Virginia

OCT 16, 3:45 PM

Amid Recall Fight, One Loudoun County School Board Member Resigns

Margaret Barthel https://twitter.com/margaretbarthel

A Loudoun County school board member announced her resignation on Friday as a group of conservative parents pushed forward in a recall campaign against her (and several other members of the board).

Beth Barts, who represented Leesburg on the board, announced her decision in a Facebook post. “This was not an easy decision or a decision made in haste,” she wrote. “After much thought and careful consideration, it is the right decision for me and my family.”

Barts said she looked forward to “a return to a simpler life of volunteer service,” but said she would miss talking with constituents and seeking to address their concerns.

The recall attempt against Barts and four other school board members ostensibly centers around adherence to open meetings laws. But it’s spearheaded by the conservative parent group Fight for Schools, which focuses on organizing “against implementing critical race theory concepts in schools,” per its website. Barts — and her colleagues — passed a school system policy to ensure transgender students use school facilities according to their gender identity, and have also supported the school system’s approach to teaching about race.

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