This browser does not support the Video element.
Dozens protest outside Loudoun County School Board meeting
Several dozen people, including Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, stood outside the LCPS building during a school board meeting demanding privacy for all students. Parents, teachers and some students held signs standing by Earle-Sears as she spoke out against the school district's transgender rights policy—also known as policy 8040.
ASHBURN, Va. - Several dozen people, including Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, stood outside the LCPS building during a school board meeting demanding privacy for all students.
Parents, teachers and some students held signs standing by Earle-Sears as she spoke out against the school district's transgender rights policy—also known as policy 8040.
The issue:
Rally goers also pointed to the school district’s Title IX investigation into an incident inside a boys' locker room at Stone Bridge High School.
According to parents of the boys, their students were found responsible of "sexual harassment" and "sex-based discrimination" after asking why a girl was in the boys' locker room, stating they were uncomfortable.
READ MORE: Attorney appeals after 2 Loudoun County students suspended amid Title IX investigation
The student in question identifies as male but presents as female. We're told that student also recorded the boy's reaction to her being in the locker room.
The school district initially suspended two of the boys involved but that was paused after attorneys for the families put in an appeal.
"What stresses me out the most is that the opportunities that he had are now gone. How is this going to go with jobs, and the future, and on his college applications. You know it's just not fair," says Lisa Wolfe. Her grandson is one of the boys involved in the incident.
Big picture view:
Winsome Earle-Sears, who is also running as the Republican candidate for governor is demanding a change in policy from LCPS.
Loudoun and four other northern Virginia districts are defying a demand from the department of education. The feds want students to use bathrooms and locker rooms based on biological sex and not gender identity.
"Our policies are simple. Girls’ sports are for girls, girls' spaces are for girls. And boys deserve that same opportunity and right."
The Lt. Governor went on to say "the school board in Loudoun and elsewhere in northern Virginia is not listening to parents."
What they're saying:
In a statement to FOX 5, Loudoun County Public Schools officials said, "At no time would LCPS suspend a student simply because they expressed some kind of discomfort. There is a high bar to launch a title ix investigation and an even higher bar to determine a student is in violation of Title IX."
LCPS leaders also added that at the last school board meeting board members decided that they will table future Policy 8040 conversations and allow it to go through the court process.
FOX 5 DC has reached out to the Abigail Spanberger campaign for comment. Read her full statement below:
"As a mom of three daughters in Virginia public schools and a former federal law enforcement officer, Abigail’s top priority is making sure that all of Virginia’s kids are safe. While Winsome Earle-Sears has tried for decades to defund Virginia public schools — and has no plan to increase student achievement — Abigail continues to focus on real solutions that set up students for success, strengthen Virginia schools, and prioritize the needs of Virginia parents."