Virginia AG grills Fairfax middle school over alleged exclusion of white and Asian students from its college prep program



The Virginia attorney general's office blasted a Fairfax County middle school Thursday for allegedly discriminating against white and Asian students in connection with a college preparatory program.

The McLean-based school sent out a letter to parents of eighth-graders, inviting students who would be first in their family to attend college in the U.S.; "Black or African American students"; "Hispanic students, of one or more race"; "students with disabilities"; "English learners"; and "Economically disadvantaged students" to apply for Fairfax County's College Partnership Program, reported the Fairfax Times.

The CPP provides select students with academic counseling, college visits, scholarship application assistance, SAT preparation classes, and other perks.

Christine Lambrou Johnson, Virginia's senior assistant attorney general and chief of the Office of Civil Rights, wrote to the school on Thursday, demanding that the principal "cease and desist the illegal conduct of soliciting and selecting applicants ... based on race, color, and national origin."

Johnson's letter noted that the school was "engaging in conduct in contravention of the Virginia Human Rights Act, Va. Code § 2.2-3900 et seq., Va. Code § 2.2-520 et seq., and the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution."

It also noted that educational institutions may not "'refuse, withhold from, or deny any individual, or to attempt to refuse, withhold from, or deny any individual, directly or indirectly, any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, services, or privileges made available in any place of public accommodation, or segregate or discriminate against any such person in the use thereof' on the basis of those protected classes."

Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a corresponding statement, "It's shocking that we continue to find such blatant examples of racial and ethnic discrimination in the Fairfax County Public School System. Every student should be able to apply for the College Partnership Program and have the same opportunities as their peers, regardless of race."

"I demand that Cooper Middle School, its administrators, and anyone involved in this program stop this illegal discrimination immediately," added Miyares.

The AG gave Cooper Middle School seven days to retract and correct its email and to "show they are conducting the application process legally." Failure to do so will result in a lawsuit under the Virginia Human Rights Act.

The Fairfax Times reported that earlier this week, the county's public schools spokeswoman, Kathleen Miller, denied that the program was racist and said it is "open to everyone/anyone."

Despite Miller's suggestion, the program's website lists the following as groups representative of a "typical CPP student":

  • first generation;
  • African-American;
  • American Indian;
  • Alaskan Native;
  • Hispanic;
  • limited English proficient;
  • students with disabilities; and
  • economically disadvantaged.

Again, white and Asian students didn't make the cut.

Glenn Miller, the father and lawyer who obtained the exclusionary letter and shared it with the Fairfax County Times, said, "I'm glad that Attorney General Miyares is investigating this program. There needs to be accountability. The school board needs to be held accountable for these egregious violations of the law."

"As long as Fairfax County Public Schools stubbornly continues to disregard the United States Constitution and violate the civil rights of Fairfax County residents, it is going to continue to find itself the subject of these sorts of inquiries," added Miller. "Right now, Fairfax County Public Schools officials think there is an ‘equity’ exception to the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees equality under the law. There is no ‘equity’ exception."

Fairfax County Public Schools said in a statement to WSET-TV, "As stated previously, media coverage referencing a ban on certain demographic groups applying to the College Partnership Program is wholly inaccurate. In fact, in School Year 2022-23, 352 Asian students (17.4%) and 176 white students (8.7%) out of a total of 2,018 students were enrolled in the program which is designed to encourage historically underrepresented groups to consider a path to college."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Furious mother who exposed 'pedophilia,' pornography in high school library books now banned from high school library: Report



The Virginia mother who made headlines for exposing what she said is pedophilia and pornography in her son's high school library books is reportedly banned from entering the school's library.

The mother, Stacy Langton, castigated the Fairfax County Public Schools in September for permitting what she said amounted to explicit pornographic and pedophilic materials in the school's library, including graphic imagery and dialogue depicting sex between adult men and teenagers.

Board members, however, cut off Langton during her speech before her time expired, and she was unable to finish her remarks demanding answers and accountability for the presence of such materials. In remarks, board members ironically shamed Langton for reading passages of the books in the presence of children.

What are the details?

The Washington Examiner reported Monday that Fairfax High School acting principal Maureen Keck told Stacy Langton that she was not permitted to enter the public school's library after having checked out a book with her son earlier in the week.

Langton told the outlet that Keck phoned her to inform her that she would not be permitted to enter the library due to a "school policy."

When Langton pressed Keck about the policy, the acting principal said that the ban applied to all parents.

"[Keck] told me that no parents were allowed into the library," Langton told the outlet. "So I asked her to send me the specific policy so I could see it for myself."

