On April 17, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed dismissal of a federal lawsuit brought by parents in Loudoun County claiming infringement of students’ First Amendment rights. The lawsuit will now be heard in a federal district court.
The parents are represented by the Liberty Justice Center (LJC), a national public-interest law firm committed to protecting free speech. Parents reached out to LJC in 2021 after the Loudoun County School Board launched an aggressive “bias reporting system” that the parents argue was designed to punish students with dissenting opinions.
“Schools are supposed to educate children. Instead, schools in Loudoun County and too many other places are focused on indoctrination and discrimination. Students should be able to speak their minds and share their opinions without fear of retaliation from school officials,” said Jacob Huebert, President of the Liberty Justice Center. “We are glad that families in Loudoun County will have the opportunity to push back on the radical agenda being forced on students in public schools. Together, we will fight to end Loudoun County’s divisive policies that suppress free speech.”
The Fourth Circuit’s decision is available here.
The Liberty Justice Center’s filings in the case are available here.