Moms for Liberty - Prince William County, VA -Public page

11/01/2026

Under Item 16.01, the board is revising Policy 603 to remove a key objective pathway for students to automatically qualify for advanced math. The change eliminates the specific SOL score cutoffs, leaving only a vague ‘upper quartile’ standard, which makes it harder for parents to know if their child is on track for acceleration.

RECOMMENDED ACTION PLAN
DEMAND ANSWERS: Email the School Board (contact info on district website): ‘Vote NO on the revision to Policy 603 in Item 16.01. Removing the objective SOL score cutoff for math acceleration makes the process less transparent for parents and students. Keep the clear, stable benchmarks in place.’

10/27/2026

10/11/2026

We completely agree. Elementary school should build curiosity, confidence, social skills, and a love of learning—not focus on standardized testing. Children learn best through play, exploration, movement, and relationships.

10/10/2026

We would love to see this adopted in Prince William County, but it never will be. They are too concerned with restorative practices that they forget the impact it has on students who behave and want to learn.

Florida gives teachers the right to refuse a disruptive student's return to class. And when you look at what the law actually says, teachers have more authority than many people might realize.

Under Florida Statute 1003.32, teachers have the authority to remove students whose behavior interferes with their ability to teach or with other students' ability to learn.

The law specifically recognizes teachers' authority to have students removed for behavior that is:

• Disobedient or disrespectful
• Violent or abusive
• Uncontrollable or disruptive
• Interfering with classroom instruction or other students' learning

But here's where the law gets particularly interesting.

A principal generally cannot simply send a removed student straight back into the teacher's classroom without the teacher's consent.

If the teacher refuses to accept the student back, the matter must be considered by a placement review committee.

And that committee isn't made up entirely of administrators.

It must include:

• One teacher selected by the school's faculty
• One teacher selected by the teacher who removed the student
• One school staff member selected by the principal

The teacher who refused the student's return cannot serve on the committee.

The committee can authorize the student's return without the teacher's consent, but only if it determines that returning the student is the best or only available alternative.

Decisions must be made within five days of the student's removal.

And importantly, if the committee decides against the teacher, the teacher has the right to appeal to the district superintendent.

The law also gives principals several alternatives when a student is removed, including placement in another appropriate classroom, in-school suspension, or an intervention program. More serious disciplinary action may also be recommended when appropriate.

But the protections don't stop there.

Florida law also requires principals to inform teachers about disciplinary decisions involving students they refer to the administration.

And if a principal decides to depart from a teacher's recommended disciplinary action, the principal must provide the reasons in writing.

Schools must also report instances where teachers refuse to allow removed students to return, creating an official record of these decisions.

Supporters of these protections argue that teachers need meaningful authority over what happens in their classrooms. They believe students should be able to learn without repeated disruptions and that teachers shouldn't have to accept a student's immediate return simply because an administrator decides the matter is settled.

Others raise concerns about whether removing students from classrooms addresses the underlying causes of disruptive behavior, particularly when students need additional support or intervention.

And there is an important distinction here.

Florida doesn't give teachers an unlimited right to permanently exclude students from their classrooms. It gives them the right to withhold consent to a removed student's return, with a formal process for reviewing that decision.

These provisions are also not entirely new. Florida has recognized this authority for years, although its teacher discipline laws have undergone subsequent changes.

Either way, the law raises an important question about who should have the final say when serious classroom disruptions occur.

Should teachers have the right to refuse a disruptive student's return to their classroom, or does giving teachers that level of authority go too far?

09/22/2026

The biggest predictor of whether a child receives special education services should not be how effectively their parents can advocate. Yet for many families, that’s exactly how the system works https://bit.ly/4ApX9Gc

09/17/2026

Our chapter chair Jen Donnelly took notes at tonight’s school board meeting.

Key takeaways
Community members are being urged to attend the upcoming joint work session between the Board of Supervisors and the County School Board on September 23rd to advocate for strong school funding.

Mental health resources, including free telehealth services through Hazel Health, are available to all students and families at no cost. This program, if parent have opted in, could have some parental rights concerns.

- Confidentiality: Parents might worry about the confidentiality of their child’s information shared during telehealth sessions. Transparency about data privacy is essential.

- Parental Involvement: Some parents may feel excluded from the process. They might want to be involved in their child’s mental health care decisions, especially if it concerns ongoing therapy or treatment plans. These are all things to consider before clicking the opt-in option on the back to school forms.

