When Fairfax County School Board member Stuart Gibson was accused of releasing confidential information about an 8-year-old boy during his latest reelection bid, FCPS attorneys defended him by arguing that any parent who discusses the challenges of raising a special needs child with an online support group automatically waives their privacy rights. This absurd idea was justifiably shot down by the Virginia Department of Education. Despite a sworn declaration from Gibson himself that no illegal disclosure had occurred, the state found him – and FCPS – in noncompliance with laws protecting the privacy rights of children with disabilities. No matter what parents themselves do, the Nov. 27 Letter of Findings concluded, school officials are not allowed to make a child s educational record public without explicit parental consent. But that s not the end of the story. Christine Arakelian, the mother of the third grader in question, was running against Gibson for his Hunter Mill seat when he released confidential details about her son in a July 1 letter to the local PTA and again during a Sept. 19 newspaper interview. Incensed, she called Supt. Jack Dale s office to complain: Just because I m running for office doesn t mean my son is fair game, she angrily told school officials. After receiving absolutely no response from Dale s office, Arakelian says, she filed formal complaints with state and federal authorities and still plans to pursue legal action against Gibson. FCPS has until Dec. 27 to appeal the state s ruling, which found every one of its arguments to be without merit. FCPS officials would not comment until they discussed the case with other School Board members. Since Gibson refuses to acknowledge this clear breach of his legal and ethical responsibilities as a Board member, they have a lot to talk about. A recall petition now circulating should help focus their attention. The release of private, privileged information about a political opponent s disabled child is an appalling act of political bullying. As a Justice Department attorney who campaigned on his expertise in education law, Gibson can t say he didn t know what he did was illegal. Nor can he credibly claim ignorance of School Board regulations that subject FCPS employees to dismissal for similar violations. This issue is bigger than one aggrieved parent. Gibson is the mastermind behind the controversial Western County redistricting, and has reportedly cut a deal with other Board members to exempt some areas from the controversial redistricting. But a School Board member who doesn t follow the law and the board s own rules of conduct has no business making life-altering decisions about other people s children.