Virginia
Alexandria City High School teacher called ‘faggot,’ threatened by students: report
Letter to school board says school officials failed to adequately respond
An English teacher who identifies as gay reports being verbally and physically threatened at Alexandria City High School and says school officials have failed to adequately respond to the students’ behavior, which he says included hurling the name “faggot” at him.
The teacher, Matthew Henry, who holds a doctorate degree, sent a detailed two-and-a-half-page letter to the Alexandria School Board through its online public comment site describing how he believes he’s facing threats by students.
“In my 13 years at ACHS, a school I love, I have never previously been called faggot to my face,” Henry states in his letter. “I have never been made to feel less than by any student that I can recall due to my sexuality, even if their religion, culture, church, neighborhood, friends or family tells them otherwise,” he wrote.
“Twice now this year, students have used that word toward me simply because I have asked them to go to class,” his letter continues. “Twice within a month’s time: November 13th and December 13th. Twice now,” he states in his letter. “A third time I was physically threatened, though that word was not used.”
He states that on the day he wrote his letter to the school board a student “wondering the halls” asked him a question about a location within the school he was looking for. When Henry responded, another student replied, “We ain’t talkin to you, faggot,” Henry recalls in his letter.
The letter, a copy of which the Washington Blade received from an Alexandria Public Schools spokesperson, has no date on it. But the Alexandria Times, which was the first media outlet to report the story on Henry’s letter to the school board, reports that the letter was sent early “this year.”
Henry has not responded to a request from the Blade to be interviewed about his report of anti-gay threats from students. His letter also does not say how the students targeting him for harassment learned that he is gay or whether he self identifies as gay at his school.
In response to a request from the Blade, the Alexandria Public Schools sent the Blade a short statement from Julia Burgos, the school system’s Chief of School & Community Relations, which was released in response to media inquiries.
“Please know that safety is a top priority at Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS),” the statement says. “We are dedicated to creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students, staff, visitors and members of our school community,” the statement continues.
“To that end, we place a strong emphasis on adherence to our Student Code of Conduct with our students,” it says. “When we are made aware of matters that do not align with our code of conduct, we address them and take appropriate action with those students as warranted,” the statement concludes.
The statement does not say whether school officials have taken action against any of the students who Henry says have threatened him or subjected him to anti-gay name calling.
“Here, we count on the administration and this district to defend us when needed through quick and efficient consequences,” Henry says in his letter. “And I feel like my school and district is letting me down,” he wrote.
“This is why I’m so shaken by this. I am not allowed to defend myself and my instinct is to defend, both myself and others, especially LGBTQ+ students, in all aspects of my life,” he states.
“The word ‘faggot’ immediately alerts me and other LGBTQ+ people that a situation is now dangerous,” Henry’s letter continues. “The response by campus leaders was very unsatisfactory,” he wrote.
“The hallways of this school are an absolute NIGHTMARE,” Henry concludes in his letter. “I love being an educator, I love this school, and teaching is something I think I’m really good at. Many in this building feel the same,” his letter states. “It saddens me that a small group of students in this school is taking that away from us and is forcing many of us to look for off-ramps.”
Virginia
Winsome Earle-Sears ‘Life and Marriage Tour’ to include Northern Va. stops
Voters to consider marriage equality, reproductive rights referenda in November
Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears has announced her campaign against efforts to enshrine marriage equality and reproductive rights in the state constitution will make several stops in Northern Virginia.
Her “Life and Marriage Tour” will include stops in Manassas, Winchester, and Harrisonburg. Earle-Sears said the “Life and Marriage Tour” will also travel to Virginia Beach, Lynchburg, Roanoke, Charlottesville, and other cities across Virginia “throughout September and October.”
The announcement did not include specific dates.
“Virginia, you’ve been asking where the Life and Marriage Tour is headed — here’s a look at our current tour locations,” she said on X on Tuesday. “We’ll be traveling across the commonwealth throughout September and October, and we’re still building the journey.”