Student voice committees have been successfully established in every middle school and high school in Prince William County

ASL interpreters are critically underfunded and overworked, directly impacting the academic outcomes of deaf students

The board recognized the importance of blended learning, combining physical resources (textbooks, writing) with technology (iPads), as observed during school visits

Topics

School Funding & Budget Advocacy:
• Community members urged to attend the joint work session between the Board of Supervisors and County School Board on Wednesday, September 23rd at 6pm to advocate for school funding
• Concerns raised that the Board of Supervisors may redirect budget funds to increase county reserves rather than fully fund schools
• The Elevate 2030 plan's implementation, including pre-K, extracurriculars, dual enrollment, and CTE programs, depends heavily on budget decisions

Mental Health & Su***de Prevention:
• September is Su***de Prevention Month; the superintendent highlighted free mental health telehealth services through Hazel Health available to all students
• Community speakers called for greater awareness of available mental health resources, noting many students and families are unaware of existing services
• Speakers advocated for music and arts programs as preventative mental health tools, urging collaboration with groups like Yale's GIG and other community partners

Deaf Education & ASL Interpreter Support:
• September is Deaf Awareness Month; Melissa Ridge, leader of the Deaf Integrated Program, addressed the board

• ASL interpreters are being stretched beyond capacity due to staffing shortages, forced to cover multiple classes without adequate breaks
• A request was made to fairly and appropriately compensate ASL interpreters, who are described as the core of the deaf education department

IEPs & Special Education:
• A community member clarified that IEPs are not tools for cheating on standardized tests but are accommodations that allow students to demonstrate their actual knowledge
• IEP accommodations serve students who are non-neurotypical or multilingual, helping them access education equitably
• The ASL read-aloud accommodation was cited as an example of a legitimate IEP service that critics may misunderstand

Student Voice & Representation:
• New student representative from Woodbridge Senior High School gave his first report, highlighting the establishment of student voice committees across all middle and high schools
• A pilot program is being explored to extend student leadership opportunities to elementary schools
• Custodial and service staff were recognized by the student representative for their behind-the-scenes contributions to school operations
• New additions to cultural recognition include Filipino American History Month, Italian American Heritage Month, Polish American Heritage Month, and German American Day
• Boys volleyball was added as a new high school sport and received positive student feedback

Superintendent's Report:
• Six PWCS students were named 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalists from Colgan, Gainesville, Forest Park, and Woodbridge High Schools
• The superintendent highlighted specialized support programs including English Learner programs, homeless student support, military-connected family resources, and special education services
• Families were directed to the Support and Services section of the PWCS website or their local school-based parent liaison for assistance
• Schools and offices are closed Monday, September 21st

Board Member School Visits & Observations:
• Board members visited multiple schools including Garfield High School, Bell Middle School, Hampton Middle School, Washington-Reid, Triangle Elementary, and others
• Observations highlighted strong classroom engagement, critical thinking instruction, dual language immersion program success, and physical resource availability
• The remodeled pre-K program at Washington-Reid was noted as particularly impressive in terms of environment and design
• Board members expressed support for blended learning approaches combining physical materials with technology

9/11 Remembrance & Patriotism:
• A community speaker delivered a personal account of the impact of 9/11, listing major terrorist attacks from 1972 through October 7, 2023
• The speaker raised concerns about whether students are being adequately taught about 9/11 and its historical significance
• The speaker called for renewed emphasis on patriotism and civic education in schools

Community & Cultural Recognitions:
• Hispanic Heritage Month officially began and was recognized by the board
• A board member shared a personal tribute to her late uncle Mike, encouraging community members to volunteer and engage with schools in his honor
• The new Woodbridge Area Elementary School was congratulated, with its motto "Together We Rise" highlighted as appropriate for the first school opened under Elevate 2030
• A $1,000 classroom grant from the Village Resource Foundation awarded to Nienville was celebrated as an example of community investment in education

Capital Improvement & PPSA Loan:
• The board authorized the completion and submission of an application to the Public School Authority (PSA) for a Fall 2026 loan sale in the amount of $177 million for capital improvement projects

09/15/2026

Governor Spanberger once again proving that she doesn’t care about the welfare of young girls. She just ended the rule that ensured that only biological females would use locker rooms, bathrooms and participate in female sports.

Governor Abigail Spanberger quietly ended a rulemaking process initiated in the waning days of former-governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration. The rule would have limited transgender students' ability to play sports and use facilities.

But Spanberger said over the weekend the rule is now dead.

Governor Abigail Spanberger told a crowd at Virginia Pridefest Saturday she was moved by the story of a transgender child and the issues their families face.

“And I tell you I burst into tears because of the fact that I want to make members of the LGBTQ+ community know that you have a governor that values your community,” Spanberger said from the Pridefest stage.

Read more from our media partner Radio IQ here: https://tinyurl.com/3srphhd8

08/03/2026

Parents — this is happening right now in Fairfax County.
A Fairfax teacher just posted that a new mandatory training on “Transgender and Gender Expansive students” was released. At the end of the training, teachers are forced to check “yes” or “no” on whether they will implement, follow, and enforce the policy described.
The teacher says they have religious and free speech concerns about some of the actions the policy would require them to take. The system will not let them finish the training unless they answer the question.
They also noted that the training tells people to contact the “sponsor of the training” with questions — but no one seems to know who that is.
This is exactly the kind of quiet pressure being put on teachers. When educators are being forced to affirm policies that conflict with their conscience or free speech rights just to complete required training, parents need to know.
Sharing so everyone is aware of what is being pushed in our schools.