LCPS superintendent Aaron Spence questioned by Congress

By Sophia Clifton

Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Aaron Spence defended district policies and repeatedly emphasized compliance with federal and state law during questioning before the U.S.

House Committee on Education and Workforce on June 10, as lawmakers pressed him on transgender student policies, parental notification and student safety.

The hearing, titled “Breaking Trust: Attacks on Parental Rights, Inappropriate Content, and Legal Abuses in America’s Schools,” included testimony from Spence as well as school leaders from Chicago and San Francisco.

In his opening statement, Spence framed his testimony around district performance and legal compliance.

“Loudoun County Public Schools serves 80,000 wonderfully diverse students across 100 schools. We have a 97% graduation rate, and six of our high schools are listed in the top 20 in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Spence said.

He added that LCPS operates within established law and policy.

“I want to be clear and say that LCPS and I, as the superintendent, operate within the law,” he said. “As the superintendent, it’s my job to ensure that we follow federal laws, state law and locally adopted school board policies.”

Spence also said district practices are grounded in nondiscrimination.

“We are in education because we care about students, and part of that means ensuring an environment where all students can reach their full potential.”

Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Michigan, opened the hearing by criticizing policies in several districts, including Loudoun.

“When school policies affect the safety, the privacy, and the well-being of children, Congress has a responsibility to ask questions,” Walberg said.

“When parents are excluded for major decisions involving their children,
Congress has a responsibility to ask questions,” he continued. “And when classrooms become vehicles for political or ideological agendas, rather than places of learning… Congress has a responsibility to ask questions.”

Walberg referenced Loudoun’s transgender student policies and earlier controversies involving the district, including former LCPS teacher Tanner Cross, a Christian who challenged district policy after objecting to using students’ preferred pronouns and was placed on leave for his beliefs.

“It’s immoral and intolerant. Religious liberty is one of the most fundamental rights guaranteed by our Constitution. It’s still in place.
Trampling on religious liberty is nothing new for many school districts,” Walberg stated.

When Rep. Joe Wilson, R-South Carolina, asked about Cross, Spence responded, “The incident that you’re talking about actually predates my tenure in LCPS.”

Spence continued: “I do think that our employees have the right to their deeply held religious beliefs and I think they have the right to express those in public comment for certain.”

When Wilson asked whether disciplinary action would have been inappropriate if tied solely to speech, Spence replied: “If it was simply for expressing his beliefs, that would have been a mistake, yes.”

Questioning of Spence centered heavily on Policy 8040 and district procedures involving transgender students.

Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, questioned Spence about overnight field trips and student accommodations, asking, “Is it appropriate for biological boys to sleep in the same room as biological girls? Yes or no?”

“It’s appropriate and lawful for transgender students to be able to be treated as their consistently identified gender,” Spence said. “It’s also appropriate and important that we acknowledge that our policy says that parents can seek alternatives to that if they have those concerns.”

Foxx later asked whether teachers had concealed information from parents about students’gender identity: “Have your teachers ever lied to parents about what their child is being called at school? Yes or no?”

“I’m not aware of any single instance, and I’ve never had a parent raise that concern with me,” Spence responded.

Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Michigan, questioned Spence about Loudoun’s responses to an incident in May 2025 involving student privacy.

“Three boys at Stone Bridge High School complained to the administrators after they were filmed by a biological female in the boys’ locker room, which, you know, clearly stated, is unacceptable, and you can’t see a scenario that that would be a problem,” McClain stated. “Could you tell me what your school’s response was to that?”

“I know this is gonna be frustrating to you, but I’m not going to,” Spence replied. “I’m not gonna speak on the specifics.”

McClain reframed her questions as hypotheticals. “In what universe, hypothetically speaking, would it make sense to you, for a biological female, or anyone, for that matter, to come in and begin videotaping?”

“Could you explain in what realm, what universe, hypothetically speaking, that that biological female would receive a lesser sentence?”

“Our school division would not discipline students absent a violation of our disciplinary policies,” Spence responded.

“The victims got a ten day suspension, hypothetically. The person, the biological female, that did the filming got a one day suspension. Hypothetically,” McClain continued. “You’re telling me that’s okay, that’s tolerable, that’s cool, that’s acceptable?”
“As I said before, our school district—” Spence began.

“You’re weak,” McClain interrupted. “You’re extremely weak, pathetic and thank God my children didn’t go to your school.” Spence replied: “I disagree with your characterization.”

The hearing also revisited the 2021 sexual assault cases at Stone Bridge High School.

Rep. Mark Harris, R-North Carolina, asked about changes made since those incidents.

“Every time a child is assaulted, it is a horrific thing. That was predating my tenure,” Spence said. “What I would say is, of course, we would involve law enforcement. Of course, we would enforce our policies.”

Spence continued: “Our policies and law do not contemplate that something like this should or could happen to our students, and if it does, we have to react immediately and appropriately, and we would.”

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Florida, continued to question Spence about the student privacy incident brought up by McClain.

“I’m not going to talk about specifics,” Spence reiterated.

“Understood, I wouldn’t talk about it either if I was you,” Fine responded.

“Here’s my other question,” Fine continued. “The three boys that got in trouble initially—two of the boys were Christian, one of the boys was Muslim. Magically, the third boy, the Muslim boy, charges dropped; the two Christian boys were persecuted. How did you justify that decision?”

“So, I’d like to ask if I’m gonna be—” Spence began.

“No, you don’t get to ask, I have 16 seconds left,” Fine interjected. “I think the testimony that we’ve heard here from all of this is a disgrace. And what I take away from this hearing is: Thank God I live in Florida, where thanks to me and the Florida legislature, our parents and our students don’t have to put up with the garbage that they do in your school districts.”