Spotsylvania County Public Schools
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Updated – August 21, 2023
Residents of Spotsylvania County Public Schools (SCPS) spoke against the district providing salacious reading materials to minor students. According to NBC Washington, the SCPS gave parents two options:
- “‘Yes, I want my child to have access to sexually explicit content in the school libraries, OR
- No, I do not want my child to have access to sexually explicit content in the school libraries.’”
NBC Washington also said, “Maria Garcia, a parent and former Spotsylvania teacher, said she’s blocked from accessing ParentVue until she answers the question.” She was quoted stating:
“I feel like there is no way to answer this without giving them some sort of power. That’s what they are essentially doing. They are trying to empower their own agenda by making you think it’s giving you a choice.”
SCPS Superintendent Mark Taylor reportedly refuted the criticism and insists the questions are “simple.”
SCPS parents received another victory after the board voted 4-2 to “approve a controversial policy for transgender students.” WUSA9 reported that the policy “follows new guidelines issued by the Virginia Department of Education.”
The “Policy Ensuring Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for All Students” states:
“[SCPS] personnel shall refer to each student using only (i) the name that appears in the student’s official record, or (ii) if the student prefers, using any nickname commonly associated with the name that appears in the student’s official record.”
The policy also says:
“[SCPS] personnel shall refer to each student using only the pronouns appropriate to the sex appearing in the student’s official record—that is, male pronouns for a student whose sex is male, and female pronouns for a student whose sex is female.”
According to WUSA9, “One parent [said] that the policies reflect the need to empower parents to have bigger voices in the decision-making.”
Updated – March 14, 2023
Former Spotsylvania County School Board Chair Kirk Twigg faces one felony count of forging a public record and one misdemeanor count of tampering with a county record.
7News confirmed the charges and received the following statement from the district:
“On Thursday (Feb. 23), the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation – Culpeper Field Office charged Kirk E. Twigg, 65, of Spotsylvania, Va., with one misdemeanor count of tampering with a county record and one felony count of forging a public record. The indictments were handed down this week by a Spotsylvania County grand jury. The charges stem from an investigation initiated on October 13, 2022, with approval of the Attorney General’s Office, concerning allegations related to Twigg tampering with a county contract. Twigg turned himself in today at the Spotsylvania County magistrate’s office. The investigation remains ongoing at this time.”
NEW: according to court documents, Spotsylvania Co. school board member & former board chair Kirk Twigg has been charged with public records forgery (a felony) and destroying/tampering with county records (a misdemeanor). pic.twitter.com/lYmpj0uyWQ
— Heather Graf (@Heather7News) February 24, 2023
The charges are allegedly related to Spotsylvania County Public Schools’ contract with former interim superintendent Kelly Guempel. School board member Dawn Shelley reported Twigg to Virginia State Police after he allegedly altered the document without approval and consent from the board.
The School Board Watchlist team will update this story as it develops.
Published – November 4, 2021
Spotsylvania County Public Schools is located in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The district has 34 total schools in operation with nearly 24,000 students enrolled.
In a 4-3 decision, the Spotsylvania County School Board voted to mandate masks for the entirety of the 2021-22 school year. The mandate makes it mandatory for all students, staff, and visitors to wear a mask when inside school buildings. The mandate is also in effect regardless of vaccination status.
SCPS also has a policy and program called “Engage 2025.” The policy includes equity and inclusivity which the district defines as core values.
