left-wing school board member. When the bus pulled up, one of the trans advocates began screaming “I love Beth” at the top of her lungs. When no one joined her she quickly stopped.
Loudoun County was obviously not expecting the parents to have so many supporters, if the lefties made up the majority you can bet the meeting wouldn't have been forced to end so soon.
