Advocate NL 8/6/26

Hello and Happy Thursday folks, Audience Editor Edgar Ramirez here, back in your inbox with another exclusive from The Advocate's Christopher Wiggins.

Earlier this week, Christopher gave us the scoop on the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia and Potomac Law Group filing a lawsuit on behalf of two students and their parents against the King George County School Board, superintendent, and King George Middle School principal, accusing them of violating the First Amendment and the federal Equal Access Act by barring a gay-straight alliance, or GSA, while allowing other noncurricular student groups to operate.

He followed that up today by getting to speak with one of the parents involved with the lawsuit.

“I joined this suit because even though my kid has moved on and is not in middle school anymore, I think this club would be a wonderful thing,” she told Christopher.

"They kept changing the rules so that no matter what, it would not be approved," she says of the school officials. “By banning this club, you’re effectively saying there’s something wrong with being gay. The kids can see that. They’re aware of that.”

Christopher had previously reported that her son described King George schools as persistently hostile toward him, his friends and other LGBTQ+ students. “I never felt really safe there, and none of my friends have felt that either,” he told Christopher back then. He said he heard “a lot of slurs per day” and that a friend had recently been punched in a school bathroom.

Stay with us as this story unfolds. And if you enjoy exclusives like these, please consider becoming an Advocate supporter! Your donation helps us to continue providing the top LGBTQ+ journalism you receive in your inbox weekly.

Thanks folks, we'll be back tomorrow!

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Advocate NL 8/6/26

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