High School Used as Recruitment Pipeline for Democrat Congressional Campaign
Virginia Beach school director used taxpayer resources to recruit volunteers for Democrat congressional candidate Elaine Luria.
On June 23, Melissa Disher, Director of the First Colonial High School (FCHS) Legal Studies Academy in Virginia Beach, sent out a notification to parents. She called it a volunteer opportunity for a "Campaign Fellows Program." The email and attached flyer, provided to Restoration News by a parent, was a push to get student volunteers for Democrat Elaine Luria's congressional campaign.
School board policies prohibit using taxpayer resources for partisan political activity.
The description for the "fellows program" sent out to families by Ms. Disher would have student volunteers promote the campaign on social media, assist with virtual campaign events including phone banks, "serve as a campus ambassador at [their] high school," and "spread the word about the campaign and fellowship through [their] networks."
Email obtained by Restoration News
Elaine Luria, a former congresswoman who lost her seat to Rep. Jen Kiggans (R) in 2022, is running in the Virginia Second Congressional District Democratic primary against three other candidates on August 4.
Other candidates—including Rep. Kiggans—were not afforded the same opportunity as Luria for volunteer recruitment at First Colonial High School.
"We need to keep a level playing field for candidates, including in the primary. Government resources shouldn't be used to benefit one candidate over the other," Democratic candidate Patrick Mosolf told Restoration News.
Flyer obtained by Restoration News
Joe Link, spokesperson for the Kiggans campaign, called the situation "concerning" in a statement to Restoration News:
It is very concerning and disappointing that Virginia Beach City Public Schools would allow direct access for a Democrat candidate's campaign to solicit students using taxpayer resources in clear violation of their own policy. We find it equally troubling that they are refusing to allow equal access and instead seem to be using the same policy that was violated as the rationale to disenfranchise students and keep our campaign from offering alternative options to students. The perception of VBCPS [Virginia Beach City Public Schools] endorsing certain candidates for office is damaging to the core principles that should focus on the education of students and not political persuasion by school administrators.
The Policy is Clear
Virginia Beach School Board policy prohibits political advertising and promotion:
School facilities, school resources, email or other web-based services, or equipment may not be used as a means of producing or disseminating to the community any material that advertises or promotes a political party, a political cause, or the candidacy of an individual for public office.
Other regulations state "school property and school time, paid for by the citizens of the City, should not be used for partisan political purposes." The regulations further emphasize that employees may not "use institutional privileges, School Division resources, or working time to promote political candidates or partisan political activities."
Restoration News reached out to the Virginia Beach school administration with questions, including how many people received Disher's message. On July 6 a district spokesperson told Restoration News that "this matter was brought to the School Administration's attention today and is currently being investigated."
School Board Vice Chair Carolyn Weems told Restoration News she was just made aware of the message sent by Disher and is looking into it. "I just learned about this incident, so I can't comment on the specifics but speaking generally I will say that our schools must focus on providing the best academic programs for Virginia Beach students. We have policies governing partisan political activities that must be enforced."
School Board member David Culpepper said, "I don't know specifics about the situation yet, but in general, it would be grossly inappropriate for a public-school employee to exploit their position to promote partisan political campaigns using school resources."
Not the First Scandal
First Colonial High School has been at the center of a lot of political controversy. In September 2025, school board member Melinda Rogers participated in a student protest at the school while wearing a t-shirt promoting the anti-gun activist group Moms Demand Action.
In January 2026, activists fought to prohibit Turning Point USA from establishing a chapter at First Colonial High School. Yet they had no concerns with the previously active Gay Straight Alliance that held meetings during the school day.
When school leaders break the rules in such an egregious way, they must be held accountable for their actions. Public schools should be laser focused on reversing declining achievement, not serving as a recruitment pipeline for partisan political campaigns.
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