Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in August 2021.

A Loudoun County teacher made a bold statement during a recent school board meeting, resigning dramatically while criticizing the district’s focus on Critical Race Theory.

Laura Morris, a teacher at Lucketts Elementary School, addressed the board passionately, expressing her reasons for resigning due to what she described as the school’s obsession with ‘equity trainings’ and political agendas.

In her emotional speech, Morris voiced her discomfort with the district’s approach, stating that she could no longer support an organization that promotes ideologies that conflict with her beliefs as a Christian. She emphasized feeling unable to teach within the district despite its resources and affluent status.

Morris also highlighted her dismay at the lack of consideration for concerned citizens within the division, noting the restrictive rules imposed on public comment sections of board meetings. She expressed frustration over emails from the superintendent discouraging dissenting opinions and the pressure to report colleagues critical of the school board’s policies.

The teacher recounted her experiences with equity trainings, where she was told that individuals like her, identified as ‘white, Christian, able-bodied females,’ hold power within the school system and that this needed to change. Morris asserted that she could no longer tolerate being part of a system that pushes politicized agendas onto vulnerable children.

She concluded her resignation by addressing the school board directly, declaring her decision to quit their policies and training, as well as her role in perpetuating what she sees as harmful agendas. Morris urged parents and staff to consider alternative education options, such as private schools.

While Loudoun County declined to comment on Morris’s resignation, the district has been at the center of debates surrounding the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools. CRT has sparked contentious discussions among parents and educators, with some criticizing it as divisive and unpatriotic, while others argue it provides a necessary reexamination of America’s racial history.

The school board itself has faced controversies, including the suspension of physical education teacher Byron ‘Tanner’ Cross for refusing to use students’ preferred pronouns. A court later ordered his reinstatement, but the district plans to appeal. Additionally, the board recently discussed granting transgender children access to sex-specific facilities, a decision that sparked hours of public comment and was postponed for further consideration.

In summary, Morris’s resignation underscores the ongoing debate over CRT and other contentious issues in education. Her decision to step down reflects broader tensions within the education system and highlights the challenges of balancing diverse perspectives and beliefs in public schools.