Current Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, last November defeated Earle-Sears, a Republican, in the race to succeed Republican Glenn Youngkin.
Voters in 2006 approved the Marshall-Newman Amendment, which defined marriage in Virginia as between a man and a woman.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in Virginia since 2014. Youngkin a decade later signed a bill that codified marriage equality in state law.
Two successive legislatures must approve a proposed constitutional amendment before it can go to the ballot.
Spanberger signed bills that finalized the marriage equality and reproductive rights referenda’s language.
The referenda will take place on Nov. 3.
Virginia
Doug Ollivant to face Eugene Vindman in Va. 7th Congressional District
Republican defeated challengers in Tuesday’s primary
Republican Doug Ollivant will face off against incumbent U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
Ollivant defeated his Republican opponents in Tuesday’s primary. Vindman ran unopposed.
Vindman in 2024 ran to succeed then-Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger in the U.S. House of Representatives after she ran for governor. Spanberger succeeded Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2025.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Tuesday easily won his primary. All other Democratic incumbent members of Congress from Northern Virginia also won their respective primaries.
Virginia
Winsome Earle-Sears launches campaign against Va. marriage equality amendment
Former LG lost to Abigail Spanberger in 2025 gubernatorial race
Less than a year after losing Virginia’s gubernatorial race, former Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is campaigning across the state against constitutional amendments that would protect marriage equality and reproductive freedom.
She is launching a statewide “Life and Marriage Tour” ahead of November’s election.
Although same-sex couples can legally marry under the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, Virginia’s constitution still contains language that defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Supporters say removing the language would protect marriage equality should federal precedent change.
The original ban was written into the state constitution in 2006.
It has been hinted at in the past by Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas that he would consider revisiting Obergefell v. Hodges regarding contraception and marriage rights for same-sex couples. He stated this in his concurring opinion regarding the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling, which allows for state-level abortion bans.
Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman said removing the ban would bring the state’s constitution in line with existing law.
“20 years after banning marriage equality, it’s time for our commonwealth to fully complete our evolution — and finish the job on protecting marriage equality for all,” Rahaman said.
In an email to supporters, Earle-Sears said these amendments “raise serious concerns” and could alter principles about which Virginians care.
“That is why our efforts are focused not only on informing voters, but also encouraging them to carefully consider these proposals and vote NO on both amendments,” Earle-Sears said.
Virginia voters will consider three constitutional amendments this November.
Earle-Sears is campaigning for voters to reject two of them: the Virginia Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment and the Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment.
A “Yes” vote on the Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment would include removing a provision that states marriage is between one man and one woman and prohibitng the state from denying a marriage license to two adults based on their sex, gender, or race, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
In 2025, during debates against now Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Earle-Sears argued it is not discrimination to think that gay people should not be allowed to marry. She claims it conflicts with her faith.
According to ABC 8, in 2024 she wrote that she had a “moral opposition” to marriage equality, after former Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, signed a marriage equality bill that barred denying marriage licenses based on sex, gender, or race.
According to the Virginia Department of Elections, a “Yes” vote on the Reproductive Freedom amendment supports adding a section to the state constitution that would give Virginians the right to make and carry out decisions regarding reproductive healthcare, except in specific exemptions.
The Virginia Department of Elections wrote that if accepted, the amendment would allow the state government to pass laws to regulate abortion care in the third trimester of pregnancy, but require abortion care when it is medically needed to protect the life and health of the pregnant person or because the fetus is not viable.
During the 2025 election cycle, Earle-Sears was clear on her anti-abortion stance.
According to the Virginia Independent, she utilized campaign funds to donate to the Family Foundation of Virginia. The group is a faith-based, anti-abortion, and anti-in vitro fertilization non-profit.
The “Life and Marriage Tour” will include traveling throughout Virginia to speak with citizens, churches, community organizations, and local leaders. The exact locations have yet to be announced.
