The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE)—a revered defender of free speech nationwide—has warned Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) over discriminatory revisions to policies governing student activities and organizations.
FIRE’s letter to ACPS cautions School Board members that their attempt to undermine the First Amendment rights of TPUSA likely will be met with litigation.
ACPS School Board member (and now vice-chair), Allison Spillman, took aim at TPUSA at Western Albemarle High School (WAHS) when the club invited Victoria Cobb as a guest speaker. Cobb, president of the Family Foundation of Virginia, was to address TPUSA on the subject of “Two Genders, One Truth.” Spillman took to Facebook and posted:
“The TPUSA club at WAHS is having a speaker come to their club meeting during lunch to speak about ‘Two Genders, One Truth.’ As a school board member and proud parent of a trans student, I am beyond livid. In my opinion this is not a matter of free speech, it’s hate speech and has no place in our schools. If the KKK wanted a speaker during lunch, would we allow that as well? I also believe it violates school board policy. If this makes you angry too then I encourage you to email our school board and the school admin and let them know. Shame on ACPS.”
While Spillman, her Board, and ACPS Superintendent Matt Haas, EdD, unanimously and institutionally opposed Cobb’s scheduled appearance at WAHS, an attempt to ban Cobb failed after legal intervention by the Founding Freedoms Law Center.
In the aftermath of that controversy, TPUSA at WAHS was recognized by TPUSA itself, and, Erika Kirk, chair and CEO, accepted an invitation to personally address the Western Albemarle club on April 2.
Slow to learn, ACPS and their legal minions subsequently attempted to block Kirk’s appearance and simultaneously undermine TPUSA’s operational and financial autonomy via a devious, underhanded “policy change” proposal.
Enter FIRE.
While the Albemarle County School Board is holding a fait accompli “public hearing” on the policy change tonight, FIRE’s threat of legal action hangs over the Board and ACPS administration like the Sword of Damocles.
See FIRE’s letter to Albemarle County School Board members below:
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