Gay teacher and LGBTQ+ ally parent win $1million lawsuit after false ‘child abduction ring’ claim
A gay teacher has won in a defamation case (Image: Getty Images, stock)
Two Fairfax County Circuit Court juries awarded a gay teacher and an LGBTQ-ally parent over $1million in damages after finding a Virginia political action committee and its leader liable for defamatory social media posts.
Robert Rigby Jr. was awarded $350,000 and Vanessa Hall was awarded $750,000 after separate trials in June. Both were members of Fairfax County Public Schools Pride, a group that advocates for LGBTQ-supportive school policies.
The defendants in the cases were the Virginia Project PAC, as well as David Gordon, its founder and chair. The lawsuits alleged the defendants falsely and maliciously linked Rigby and Hall to a “child abduction ring” and other illegal actions involving children, with posts amplified through the PAC’s X account, @ProjectVirginia.
Rigby told the Washington Blade he was not focused on the payout, saying: “I can tell you if I don’t see any money out of this, that’s ok,” adding: “Because I stood up for myself. I stood up for teachers who get accused of things all the time … I stood up for people in the LGBTQ community and for parents who have terrible things said about them – I stood up for them.”
What the lawsuits alleged
Rigby’s lawsuit said that “beginning in early 2025, defendants amplified an ongoing harassment and intimidation campaign” against him via @ProjectVirginia. It also described posts that framed Fairfax County Public Schools Pride as a “grooming gang”, alongside a photo of Rigby.
Hall’s lawsuit described her as a longtime community, school and church volunteer who was also active at Fairfax County School Board meetings in supporting students’ and staff civil rights, primarily focusing on LGBTQIA+ and disability rights.
According to plaintiffs’ attorney Jason Zellman, Rigby’s trial ran from 8 to 10 June, and Hall’s trial ran from 15 to 17 June.
Appeal plans after the verdicts
An attorney for Gordon and the Virginia Project told NBC Washington the group will appeal, calling the verdicts “improper as a matter of law”.
After the verdicts, Rigby said: “This was a slam dunk,” adding: “It was clear defamation. The only defence was that it was true, and it’s clearly, manifestly not true.”
He added: “I think it’ll have broader impact on educators to feel like someone is standing up for us,” adding: “Someone is saying no to all the horrible things said against teachers.”
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