Laura Morris once taught fifth-grade students at the Lucketts Elementary School in Leesburg, Virginia, which is located in Loudoun County. Now, Morris has dramatically quit her post because she did not want to teach students critical race theory. In a heated moment,
Morris accused the Loudoun County School Board of forcing their “highly-politicized agendas on our most vulnerable constituents, the children,” and quit her job rather than teach critical race theory to young students in the elementary school.
Morris did not want to rein in “white, Christian, able-bodied females.” Instead, she quit her job and made an emotional display of it all during the Loudoun County School Board meeting this month. She did not support the “equity trainings” that would help students see their place in the world and unpack the complexities of =in America.
Morris taught at Lucketts Elementary School for five years, which was just half of her career as a teacher. Now, however, she will be looking for a new job as she does not want to teach students lessons from critical race theory, which explains to students that people are treated differently in America based on the color of their skin and other differences.
“I quit being a cog in a machine that tells me to push highly-politicized agendas on our most vulnerable constituents – the children,” the former teacher said.
Morris was willing to step away from a lucrative position in the affluent and well-resourced district because she did not agree with the new lesson plans. During her emotional testimony, she struggled to keep her voice even as she described how hard it has been for her to deal with the updates to the previous curriculum.
“This summer, I have struggled with the idea of returning to school, knowing that I’ll be working yet again with a school division that, despite its shiny tech and flashy salary, promotes political ideologies that do not square with who I am as a believer in Christ,” she said.
Morris has been sick and tired of the “lack of consideration for the growing population of concerned citizens in this division.” However, Tuesday’s meeting was empty.
Morris also felt that the school district was infiltrating her personal life with their political agenda. She complained that she received “emails sent by the superintendent last year reminding me that a dissenting opinion is not allowed, even to be spoken in my personal life” – which left a sour taste in her mouth.
Morris decided to quit her job rather than bend to “the controversial policies being promoted by this school board.”
She added, “Not only that, but within the last year, I was told in our so-called equity trainings that white, Christian, able-bodied females currently have the power in our schools and, quote, ‘this has to change.’ Clearly, you have made your point. You no longer value me or many other teachers you have employed in this county.
“So since my contract outlines the power that you have over my employment in Loudoun County Public Schools, I thought it necessary to resign in front of you. School board, I quit. I quit your policies, I quit your training, and I quit being a cog in a machine that tells me to push highly politicized agendas on our most vulnerable constituents – the children. I will find employment elsewhere. I encourage all parents and staff in this county to flood the private schools.”