Virginia school district faces backlash for encouraging students, staff to celebrate LGBTQ history in October proclamation 

Virginia’s third-largest school district is again generating controversy, this time for a proclamation recognizing October as LGBTQ+ History Month.

Loudoun County Public Schools’ proclamation encourages students, staff and the community to “honor and celebrate” the contributions of “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people,” providing “an opportunity to celebrate the strength, resilience and impact of the LGBTQ+ community.”

But parental rights groups argue the northern Virginia district, which has been labeled one of the nation’s worst for its woke policies, has gone too far.

“Public schools have no business promoting gender ideology and sexual identity to children,” Moms for Liberty wrote on X. “Teach kids to read, write, do math, and know their history. Parents should be having these conversations with their children, not public schools.”

The district has long been under a national spotlight for its strong support for LGBTQ issues and opposition to parental rights – including sexual assault coverups and fights over state transgender guidance.

Heartlander News reached out to Loudoun County Public Schools for comment about the document and its response to parents who may object.

The school system defended the proclamation to Fox News, saying that it imposed “no requirements” on its 80,000 students across more than 100 schools.

The proclamation states that during LGBTQ+ History Month and “National Coming Out Day” on Oct. 11, “we celebrate key figures and milestones, knowing that education is the most powerful tool to promote understanding and disrupt discrimination.” The district is “committed to fostering equity” and ensuring an “inclusive and affirming environment,” it reads.

But Clare Anne Ath, a Catholic and pro-life advocate, said public schools have “no business endorsing contested gender claims as official policy.”

“Thousands of Loudoun families reject that ideology and their beliefs are not bigotry, they are grounded in biology, faith and common sense,” she wrote on X, urging the district to “Teach reading, math, and real history. Leave the rest to parents.”