West Nova News

A controversial proposal that would punish teachers employed by Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) from speaking out against critical race theory (CRT) is reportedly being pulled back and redrafted in the face of a challenge by a teachers union and parent outcry.

West Nova News first reported that the LCPS school board was considering a draft policy that would have subjected teachers to discipline for “comments that are not in alignment with the school division's commitment to action-oriented equity practices.” 

Per the policy, LCPS employees also would be compelled to report free speech violations on their co-workers to the school administration.

LCPS Superintendent Eric Williams

LCPS has now indicated it will redraft the policy originally scheduled for a board vote at the Monday, Oct. 12 meeting, according to the Washington Free Beacon. 

The Loudoun Education Association (LEA) represents 3,300 educators and staff members locally, many of whom contacted union leadership after reading about the draft policy. LEA president Sandy Sullivan told the Free Beacon she was happy to see the school pull back the policy for revision, as she wanted "to make sure employees can speak freely without repercussions.”

Parents have also been speaking out. 

“I regularly receive emails from parents and teachers and they are completely appalled by what LCPS is doing and are willing to do whatever they can to help with this fight,” Scott Mineo said.  

Mineo, who runs the website Parents Against Critical Theory, said LCPS superintendent Eric Williams bears the responsibility for his attempts to radicalize the school system’s curriculum.  

“Supporters of CRT are of the belief that white people, all white people, are inherently born racists,” Mineo told West Nova News. “As a result, all institutions in America are racist. In order for the CRT initiative to grow, white people must denounce their ‘whiteness’ and ‘white privilege’ and even apologize for past wrongs against minorities. CRT instills in its followers that minorities are constantly victimized and white people are always guilty of this victimization, negating any sense of due process. CRT aims to rid the country of individualism in favor of groups of individuals to further their economic, social and political interests. . . . Marxism.” 

Regardless of whether LCPS takes a vote on the policy as is or kills it, Mineo said the school board has shown its true nature. 

“[Knowing] that such a proposal is even being considered by the school board and superintendent tells us all we need to know; they lack a moral compass, their ethics are non-existent and that they are fully willing to create some other radical, Marxist and/or racist proposal of one kind or another,” Mineo said. 

Mineo said that among the many problems with CRT is the lack of any middle ground or ability to debate the theory.

“If someone (regardless of race or ethnicity) opposes or disagrees with any aspect of CRT, they are considered racist, homophobes, Islamophobes or any other type of ‘phobe’ that exists,” Mineo said. “With CRT, there is no middle ground, discussion or consideration of anything else that may be contrary to all or part of CRT. People either support CRT and are down for the cause and if they aren't, well they are then racists. These are the only two options, no negotiations.” 

Williams’ drive to instill CRT into the school’s curriculum was laid bare by a 2019 letter to the school district where he said the district's principals and teachers have a "low level of racial consciousness and racial literacy.” 

Last month West Nova News revealed that Williams and LCPS spent more than $422,500 on “equity” and CRT curriculum in the past two years. 

“The superintendent is clearly a far-left sympathizer that seems to have a cozy relationship with the NAACP and a radical agenda,” Mineo said.  

Williams has been superintendent since mid-2014 while the LCPS school board was only seated on Jan. 1, 2020. 

“Why would every school board member vote ‘Yes’ to this obscene Comprehensive Equity Plan?” Mineo said. “Many or all school board members seem to be unaware of the underlying attributes of this Equity Plan, LCPS' ‘Equity Partners.’”  

Due to his work on CRT, Mineo has been a regular speaker at political events. He said the feedback he has received has been overwhelming.  

“I cannot tell you how many parents and teachers are disgusted by LCPS' implementation of CRT,” Mineo said. “Many parents have been completely unaware of exactly what LCPS'/CRT initiative is all about. Like any good Progressive, LCPS uses words and phrases that sound innocent and harmless that most parents take at face value.” 

The Loudoun Branch of the NAACP recently made demands on LCPS regarding “terms of conciliation” that would engineer gifted classes to allow for more Black students.  

The NAACP is planning two protests in front of the LCPS building at 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Oct. 13. The move comes just after the school system made a public apology for segregation. 

The framework of academic affirmative action programs, such as that proposed by the Loudoun Branch of the NAACP, has been criticized as discriminatory, often at the cost of Asian students.  

Harvard University infamously was exposed for using an affirmative-action selection system that resulted in fewer Asians being chosen by the university than if they had made selections regardless of race. Since 2013 Harvard has been tied up in a lawsuit regarding that selection criteria. 

The Justice Department filed an amicus brief on behalf of the plaintiffs earlier this year.