Virginia rally against “racist and divisive ideologies” to include prominent speakers and local stakeholders

Three Loudon County, Virginia parent advocacy groups will host a rally on Tuesday to demand “an end to the racist and divisive ideologies” in public education.  

The “eRACEd Rally Against CRT For All” will take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 13 at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building in Ashburn, Virginia.  

The event features nationally recognized Pastor John Amanchukwu, a college football player turned pastor, public speaker and author, who has spoken out against the teaching of critical race theory and similar ideologies he says suppress the Black community. His book on the topic, “Eraced,” is scheduled to be released in October. 

“When we heard that a voice like John Amanchukwu wanted to share his perspectives with parents across the country, we jumped at the chance to have him speak to Loudoun parents,” said Elicia Brand, one of the rally organizers, in a statement.  

“We want the good, bad, and ugly of American history to be taught in our schools,” Brand continued. “We want slavery and racism to be discussed. We want it taught within a framework of compassion and understanding, designed to unify not divide, educate – not blame and shame.”  

Brand is president and co-founder of Army of Parents, which is sponsoring the rally along with two other advocacy organizations, Fight for Schools and Moms for Liberty. The event will feature a number of other prominent speakers including parents, political and organizational leaders. 

“Parents have had enough of the division caused by [local school board] policies on race, gender, and equity which have dumbed down and lied to our kids and led to increased mental health issues,” said Clint Thomas, a parent and one of the rally organizers in a statement released prior to the event. “We rally on Sept 13th to ERACE the division caused by the tenets of CRT and the equity agenda forced on our kids by LCPS.” 

Brand says the group expects a large crowd in support of the rally, and hopes the message also reaches elected officials and those seeking such positions. 

“Who we will be speaking to, and sending a strong message to, are our elected representatives as well as candidates running for office,” Brand told The Lion. “We will also be speaking to parents, citizens and leaders across the nation, inspiring them to step off the sidelines and into the fight to save the future of our country – our kids.  

“Our children have a right to a free and quality education in a safe and welcoming environment. They don’t have that now because of activist school boards focused on what they can do instead of what they should do.”