According to the report, Langton said that she entered the school library earlier in the week with her son in order to check out a book and that the librarian never mentioned any policy about parents not being permitted in the room. The librarian, according to Langton, even helped her and her son locate the book they were seeking.

In response to Langton's inquiry, Keck sent a copy of a policy, the Examiner reported, that made "no mention of restricting visitor access to parts of campus anywhere" — including the library — provided visitors sign in and obtain a visitor pass.

"Langton said that while she signed in, the machine that provides visitor passes was out of order and had been for weeks," the outlet reported.

A spokesperson for the district declined to comment on the allegations on Monday.

Langton told the outlet that she plans to address the school board at its Thursday meeting.

In October, the Fairfax County Times reported that at least two books Langton mentioned in her fiery remarks were pulled from school circulation pending a review of the materials.

You can read more on the background of the controversy here.

Content warning: Graphic language and depictions of sexuality:

Citizen Participation FCPS School Board Meeting - September 23, 2021 #DoBetterFCPS #FCPSwww.youtube.com

Virginia school district sends 2nd graders videos reviling police, telling them to get into 'good trouble': 'I feel safe when there are no police'



A progressive Virginia school district recently sent videos to second-grade students that vilified police and encouraged students to get into "good trouble" as a part of its summer instruction.

What are the details?

Fairfax County Public Schools included links to video readings from a YouTube channel called "Woke Kindergarten" in its 2021 "Summer Learning Guide" for second graders, reported the watchdog group Parents Defending Education.

In the "Suggested Texts" portion of the guide, the school district listed two controversial links: "Safe by Ki" and "Good Trouble by Ki."

The first video, "Safe," features a series of slides showing young black people, some of them displaying Black Lives Matter signs.

"We all deserve to feel safe," the book's narration begins. It goes on to list several areas where people ought to feel safe and stress the importance of feeling safe, generally. Then finally, it arrives at its concluding point.

"I feel safe when there are no police," it says. "And it's no one's job to tell me how I feel. But it's everyone's job to make sure that people who are being treated unfairly feel safe too."

Woke Kindergarten 60 Second Texts: Safe. www.youtube.com

The second video, "Good Trouble," attempts to teach 7-year-olds the value of civil disobedience as exemplified by the late Democratic Congressman John Lewis.

"Sometimes it's good to get into trouble," the narrator says. "John Lewis was a freedom fighter who got in a lot of good trouble ... He knew that getting into good trouble would create unnecessary change, and necessary change has to happen in order for black and indigenous people to be free."

During his 2020 speech in Selma, Alabama, commemorating Bloody Sunday, Lewis said, "Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and redeem the soul of America," National Review reported.

Parents Defending Education noted that the concept of civil disobedience might be confusing to second graders, especially when coupled with an anti-police message.

60 Second Text: Good Trouble www.youtube.com

What else?

Over the last year, Fairfax County Public Schools has been at the forefront of the push to implement critical race theory and other progressive ideologies into classrooms.

The district has reportedly enacted policies requiring staff and faculty to use students' preferred gender pronouns and has announced it would be "revising the existing Controversial Issues Policy and developing a new Anti-Racism, Anti-Bias Education Curriculum Policy."

A Fairfax County official even spewed vitriol at parents speaking in opposition to critical race theory last month, saying, "Let them die."

"Let them die," she said. "Don't let these uncomfortable people, don't let these uncomfortable people deter us from our bold march forward.

Virginia PTA leader who declared 'let them die' while railing against opponents of CRT ousted from job



An official with the Virginia Parent-Teacher Association who made headlines last week after seemingly wishing death upon opponents of critical race theory has resigned from her position.

What is the background?

While concerned parents gathered outside Luther Jackson Middle School in northern Virginia last week for a "Stop CRT Rally," Michelle Leete — the vice president of training at the Virginia PTA, vice president of communications for the Fairfax County PTA, and first vice president of the Fairfax County NAACP — spoke to counterprotesters who support CRT.

During her diatribe, Leete seemingly said of critical race theory opponents, "Let them die!"

So, let's meet and remain steadfast, steadfast, in speaking truth, tearing down double standards, and refuting double talk. Let's not allow any double downing on lies. Let's prepare our children for a world they deserve. Let's deny this off-key band of people that are anti-education, anti-teacher, anti-equity, anti-history, anti-racial reckoning, anti-opportunities, anti-help people, anti-diversity, anti-platform, anti-science, anti-change agent, anti-social justice, anti-health care, anti-worker, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-children, anti-health care, anti-worker, anti-environment, anti-admissions policy change, anti-inclusion, anti-live-and-let-live people. Let them die. Don't let these uncomfortable people, don't let these uncomfortable people deter us from our bold march forward.

