The Orange County School Board has a sudden vacancy.
During Tuesday night’s board meeting, District 4 board member Chelsea Quintern resigned via letter, effective immediately. Quintern, who lives in Locust Grove, began her term on the board Jan. 1, 2022. She quickly gained attention, sometimes nationally, for her policies regarding critical race theory and LGBTQ+. She also led the charge, along with District 1 board member Melissa Anderson, to remove the board from the Virginia School Boards Association, instead forming a legislative committee to follow policy changes.
In her letter, Quintern said she was grateful for the support she had received while on the board. She said her goal was to “empower parents to have a greater voice in their children’s upbringing and education,” and to “foster transparency and encourage more opportunities for dialogue, engagement and collaboration.” She said it has been a privilege to serve on the board and that she was proud of the strides that had been made, which she is confident will continue.
However, Quintern said her son is undergoing serious medical treatment and she would need to devote her time to his care and healing.
“It is with a heavy heart that I step down, but I trust that the board will find a worthy successor to carry on our mission,” she wrote. “We are OC!”
Quintern’s seat is already on the ballot this fall. It is expected that the board will appoint a District 4 resident to fill the seat for the remainder of the term. A school board worksession will be held March 31 at 7 p.m. at 200 Dailey Drive, Orange.
