Stacy Langton, a mother of six, expressed her lack of surprise at Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) defying the guidance of Republican Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin regarding gender and pronouns. Langton noted that FCPS had previously defied Youngkin’s order to remove the mask mandate in schools, demonstrating a pattern of disobeying the law.
Langton criticized FCPS for not respecting the authority of the governor’s office and remarked on the conflict that arose over mask-wearing in schools. She argued that the school board’s refusal to comply with the law was a gesture of disrespect towards parents and questioned whether the nation should adhere to the rule of law.
In response to FCPS’s decision, Governor Youngkin’s administration criticized the district for diverging from the model policy guidance provided by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). The administration emphasized that the law requires school boards to adopt policies consistent with those provided by the VDOE, and that FCPS should follow the law.
The Virginia Department of Education recently released model policies for public schools regarding the treatment of transgender students, which include guidelines on bathrooms, athletics, and pronoun use in the classroom. The policies state that school personnel should refer to students using pronouns based on their sex as recorded in official records.
Langton argued that FCPS is implementing “communist principles” similar to other American companies and entities, asserting that the school board is prioritizing political correctness over what is best for society.
Fairfax County Public Schools is the largest school district in Virginia, overseeing numerous schools and serving a significant student population.