“Let them die,” says @FairfaxNAACP leader Michelle Leete at protest before @fcpsnews board. Folks against critical… https://t.co/1VnOxXlqn7

— Asra Q. Nomani (@AsraNomani) 1626387557.0

What happened now?

The Virginia PTA announced Saturday that it had requested, and received, Leete's resignation.

"While not speaking in her role within Virginia PTA, we do not condone the choice of words used during a public event on Thursday, July 15, 2021," the statement said.

Statement on resignation of VP of Training https://t.co/EZWPPUK6OH

— Virginia PTA (@VirginiaPTA) 1626529420.0

In a separate statement, the Fairfax County Parents Association further condemned Leete, whom the associated noted still works with the Fairfax County NAACP.

"Virginia PTA requests and receives the resignation of Michelle Leete due to her comments wishing the death of parents who disagree with her," the Fairfax County Parents Association wrote on Twitter.

"The actions & rhetoric of Ms. Leete & all of the like-minded partisan supporters of the SB are deeply disappointing. It evinces a deep lack of concern for children & parents, particularly where the wellbeing of children & families clash with political considerations," the statement added.

What did Leete say?

Leete told the Washington Post that her comment — "let them die" — did not refer to opponents of CRT, but rather "the ideals that show a disregard and lack of support for our teachers who have a truly difficult job to do even without a pandemic."

"I will certainly admit, it was ineloquently stated and with a pause for the applause, the timing was off," Leete added.

'Let them die!': PTA, NAACP official demonizes parents against critical race theory



Crowds gathered outside the Luther Jackson Middle School in Virginia, where concerned parents were rallying against critical race theory being taught to students in Fairfax County Public Schools. During Thursday's "Stop CRT Rally," a PTA and NAACP official spewed rhetoric against the parents, including proclaiming, "Let them die!"

An event flyer for the "Stop CRT Rally" stated: "It's not about race or equity, it's about a Communist Radical Takeover of America!" At the rally, there were counterprotests, including a diatribe delivered by federal employee Michelle Leete, who is also the vice president of training at the Virginia Parent-Teacher Association, vice president of communications for the Fairfax County PTA, and first vice president of the Fairfax County NAACP.

Leete lambasted anti-critical race theory parents, even going so far as to say, "Let them die!"

So let's meet and remain steadfast, steadfast, in speaking truth, tearing down double standards, and refuting double talk. Let's not allow any double downing on lies. Let's prepare our children for a world they deserve. Let's deny this off-key band of people that are anti-education, anti-teacher, anti-equity, anti-history, anti-racial reckoning, anti-opportunities, anti-help people, anti-diversity, anti-platform, anti-science, anti-change agent, anti-social justice, anti-health care, anti-worker, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-children, anti-health care, anti-worker, anti-environment, anti-admissions policy change, anti-inclusion, anti-live-and-let-live people. Let them die. Don't let these uncomfortable people, don't let these uncomfortable people deter us from our bold march forward.

Asra Nomani, an education activist and vice president for strategy and investigations for the watchdog group Parents Defending Education, shared footage from the rally and counterprotest on Twitter.

"I listened, stunned, as Michelle Leete, an executive of the NAACP and the PTA, put a target on the backs of parents just because they have a different point of view," said Nomani, whose son recently graduated from Fairfax County Public Schools.

"What we heard tonight was hate speech, pure and simple. It was shocking that anyone would cheer and applaud a call to violence," Nomani told the Daily Wire, "Ironically, her hateful, intolerant words are a perfect illustration of the divisive ideology of critical race theory in action. In the name of tolerance, it preaches intolerance and is a betrayal of all values of humanity and decency."

Harry Jackson, who has three children in the Fairfax public school system and is president-elect of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Parent Teacher Student Association, told the Daily Wire, "I was in shock looking at the crowd, watching Ms. Leete pander to white liberals with her hateful rhetoric … Her call to violence against every kind of parent, including parents who oppose changes to admissions policies at schools like TJ, also reveal that she has a serious conflict of interest."

In May, Nomani delivered a stirring speech where she slammed the Fairfax County Public Schools board for pushing "anti-racism" propaganda.

"And then by the fall, every single one of you voted to remove the merit-based race-blind admissions test to TJ. And we pled with you, as Asians, as an immigrant (I came at the age of 4, I knew no English), and you didn't listen to us," Nomani scolded the school board.

Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology, ranked the top math school in the country, instituted a "merit lottery," where race became a factor in admissions and academic qualifications were a lesser determinant.

The Daily Mail reported that admissions data for the class of 2025 at the prestigious school shows that black students rose from 1% in 2021 to 7%, Hispanics grew from 3% to 11%, white students increased from 18% to 22%, but Asian students dropped from 73% to 54% because of the new standards.