They Meet Again Chris Page (left) last Thursday night blasted School Board member Bill Outlaw’s behavior in Page’s yard during an encounter on the evening of Friday, Oct. 17th. Page has charged Outlaw with Trespassing After Forbidden.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DUE IN COURT TODAY
Nottoway parent Chris Page says the School Board’s Code of Conduct appears meaningless based on recent actions by member Bill Outlaw and the Board’s relative silence.
“If you think it’s okay for your colleague to come to a parent’s home uninvited, yell at them in front of their children and call them names in front of their children who — by the way, attend your schools — curse the Lord in front of my children while doing it, then why did you even adopt the Code of Conduct in the first place?”
Page addressed the School Board last Thursday night while Outlaw sat silently. Page was referring to an incident in front of his 6th Street residence in Blackstone on the evening of Friday, Oct. 17th.
On the date in question, Page caught Outlaw installing a Winsome Sears sign for Governor near Page’s other signs, and Page asked Outlaw to remove the sign and to leave. Outlaw initially refused and had strong words for Page.
Page made several requests for Outlaw to leave his yard and to never come back. Outlaw removed the sign and left. The two-minute encounter was captured on cell phone video re- corded by Page.
Page swore-out a Trespassing After Forbidden warrant against Outlaw that night, and Outlaw’s arraignment is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) in Nottoway General District Court.
Outlaw has retained Farmville attorney Carter Allen, and a special prosecutor has been appointed by the court. Nottoway Commonwealth’s Attorney Leanne Watrous has recused her office because her mother, Dr. Lori Harper, is Supt. of Amelia County Public Schools, and Outlaw serves on the Joint Board of the Amelia Nottoway Technical Center.
Page reminded School Board members Thursday that Outlaw’s outbursts in his yard came one day after Page spoke at a Board of Supervisors meeting against a School Board proposal to sell the former Burkeville Elementary School building. Supervisors voted 5-0 to deny the School Board’s request, upsetting Outlaw and Chairman Sonny Abbott.
Page called Outlaw’s actions outside his home “a breach of professional conduct and disregard for the safety and sanctity of a citizen’s home…”
Page also called Outlaw’s actions “harassment, disorderly conduct and — the big one — violation of my Constitutional rights…Intimidation by an elected official against a citizen, for exercising their rights to free speech on a matter of public concern, violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution, the Virginia Constitution and the Civil Rights Act…”
Outlaw specifically mentioned “the school division” during his comments outside Page’s residence, Page emphasized.
And Page said Outlaw also tried to belittle him for not owning the house in which he lives.
“I was told I was fiscally irresponsible because I’m a renter. How many (families) in your school (division) are renters?”
Page also said Outlaw’s conduct “was an abuse of the stature that comes with being an elected official. It created an appearance of impropriety by attempting to use that position to intimidate a private citizen over a public transaction…
“Mr. Outlaw was no doubt acting as an individual on my property, but his title as a board member hung heavily over the interaction — especially when he started yelling about School Board business from the night before. He had no authority to be there or behave in that manner.”
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