LGBTQ Students At Fairfax County Secondary School Target Of Hate-Filled Instagram Account

BURKE, VA — LGBTQIA+ students at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke found themselves the target of a malicious Instagram account on Monday.

Posts on the "lbsshomos" account, which described itself as "The official Instagram page for homos at lbss," included photos of students with their faces blocked out and bigoted remarks.

Fairfax County Public Schools' cyberteam shut the account down and identified the student responsible, according to a letter sent Tuesday afternoon to LBSS families by Principal Daniel W. Smith.

"I am deeply troubled that any student at Lake Braddock feels that this is acceptable behavior," Smith said. "This is not the kind of school community we seek to cultivate. Our shared vision at Lake Braddock emphasizes our commitment to developing students’ understanding of self and community with a focus on responsibility, service, empathy, social-emotional learning, equity, and inclusion."

Smith went on to say that every student had the right to feel accepted and that he was going to meet with members of the school's LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual) this week to continue the dialogue around their experience at school.

Earlier in the day, the Pride Liberation Project shared the story of Ally Harbourt, an LBSS student who identifies herself as queer. She said the Instagram account was discouraging LGBTQ+ students from expressing themselves among their peers. Another student called it an act of hate against queer students.

Aaryan Rawal is a high school student and the lead organizer at PLP, which represents LGBTQ+ students in Fairfax County Public Schools. His group has received a increasing number of reports this school year from students who are experiencing expressions of hate at their schools.

"We've had some students say that just carrying a queer book can sometimes get them some really nasty looks from some people at school," he said. "We've seen some more attacks that are more serious than dirty looks. We've seen gay slurs thrown around a lot in our school hallways. We've seen students report a lot of anxiety right now given the numerous legislative attacks. We've never seen anything that's risen to this level in this public a way."

Pride Liberation Project has asked Fairfax County Public Schools to take a stronger stand against such harassment, calling on the school system to:

1. "Respond to this incident in all social, emotional, and learning (SEL) classes across the county. The response should condemn this incident, outline the possible consequences of harassment, reaffirm FCPS’ commitment to protect LGBTQIA+ students, and remind students of their rights outlined in R1450, R260, and other applicable regulations.
2. "Ensure that all LGBTQIA+ students have access to necessary mental health support resources. An emphasis should be placed on Lake Braddock Secondary School, where leadership should work with LGBTQIA+ affirming partners to provide affected students with support.
3. "Launch a vigorous investigation into this incident that notifies affected students and stakeholders and ensures that all responsible parties face appropriate consequences."

Robert Rigby Jr., president of FCPS Pride, which represents LGBTQ employees in the county's school system, said the level of public animosity against LGBTQ students and adults in Virginia has been on the rise. He blamed this rise on the anti-LGBTQ and anti-trans messaging of some outside parents groups claiming to fight for schools and defend education.

"What I think FCPS should do about it is more vocally and openly celebrate LGBTQ people and other minorities in their schools, rainbow flags in the schools, assemblies, things like that," he said.

While Rigby applauded FCPS' behavior management program and how it dealt with students who harass and discriminate against their peers, he'd like a greater expression of welcome to students of all types.

"What you need to do is say publicly, by admin and by teachers and by symbols, all students are welcome here," he said. "LGBTQ students are welcome here. Black students are welcome here. Latinx, disabled, Asian, you do need to publicly celebrate the communities that are most vulnerable and and most attacked."

In the lead-up to the 2020 election, conservative parents groups lobbied the Fairfax County School Board to ban books with LGBTQ themes from high school libraries. Although that effort succeeded in removing the books temporarily, they were allowed to return to high school libraries following a two-month review.

As recently as February, the principal at Langley High School had to apologize after a photo appeared on social media showing a display in the school library with a sign that read "stuff some adults don't want you to read." Included in the display were copies of "Gender Queer" and "Lawn Boy," the two-LGBTQ-themed books that were banned in 2020. The sign was later removed.

In response to the rise in anti-LGBTQ sentiments, PLP members have been active this school year encouraging FCPS to do more.

"We've testified to the school board multiple times to pass added protections for LGBTQIA+ students, and a lot of those protections are having a huge impact on students' comfort at school," Rawal said. "It's really empowered us to express ourselves freely inside of our classrooms.

PLP has also done a lot of work ensuring that challenged books like "Gender Queer" and"Lawn Boy" can return to classrooms and be available for affected students.

Rawal encouraged FCPS students in need of support to contact PLP for help.

"We have a weekly support group that's actually going to start running again this weekend and that support group has a mental health professional," he said. "It's really just meant to be a way for queer students to decompress and just kind of share whatever they're feeling and have a space to express themselves without having to fear any backlash, without having to fear any stigma."

FCPS also has resources available, such as counselors, social workers and therapists.

"Students should know that those those officials don't have the right to ask them at home," Rawal said.

Related: Sign About Controversial Books Removed At Langley High School