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The embattled school board of Virginia’s Loudoun County cut off public comment during a fiery meeting Tuesday as residents traded barbs over new transgender policy proposals Tuesday following weeks of protests from district parents opposed to some of the measures, which they have criticized as potential left-wing indoctrination and a violation of parental rights.
The policies affect transgender student rights, privacy and restroom accommodations and would require Loudoun County Public Schools employees to use students’ preferred names or pronouns. An official school board vote on the proposal is not expected until at least Aug. 10.
But it has become a hot-button issue in the district, where 259 residents signed up to speak during the public comment session Tuesday and people lined up at the doors early to get seats in the packed auditorium.
Former state Sen. Dick Black, a Republican, excoriated the board over its treatment of Cross and allegations that progressive community members had organized a list of their conservative neighbors to harass and publicly shame. The chamber erupted in cheers, prompting the board to vote 9-0 to end public comment for the rest of the meeting – which led to loud chants of "Shame on you" directed at the board and demands that members resign.
The large number of conservative parents in the room began singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" as board members filed out.
At least two people were arrested as parents cut off from speaking before the board remained in the room to deliver their prepared remarks to others in the crowd. One of them refused to leave until everyone had an opportunity to speak, and deputies told him that he would be arrested for trespassing if he refused to follow their orders to vacate the room.
Two parents in Loudoun County, Va., both of whom were present at what became a raucous school board meeting in Ashburn on Tuesday, told "The Ingraham Angle" that the far-left members must be reined in as they continue unabated in their quest to institute critical race theory into their children's curriculum.
Ian Prior and Amy Jahr told host Laura Ingraham that after less than half of those who registered to offer public comment spoke, the superintendent put local police in a "tough spot" by declaring an "unlawful assembly" – a call that later led to emotional parents to be arrested.