Whistleblower Alleges Years of Retaliation After Exposing Unconsented Abortions at Fairfax County School

Fairfax, VA – A teacher at Centreville High School, Zenaida Perez, claims she has endured a relentless campaign of bullying and harassment for three years after blowing the whistle on school officials allegedly facilitating and funding abortions for minor students without parental consent. Ms. Perez recently received another notice for a disciplinary hearing, despite her long-standing allegations remaining unaddressed by school authorities.

According to a tweet by Asra Nomani, Ms. Perez stated, "For the past three years, since stepping forward as a whistleblower, Zenaida Perez says that then-principal Chad Lehman and new principal Erik Healey have been waging a relentless campaign of bullying and harassment." The tweet further noted that on January 28, 2025, she received a disciplinary hearing notice from assistant principal Montell Brown.

The core of Ms. Perez's complaint centers on allegations that a school social worker, identified in reports as Carolina Díaz, facilitated and financed a 17-year-old student's abortion in 2021 without the knowledge or consent of her guardian. Virginia law mandates that minors under 18 obtain notarized written consent from a parent or legal guardian, or a judicial bypass, for an abortion.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has stated it engaged an external independent investigator to look into the claims. However, Ms. Perez asserts she first warned school officials, including then-principal Chad Lehman, in May 2022, and has repeatedly been ignored and retaliated against since. Reports indicate she told an FCPS investigator on May 2, 2025, about the situation, contradicting the district's claims of recent awareness.

Ms. Perez has filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint, seeking to work free from retaliation. Her case highlights the legal complexities surrounding parental consent for minors' medical procedures and the protections afforded to whistleblowers in educational institutions. The ongoing disciplinary actions against her underscore the contentious nature of the allegations and the district's handling of the matter.