Virginia school board seeks to shut down parents criticizing pro-LGBT policies
by Fr Mark Hodges, LifeSite:
An influential U.S. school district is shutting down the ability of parents to give feedback on controversial policies such as its gender identity policy, concerned parents are saying.
The Fairfax County School Board (FCSB), serving one of the busiest suburbs of Washington D.C., is in the process of introducing new restrictions for parents making comments during board meetings.
Among the restrictions parents have expressed concern about are rules that commenters may only speak about what the board allows on its agenda, banning anyone from speaking except the few who have previously signed up, and disallowing commenters from sharing speaking time.
Ever since the FCSB ushered in a transgender policy allowing boys in the girls’ toilets, changing rooms, and showers in 2015, over 100 parents have barraged board meetings with criticism of the policy. Comments include not only concern about the policy itself, but that it was enacted quickly without public debate instead of lengthy, transparent consideration.
A massive parental backlash has prompted the board’s proposed rule changes.
One concerned parent called the rule change a dangerous “ploy to censor opposing speech.”
“It’s a con game,” another parent told the Christian Post, which reported that by “tightly controlling” comments to “circumvent controversial topics” the board intends to “squash any opposing voices.”
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