Feud between Loudoun County parents over teaching about racism in school leads to police investigation

ASHBURN, Va. - Parents opposed to the teaching of Critical Race Theory say they've been targeted by an anti-racist parent group in screenshots from the latter group's private Facebook account.

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The Loudoun Parents for Education, led by Ian Prior, a former Trump Justice Department spokesman, says it has advocated against the area of scholarship that includes ideas that the law and institutions are inherently racist.

The group has asked that Critical Race Theory not be taught in Loudoun County Public Schools, although a spokesman for the school system denies it is part of the curriculum, saying some of its ideas have been used in staff trainings.

Prior says he and others who have opposed the teachings were put on a list of individuals which one member of the anti-racist group called on others to expose or even hack their websites, according to a screenshot. There is no evidence any of the group members have followed through on the hacking threat.

"I learned from a reporter that I had been put on a list in a private Facebook group that was looking to expose people and hack their websites for speaking out on among other things Critical Race Theory," Prior said.

FOX 5 was unable to contact anyone in the anti-racist Facebook group.

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office says it is investigating whether or not any posts in the Facebook group amount to a crime.

Pastor Michelle Thomas, president of the Loudoun County NAACP, tells FOX 5 parents have mistaken LCPS' work on equity as Critical Race Theory. She applauded the school district's recent efforts.

"We have real lives at stake. We have real children that continue to be injured because of the type of insensitivity and cultural unresponsiveness of Loudoun County Public Schools," Thomas said.