August 21 Alert : 🚨 Winsome Earle-Sears to Target APS at Tonight’s School Board Meeting 🚨

Dear Friends:  

I’ve learned that Winsome Earle-Sears, Republican candidate for Governor, is expected to come to the Arlington School Board meeting this evening, almost certainly to use her two minutes of public comment to speak out against APS's refusal to abandon its inclusive policies. 

A rally is planned from 6:15-7:15pm tonight ahead of the meeting to show support for APS and to signal to the state, and the broader country that Arlington will not be bullied into doing what is wrong for our students. 

Likely Earle-Sears will bring press and outside agitators to the event.  I plan to join the Arlingtonians who will show up to make clear that Arlington is proud of its liberal values. 

A little background:  About three weeks ago, the Federal Dept. of Ed found APS and four other districts in Northern Virginia in violation of Title IX for having affirming policies towards transgender students.  Late last week, APS (and all the other districts) responded that they would stay the course, as the 4th District Federal Courts (including Virginia) have already ruled that our policies are consistent with Title IX (BPJ vs WV) and Virginia's Human Rights act demands such policies.  The Trump administration is now taking defunding actions against APS for literally following the law!

 Here is some information from the rally organizers:

Join AGIA & Equality Arlington for a Rally THURSDAY 8/21 at 6:15pm Before the APS School Board Meeting

"Please join Equality Arlington and the Arlington Gender Identity Alliance for a rally Thursday (8/21) before the School Board meeting to show our support for protecting transgender students! 

APS is standing strong to protect its values of inclusion and belonging for all students in the face of federal bullying and threats. APS needs to see our support as we believe there will be political opponents showing up in force tomorrow. The rally will begin at 6:15 PM and take place in the grass in front of the Syphax Education Center, 2110 Washington Blvd, Arlington VA. Following the rally, we will head to the 2nd floor for the School Board meeting at 7 PM to show our appreciation for the School Board and public comment speakers who support our transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive students. If you would like to speak at public comment, you will be able to enter a lottery for speakers from 6:15 PM - 6:45 PM outside the School Board room on the 2nd floor. Please bring your homemade signs and we will provide trans flags for attendees.

Given some of the expected opposition presence tomorrow night and likely national media attention, we recommend that children sit this one out."

In Solidarity,

AGIA

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Stay alert. Stay safe. Spread the word.

Libby