Loudoun County changes rules to prevent Matt Walsh from speaking at school board, so Walsh becomes resident

Following protests at a Loudoun County school board meeting earlier this summer and mobilization of a planned protest at an upcoming meeting, the board has changed the requirements to attend the meeting to bar non-locals from commenting.

Daily Wire host Matt Walsh has organized a "Stand Up For Your Kids" protest to take place on Sept. 28, the same day and location as the next school board meeting.

"The Loudoun County school board in VA has imposed a radical trans policy allowing males access to girl's restrooms and teams," states the protest's Facebook page. "Teachers are required to use preferred pronouns. To protest this madness, I'll be leading a rally outside the school board meeting on September 28. Join us!"

"The time for sitting on the sidelines is over. Schools that harm children must be confronted. We must speak up against this indoctrination loudly and in person. I have a large platform and intend to use it to help mobilize these efforts. The child abusers will hear from us," the statement continues.

Those wishing to speak at the meeting must prove that they have ties to Loudoun County by being a parent of a student, resident, business owner, student, or teacher. They are required to show a form of ID which can be a driver's license with a Loudoun County residency, a rental lease agreement or mortgage for a Loudoun County resident, a student ID, report car, amongst other ID forms, according to a release from the school district.

Only those authorized to speak will be allowed to enter the building. No public viewing will be allowed during the comment portion, and seats will be limited due to physical distancing requirements.

As a response to the new rules for the meeting, Walsh announced on Friday that he is now a resident of Loudoun County, and will bring a lease agreement to the meeting.

"The School Board is making these changes in order to ensure that the voices of our parents and the LCPS community are heard rather than out-of-town agitators who would make Board meetings a platform for national politics or to enhance their own media profiles," said School Board Chair Brenda L. Sheridan.

"An informal survey of our neighboring jurisdictions shows that the Loudoun County School Board is one of the few governmental bodies that has minimal restrictions on speakers. Even with these changes, the School Board has some of the most open public comment practices in our region," she continued.

Loudoun County school board meetings have emerged as a battleground for parents and teachers over the institution of critical race theory in schools. Earlier this summer, protests at a school board meeting on June 22 resulted in an individual being arrested.

In late May, a Loudoun County teacher was placed on leave after delivering an explosive speech at a previous school board meeting, in which he said he could not be forced to tell his students that a biological boy could be a girl, or vice versa.

"I love all of my students but I will never lie to them regardless of the consequences. I'm a teacher but I serve God first and I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because it's against my religion," teacher Tanner Cross said. He was later reinstated to his position.