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Yes! I was there. I arrived about 7 p.m. and could immediately tell it was not your average School Board meeting. Two police cruisers were blocking the front drive, about a half-dozed uniformed officers were on hand, and about 100 people were assembled for a rally sponsored by Peter LaBarbara. He had a table full of information and a sound system set up for speeches.

They started off with the Pledge of Allegiance, someone led the group in "God Bless America" followed by a prayer. Robert Knight spoke, then Rita Thompson, one of the school board members on our side. Rita had wonderful news: the Agenda item for the vote was being withdrawn!

There were other speakers, I think a woman from Concerned Women for America and a school board candidate from Springfield; but I headed on in to the auditorium so I didn't hear what they had to say.

I caught up with BufordP and two of his very nice friends from work. We sat on the back row where we could keep an eye out for you and anyone else we knew. Jimmy Valentine's Brother arrived with a sign he'd made. We tried to behave, but it was difficult at times.

Frye, the School Board At-Large member who offered the Agenda Action Item did break down and cry, recalling his own struggle with discrimination as a young man. Not taking anything away from his own personal pain, many of us didn't agree that homosexuality equates with being a member of an earlier-persecuted group in this country since homosexuality involves behaviors, not race.

I stayed to hear Rita Thompson and Mychele Brickner, two other Republicans on the Board. Mychele had asked for a list of pro-homosexual title in the school libraries and had received a list of almost 200 titles totaling over 1,000 books! She said we will be addressing the issue in the future. We all left after we felt confident the Agenda item had indeed been pulled and they weren't up to some shenanigans and would vote after we left. We headed next door to Sweetwater Saloon for lots of laughs and conversation.

We won this battle, but it's not over. They are taking the issue to Richmond and to the Commonwealth Attorney, Jerry Kilgore for advice. Virginia is what is called a Dillon Rule state, meaning there are some issues localities cannot decide on their own. Someone said that Kilgore had already told another school district downstate in April they could not add 'sexual orientation' to their policy, so I am optimistic.

We now need to contact the Attorney General and encourage him to side with us. If he does, indeed plan on running for governor, my guess is he'll rule in our favor.

I'm sorry we missed you. All in all, it was a great night and I am much relieved. I want to thank everyone who took time to email, call, and attend. The chairman said he'd received 500 emails and calls on this issue, more than any other, including heated school boundary fights.