Virginia school board silenced parents concerned about MS-13-linked student at school, lawsuit alleges

A group of parents are suing the Loudoun County School Board. northern Virginiaclaiming they were silenced by the board when they tried to raise concerns about a student who was allowed to return to school despite alleged ties to the notorious MS-13 gang.

A group of parents named in the lawsuit allege that the board silenced them during a public meeting when they tried to express concerns about reports that a student who allegedly illegal in the country and associated MS-13 were allowed to return to school despite being arrested for carrying a weapon and threatening to shoot another student.

“Time and time again, the Loudoun County School Board has demonstrated through its actions an unwillingness to respect the rights enjoyed by community members and parents who raise concerns about the actions of their public schools. This latest constitutional violation is made even clearer given that the issue was related to student safety,” America First senior legal counsel Ian Pryor, whose organization represents parents, said in a statement.

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The parents, suing in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, claim their First Amendment rights were violated during an Oct. 8 public school board meeting when some of them tried to express concerns to the board about their decision. reinstate the student only for the board to mute the microphones and end the public comment period.

In a press release after the incident, the board said the parents violated public comment period rules and were trying to prevent the spread of “misinformation.”

“Some people tried to discuss what was reported in the media and discuss a specific student, despite repeated requests from the board chairman not to do so. As a result, the board chairman ended public comment to restore order, in accordance with the school board’s resolution. public comment process,” the release said. “Misinformation is on the rise, and school departments like LCPS must be vigilant and proactive in combating it. We have a responsibility to call out misinformation when allegations are false, unfounded, or intentionally used to create division in our community “

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Advice also argued that the allegations against the student at the center of the controversy “are not facts” and that naming the student or talking about the student body would do a “disservice not only to the individuals involved” but to “the entire community.”

“This is especially dangerous when it comes to our children and their safety,” the message said.

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The incident is not the first time the Loudoun County School Board has been in the spotlight, sparking controversy over the past few years over its policies regarding transgender students and rules regarding bathrooms that allow transgender students and locker rooms based on their chosen rather than biological gender.

In the board’s latest dispute, parents argue they have a right to voice their concerns about district policies during public hearings.

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“Although Loudoun County Public Schools may believe that it may strip away First Amendment rights Based on claims of so-called ‘misinformation,’ the Bill of Rights makes clear that in the United States the government is not the arbiter of truth,” Pryor said.

The Loudoun County School Board did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.