Old Dominion News

Tensions have risen for school boards across the country as parents and community members make known their opinions about hot-button issues in education. 

Perhaps nowhere better emulates the heat of those fights than Loudoun County, where parents, administrators and school board officials have been locked in highly publicized conflict for weeks. Among the parents' primary concerns are the influence of so called-critical race theory (CRT), non-traditional gender education, explicit sexual curriculum and strict COVID-19 protocols.

The New York Post reports the battle in Loudoun County reached its boiling point earlier in October when it came to light that the board and school administrators had covered up multiple sexual assaults by a male student.

Earlier this year the Loudon County Public Schools superintendent allegedly argued there were no records of any sexual assault on campus. His claims were questioned, however, when the superintendent's emails showing him discussing the incident before it became public. The New York Post reports that one of the victim's fathers, Scott Smith, was arrested at a school board meeting when he attempted to demand accountability for his daughter's rape and his frustration with the school's administration boiled over. 

The Loudoun school board has consequentially been lashed with criticism and cries calling for resignation of multiple board members. The negative attention has drawn the efforts of Fight for Schools, a political action committee notable for their vocal criticisms of school boards across the U.S. 

According to Fight for Schools Director Ian Prior, the PAC has joined the movement to scrub the Loudoun board because its representatives contributed to a pattern "to silence and intimidate those in the community that object to their politicizing our schools," he says.

"Several members of the Loudoun County School Board were part of a private, viewpoint-restricted Facebook group where members plotted against parents opposed to CRT and the closing of schools," Prior told Old Dominion News. 

Critical race theory, a college-designed course of study, is not taught in most high schools, according to many educators.

According to reporting by WTOP News, parents, teachers and the board members targeted for recall were in a Facebook group deemed "Anti-racist parents of Loudoun County." The group reportedly has more than 600 participants, who according to Prior were encouraged to target parents opposed to CRT education. The instigators reportedly listed parents' names, places of work, addresses and supposed wrongdoings. 

Fight for Schools, one of the leading organizations opposed to the school's policies and practices, has been working to secure recall votes against several school board members. Ballotpedia reports that there are currently efforts under way to recall five Loudoun County school board members. A sixth board member was initially part of the recall but passed away in August.

Prior feels secure in the potential outcome of the recall efforts.

"We were already in court with one of the school board members, and the judge ruled for us on several motions that assured us that our case would be given a fair process," he said. "We expect the same for the remaining cases."

According to Ballotpedia, petition gatherers would have to collect the following amount of signatures for each of the five school board members: Denise Corbo,10,785; Beth Barts, 1,176; Brenda Sheridan, 803; Atoosa Reaser, 1,213; and Ian Serotkin, 2,179. 

Barts, however, previously announced she would resign effective Nov. 2. Her attorney believes this will likely render the recall effort against her moot.

The battle against Loudoun County Schools has captured the attention of many across the country. Volunteers for Convention of States (COS), a grassroots organization, is no exception. Beginning this summer it joined in criticizing board policies that is says discuss Marxism and CRT.

Prior has rallied support from COS volunteers in the effort to recall the school board members.

"I knew that they have an amazing grassroots team and reached out to [COS President] Mark Meckler to see if they would be willing to help for our Election Day operation," Prior said. "They will be helping us complete the signature-gathering process for the removal actions, which will then allow us to file those cases in court."

According to its website, Fight for Schools focuses on "electing common sense candidates that commit to policies that support equal opportunity, tolerance, meritocracy and achievement." To learn more, visit www.fightforschools.com.