Virginia’s Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has been looking to spend $200,000 to contract software providers that could help monitor “social media threats” and “hate speech” targeting the school district, according to documents unveiled by a parent group. In a now-closed request for proposal, or “RFP,” dated Nov. 30, 2021, the FCPS said it was willing to award a total of $200,000 to contractors for software that would allow the school district’s office of safety and security to expand its “social media research program.” According to the documents, which were first obtained and publicized by Parents Defending Education (PDE), the request for proposal is a part of the district’s effort to “detect [and] help deter any negative actions or consequences coming from social media which may be directed to racial groups or any student or teacher within FCPS.” “We plan to monitor social media threats, harassment, hate speech and bullying,” reads …