School advocates rally for librarians

Nearly 70 people participated in a rally to support school librarians March 24 before a school board meeting at Luther Jackson Middle School.

At the meeting, several people attacked librarians for supporting LGBTQ students’ rights.

The rally was co-hosted by 4 Public Education, the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (FCFT), and FCPS Pride.

“The librarians of Fairfax County public schools are sustaining heroes for our students, staff, and families,” said rally organizer Robert Rigby Jr., a high school Latin teacher and co-president of FCPS Pride,

“Libraries should be a welcoming, safe, and respectful environment all for students,” Rigby said, but “librarians are under attack. ”

At the school board meeting, parent Stacy Langton, an advocate for banning books, accused one of the school board members of being a pedophile – without citing any evidence. Kathleen Gillette-Mallard brought up Republican talking points on gender and critical race theory (CRT). The two have been regulars at numerous school board meetings.

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“Langton’s ascent is a symptom brought about by somebody’s decision to weaponize the very existence of LGBTQ people, in the same way Black people have been weaponized by the CRT game,” Rigby said. CRT is not actually taught in Fairfax County public school.

Their objective seems to be to “drive division in the community for political gain,” he said. Listening to them speak was a “horrifying experience.”

There were lots of statements at the rally and at the school board meeting in praise of librarians.

4 Public Education Chair Holly Hazard called librarians “unlikely but fierce warriors in challenging the notion that school libraries are places to fear and that books should be banned or burned. Libraries should be celebrated and librarians revered.”

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“Our professional librarians and media specialists play an essential role in the education of our students,” said FCFT President Tina Williams. FCFT “stands with librarians working to ensure our students are well-rounded readers, researchers, historians, and citizens through building and maintaining an inclusive collection that reflects the identities and experiences of all their students.”