WATCH: Mask mandates and ethics dominate heated Loudoun County School Board meeting


Virginia parents and local residents gathered at a Loudoun County School Board meeting Tuesday night, with more than 100 people speaking about a mask mandate and questioning the ethics of the school board.

During the meeting, the board discussed the school budget, but parents dominated the meeting, speaking on mask mandates in light of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s recent executive order making way for parents to opt out of school mask mandates, despite several districts filing litigation challenging the order.


“My son went to school today without a mask,” one father said. “As soon as he walked in, he got intimidated by the teacher. You know what that means to me, as a father? You are intimidating me. You don’t intimidate me. I cancel you before you can cancel me.”

A mother referenced her work as a mental health professional and therapist and said the masks are negatively impacting students.

“I have seen the devastation of masking our children,” said the mother. “I can tell you countless days and hours that I spend with children that have anxiety and depression. They are not interacting. They are not well. They can’t even understand their teachers because of this cloth mask that does not work. Stop the charade. Think about the kids, because you are doing irrepetible damage to our kids.”

While most parents spoke against the mask mandate, citing segregation and a recent admission from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding masks’ effectiveness, one mother thanked the LCPS board for following public health recommendations.

“We need to keep our children in school and protect vulnerable populations until this surge ends,” the mother said. “The only way we can do that is to continue mitigation strategies in place.”

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The public comment period was often heated, with parents raising their voices and people addressing an independent review into sexual assault that has yet to be released.

“On Nov. 5, Superintendent and Title IX Officer Scott Ziegler said that on Oct. 28, they came to an agreement with Blankingship & Keith to do an independent review,” Fight for Schools Executive Director Ian Prior said. “I FOIAed the retainer agreement, but it didn’t exist. What does exist is a June 15 retainer agreement with Blankingship & Keith for general litigation services, which means that this independent review was simply done by a law firm that was already on retainer. That is a credibility gap in this school. That report needs to be released now.”

In light of last year’s high-profile sexual assault cases at LCPS, another lady reiterated a need for accountability.

“LCPS has an equity director, an equity supervisor, over 100 equity leads, and they want to hire a full-time equity coordinator,” the lady said. “Do you know what they don’t have? A Title IX officer. In addition to all his duties as superintendent, Dr. Ziegler was the Title IX officer from April to November of 2021 and should have conducted an internal investigation. Instead, he used a law firm who already represented LCPS to conduct an independent investigation but will not release the report. Why is he still here? What information does he have that is dangerous to others? What will it take to get a CEO that doesn’t lie to its shareholders. Fire Ziegler.”

Many parents questioned the board’s commitment to providing a safe and equitable learning environment for their children. Some addressed the harm that earlier start times cause their children. Students also spoke against the mask mandates and discussed the need for more awareness of programs that support homeless children throughout the district.

One mother encouraged students who are speaking out not to stop.

“To the students standing up against this tyranny, I applaud you and hope you continue to hold your ground,” the mother said. “More will come when they see your strength and perseverance.”

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Gov. Youngkin’s executive order regarding masks in schools took effect on Monday.

Last week, LCPS voted 8 to 1 in a closed session to keep a mask mandate in place.

“The Loudoun County School Board approved a motion to support the superintendent’s recommendation to continue the school division’s current mask mandate on Tuesday, January 18, 2022,” an LCPS statement issued to district families said.

Seven school districts sued to block the order on Monday, while an additional filing last week by 13 parents of students from Chesapeake City Public Schools is slated to be heard by the state’s Supreme Court. The districts accused Youngkin of violating a state law requiring school boards to implement guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “to the maximum extent practicable.”

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