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EXCLUSIVE: Teacher who claimed FCPS staff member funded student's abortion speaks out
Virginia State Police continue to investigate after allegations surfaced that staff at a Fairfax County school arranged abortions for students without their parents’ permission. The teacher who first made those allegations spoke exclusively with FOX 5's Sydney Persing tonight.
EXCLUSIVE - Virginia State Police are continuing to investigate after allegations surfaced that staff at a Fairfax County school arranged abortions for students without their parents’ permission.
The teacher who first made those allegations is speaking out only with FOX 5 in Clifton.
What she says:
It’s very important to be clear these are only allegations right now—no law enforcement or school agency has confirmed that this ever happened, but Zenaida Perez says she’s confident every word she’s said is true.
"There is no doubt in mind that this happened," Perez said.
Perez is a teacher at Centerville High School in Fairfax County. She claims that in 2022, a student told her a school social worker arranged for her to have an abortion, without alerting a parent or guardian.
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Fairfax County teacher responds to student abortion allegations
A growing controversy is unfolding in Fairfax County Public Schools following explosive allegations that a staff member at Centreville High School arranged an abortion for a student without notifying her parents. The school board is scheduled to hold a work session Tuesday, where the issue could surface for discussion. FOX 5’s Maureen Umeh is reporting live from outside school headquarters in Falls Church with the latest developments.
"When she told me I was like, I couldn’t believe it," said Perez.
She alleges she spoke to the girl’s guardian, who told her he only learned of the abortion after the fact, when he found the young girl bleeding heavily.
Investigation launched:
The claims alone were enough to get Governor Glenn Youngkin involved and the attention of people across the country.
At this time, her allegations remain just that—only allegations. But they were enough to convince Youngkin to direct Virginia State Police to open a criminal investigation into what he called "alleged school-funded abortions."
"I gave them everything I have and I will continue to find more evidence to help them," Perez told FOX 5.
Perez claims she alerted school leadership over the course of three years. Angry that nothing had been done, she says she made her allegations public this summer.
"I care about the students and their well-being and their safety. What if they performed and something went wrong, and they could never have had kids again? She was bleeding a lot she could have died if she were home by herself," Perez said.
What they're saying:
In a statement, Fairfax County Public Schools told FOX 5 in part, "FCPS is fully cooperating with the Virginia State Police investigation, and it would not be appropriate to comment further on these 2021 allegations. At no time would this alleged situation, as described, be acceptable in Fairfax County Public Schools."
Perez is now represented by Americans United for Life, an anti-abortion advocacy group and said she’ll continue to speak out no matter what it costs her.
"Family is the most essential part of society and parents need to know what is going on in their children's lives," she said. "I’m not going to stop until the truth comes out, they are not going to stop me. I’m not afraid of them no more."
What's next:
As far as where the money came to pay for these alleged abortions, Perez has theories but isn't positive.
FOX 5 will be watching closely to see what—if anything—Virginia State Police reveal about their findings.
They would not share any details of it with FOX 5 on Friday and said that's because this is an open and active investigation.