In Harpers Ferry, we have been experiencing a concerning situation. Last year, we welcomed a new principal to our school, Blue Ridge Campus. Regrettably, we were never informed of her background or the existence of an open, now closed alleged sexual assault cover-up case against her. This matter has now been escalated to the appeals court, as the courts and the Fairfax County Public Schools admin (FCPS) failed to fulfill their responsibilities of title IX according to the appeal. Upon discovering the situation and initiating public discourse, we were subjected to harassment by the principal for exercising our right to free speech. She has taken measures to restrict parental access to the school, even for expressing concerns. Furthermore, she has published a conservatory on the local paper to prevent parents and teachers from exercising their First Amendment rights to speak about a public figure.
The principal has demonstrated a lack of accountability for her actions, instilling fear and a sense of dictatorship among the staff. Since her appointment, we have lost 18 staff members, despite their commitment to this school. This loss is not solely attributed to financial factors, as our teachers do deserve better pay.
The situation has escalated to the point where we are at risk of losing 10 more staff members if immediate action is not taken. Parents are considering withdrawing their children from the school through the Hope Scholarship program or private homeschooling options due to the deteriorating conditions. This potential exodus poses a significant threat to the school’s stability.
Unfortunately, not all parents have the option to leave, necessitating our efforts to create a safer and more conducive environment for our children. We cannot continue to allow this to happen in our school that our children attend. If the court documents and subsequent media interviews are to be believed, we can’t leave Sybil Terry in charge of young vulnerable minds. The goal of this is to have the principal removed from her role as admin and from the school and to have an investigation done. The majority of parents, staff and community feel like this.