School staff allegedly attempted to arrange, pay for abortions for students without parental consent; district investigating

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A public school system in Virginia has launched an investigation into allegations that school employees attempted to arrange and fund abortions for female students without notifying their parents, according to public education officials.

Local reports revealed accusations that staff at the Centreville High School in Union Hill allegedly attempted to facilitate and bankroll abortions for girls in 2021, including a 17-year-old female student.

'Staring down a potential criminal firestorm.'

The Fairfax County Public Schools system told WJLA-TV on Wednesday, "We learned yesterday of these concerning allegations from 2021. We are launching an immediate and comprehensive investigation as we take all concerns of student wellbeing very seriously."

When asked if there was any evidence that any school staff members ever facilitated abortions for students without notifying parents, the school district stated, "Not to [our] knowledge. We have launched an immediate investigation into these concerns as soon as we were made aware."

According to the "Counseling Pregnant Students" guidelines set by Fairfax County Public Schools, "Every effort shall be made to encourage and support students suspecting pregnancy to discuss their concern with their parents or guardians."

"Offers may be made to meet jointly with the parents or guardians and the student at school," the directive advises. "In no case shall personnel commit themselves to maintain such information confidentially, keeping it from parents, guardians, or appropriate school authorities."

The district's directive instructs staff members, "If a student requests counseling services or is considered to be in need of such services, school staff members should refer the student to the public health nurse or Fairfax County Department of Health and avoid influencing the student regarding the pregnancy."

Walter Curt – an investigative journalist and the founder of the W.C. Dispatch – asserted that officials with the Centreville High School are "staring down a potential criminal firestorm."

"Two female students — both minors — say school officials arranged and bankrolled abortions at Fairfax Healthcare Center without so much as a phone call to their parents, a direct break with Virginia’s parental-notification law," according to Curt.

The W.C. Dispatch published a letter that was reportedly handwritten by the first student, who was allegedly provided an abortion in November 2021 without her parents' knowledge.

The W.C. Dispatch reported that the other female student was five months pregnant and "pleading to keep her baby" but "bolted" from the clinic after a social worker allegedly told her she "had no choice." The student reportedly "bolted from the clinic rather than go through with the procedure."

Chad Lehman – who was the principal of Centreville High School at the time of the allegations – is accused of approving the alleged abortion and scheduled abortion.

Citing sources, the W.C. Dispatch reported, "Both incidents, sources say, were green‑lighted by Principal Chad Lehman and financed — again, allegedly — through school funds, meaning taxpayer dollars may have underwritten clandestine abortions carried out on minors without parental knowledge."

Virginia Code § 16.1‑241 states, "'Consent' means that (i) the physician has given notice of intent to perform the abortion and has received authorization from an authorized person, or (ii) at least one authorized person is present with the minor seeking the abortion and provides written authorization to the physician, which shall be witnessed by the physician or an agent thereof."

An "authorized person" is described by Virginia law as: "A parent or duly appointed legal guardian or custodian of the minor or a person standing in loco parentis, including, but not limited to, a grandparent or adult sibling with whom the minor regularly and customarily resides and who has care and control of the minor."

Fairfax County Public Schools told Blaze News, "We have serious questions about these allegations that must be answered. At no time would the situation as described in these allegations from back in 2021 be acceptable in Fairfax County Public Schools."

"We have taken immediate action engaging an external investigator to get the facts," FCPS stated. "We all deserve to know exactly what happened. We will take appropriate action as necessary."