West Nova News

The NAACP is demanding that Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) eliminate standardized testing and grades as a criteria for admission into LCPS gifted programs, according to the Loudoun Times-Mirror.

The group recently posted "Terms of Conciliation" for the school system.

That's in favor of "admission on a random basis" to interested students via a "lottery," so long as the end result "is reflective of the demographics of the LCPS student population."  

Eric Williams, superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools.

A "final grade of C or above" should be sufficient to be considered "gifted," the NAACP argues.  

The NAACP Loudoun Branch also demands it be a "stakeholder in developing the (gifted selection) process LCPS uses." They are also demanding that LCPS create a charter school for black students, "with a focus on African-American studies and eliminating the historical achievement gap" between black and non-black students.

It wants the names of Hillsboro Academy and the Academies of Loudoun, two existing LCPS academic programs, changed as they are a "harsh reminder" of schools that separated black and non-black students.

The NAACP wants LCPS to "eliminate . . . insults, slurs and violent conduct" it calls "racially-motivated," implementing an "online bias incident reporting system" where students and teachers would document "incidents of racial bias and hate."

"Culturally sensitive reporting and investigative procedures" must be developed, the NAACP demands, that alleviate any "student fears" about reporting these incidents.

A taxpayer-funded "NAACP Education Discrimination Fund" would provide students who were victim to these incidents with "resources, referral and payment of legal services needed." 

Taxpayers would also fund a "NAACP Victims Compensation Fund" that would pay for "psychological services" for victims.

The NAACP identifies LCPS "discipline policies and practices" as a problem for black students, and is demanding the district revise them to be more "racially conscious."

All LCPS students would be required to take "equity training" provided by the NAACP every September and January. Teachers and staff, including bus drivers and cafeteria staff "resistant to racial literacy training" would receive "additional coaching."

The NAACP is demanding African-American history be a mandated course requirement for new teachers. It wants LCPS to create a designation for schools that have worked "to improve racial consciousness . . . and racial literacy" as "culturally competent districts."

It also is demanding LCPS pay for an NAACP-recommended consultant who will manage and monitor progress on all of its demands.

The issue arises as the school board recently set aside a resolution that would have punished teachers who criticize Critical Race Theory.

Since 2018, LCPS has paid a vendor $422,500 to develop "equity" curriculum and training modules for educators.  

On Sept. 25, LCPS made a public apology for past school desegregation.