“#LCPS Fail,” Parents Protest Distance Learning

During the fall season of 2020, bright red signs that read “#LCPS Fail ” had made their home around the Brambleton community. The GOP Women of Loudoun are the ones responsible for this distance learning protest, but they aren’t the only ones unsatisfied with how distance learning is being handled. 

The signs are one of many protests in which the GOP Women of Loudoun have participated. On Nov 10, there was a “Honk for Back-to-School” rally where Loudoun County parents banded together and talked directly to the Loudoun County Public School (LCPS) board members, according to the Virginia Star. 

The GOP Women of Loudoun aren’t the only group in protest; there are multiple pages on Facebook that are parent-run, such as the “LCPS Can Do Better” page. 

In an article written by the Virginia Star on Nov 12, a Loudoun mother opened up about the stresses and concerns of distance learning. Debbie Edsall expressed that “there are serious mental health concerns.” Edsall continued, saying, “Our goal overall is to make sure our children have the appropriate education opportunities because distance learning isn’t working.”

Many rallies have been held, and with the hybrid date finally being implemented for March 3 this year, parents are skeptical given previous setbacks. 

Although there are many who oppose distance learning, there are also those who recognize it as the best option considering today’s circumstances.

Junior Caterina Roane explained that distance learning “keeps us safe at home while living through a pandemic.” And although there are some clear disadvantages like “spending long amounts of time on the computer everyday,” Roane prefers distance learning because of the safety hybrid learning can’t offer.

So far, the biggest victory for the worried parents has been getting hybrid learning passed for third through fifth graders in December (which was unanimously voted) and putting plans for secondary schools in place, to be implemented at the beginning of third quarter. However, the LCPS School Board changed route and hybrid had been pushed back with the rise of more cases. The introduction of a third health metric that has been approved by the Loudoun County Health Department also followed.  

This pushback has again been overturned, and as of the School Board vote on Feb 2, hybrid is back on the table for quarter three. The School Board’s constant change of direction has kept students and parents on alert, never really knowing what to expect. 

According to the Loudoun Times-Mirror, LCPS will go back to their  hybrid implementation plan no later than Feb 16, and all grade levels who chose hybrid, will be back in the classroom for in-person learning by March 3. 

It’s clear that no matter what style of learning students prefer, people feel like their voices aren’t being heard with the introduction of a new distance learning schedule for semester two.

In response to this new schedule, 11,000 students and counting have signed a petition that urges the school board to restore the original schedule. 

For more information about how the school board is managing risk, LCPS has a Risk Matrix for In-Person Learning posted that outlines their plans for hybrid learning moving forward.