LGBTQIA+ Group Receives Apology From Fairfax School Official

Updated (11:30 p.m.): This story was updated with a response from the Pride Liberation Project to school board member Abrar Omeish's statement and apology.

FAIRFAX, VA — At-large school board member Abrar Omeish apologized for remarks she made during a June 21 phone meeting with members of the Pride Liberation Project, a student-led group advocating for LGBTQIA+ youth.

"First and foremost, I am sorry that these students feel the hurt they described after our most recent meeting," Omeish said, in a letter written in response to a PLP Twitter post. "No student should feel harmed by any member of our community, let alone someone in leadership that they look up to. I have expressed this in several private correspondences with the PLP since the June 21st meeting and look forward to their engagement."

In a letter posted online on Friday, PLP claimed Omeish made "bigoted comments" during the call to the delegation of queer Muslim and brown students from Fairfax County Public Schools. They requested a meeting with Omeish to discuss the challenges queer students of South Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African background encountered in the school system.

During the phone meeting, Omeish told the students she didn't believe she could be a "100 percent ally" of the queer community, according to the letter, and she claimed it would be a "challenge" to outwardly endorse or encourage queer students.

In her response posted Monday night, Omeish said she recognized the validity of the students' concerns.

"Their struggles are exceptional and uniquely pressing," she said. "The needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals have and continue to be among the broader equity and inclusion demands we must all fight for and speak up about, stances I have been committed to since before holding this office and that I will continue to firmly advance."

Some of the students on the June 21 call shared their views on the teachings of Islam in regard to sexuality and asked her opinion on the subject, Omeish said.

"My effort to answer questions around why some minorities do not intend harm when they bring other perspectives unfortunately led to confusion around my unequivocal stance against the prejudice we met to address," she said, in her letter. "As a Muslim, I openly and sincerely believe in my faith’s teachings for my personal life, which include my faith’s fervent and unwavering obligation to treat all human beings with dignity and fight against injustice. Those values motivate me to fight tirelessly for our entire FCPS community every day."

Omeish added that the ability to have a dialogue with others who may not see things in the same way is something that's imperative for allies to engage in so that can build solidarity.

In bringing its concerns about the school board member's comments to light, PLP choose not to call for Omeish's resignation. Instead, the group asked for an apology and a commitment to centering marginalized students, including those in the LGBTQIA+ community, in her advocacy, and promote queer visibility and representation.

"I reject any attacks against transgender and nonbinary persons, including malicious accusations around choice, no matter how close to home they may be, and I will continue to call out the bigotry we witness unfolding," Omeish said, in her letter. "As I did when taking the PLP pledge in June, I acknowledge that queer youth, particularly those of color, have and continue to be harmed."

Omeish reiterated past public statements in which she said that queer youth and those of color have been disproportionately impacted by violence.

"I commit to doing my part against marginalization of queer youth within FCPS, Virginia, and the United States," she said. "I will continue championing the PLP’s calls for accountability that reinvests resources into support, not punishment, of students."

PLP's letter also asked Omeish to clarify her position on a school board motion made at a June 17 meeting to include non-traditional family structures in the Family, Life, and Education curriculum. FCPS records show Omeish was marked "not present" for that vote and was the only member not to record a "yes" vote.

"I understand there was confusion around the FLE curriculum vote when I stepped away to pray as I always do at appointed times during board meetings," Omeish said, in her letter. "I would have voted in favor of the amendment for the ways it advances our broader awareness of Fairfax families."

In her letter, Omeish pointed to examples of some of the broader anti-bias and equity work that she is championing.

"I hope that colleagues will enable my work to establish prejudice-reporting mechanisms that hold to account hate like homophobic or transphobic prejudice towards students and staff, to institute more robust data collection around student needs through expanded categories like gender and sexuality here and in the state, and to prioritize investments in intensive mental health supports for teens, all of which are meant to empower marginalized students, especially and including LGBTQIA+ youth," she said.

Omeish also affirmed her commitment to centering marginalized students and calling for a greater focus on specific actions leaders can take to protect Fairfax schools and the community.

"Inclusion is not a burden for students to carry," said. "On topics where the typical stereotype would be for certain identities to disagree or divide, let us engage directly, candidly, and compassionately first. For the sake of uniting in the face of hate against us all, let us see things as they are and not give up on our ability to come together to lead ahead with a clear and inclusive vision."

Patch asked the PLP if they had a response to Omeish's letter and they released this statement on Tuesday night:

"The Pride Liberation Project is aware of the statement issued by Ms. Omeish. We appreciate her apology and her receptiveness to engage in constructive dialogue, though are disapointed to see her fail to commit to all of our demands. The Pride Liberation Project will continue to fight against politicians who tokenize student voices, and we will continue to hold Ms. Omeish and other elected officials accountable to protecting, supporting, and affirming LGBTQIA+ students."

Related:

LGBTQIA+ Students Criticize School Official's 'Bigoted Comments'

As long as this is, there is more to share and so much more love to convey. PLP students— I am proud of your courage & resilience.
I am here to support you, & my door is open to rebuild when you are ready.

And, to Muslim PLP students, Eid Mubarak. https://t.co/bYY7bfoMGL pic.twitter.com/VM5ngoK0kl
— Abrar Omeish (@AbrarOmeish) July 20, 2021