Virginia’s Embattled Loudoun County Votes Against Release of Sex Assault Report

Josh ChristensonFebruary 15, 2023

Virginia’s embattled school board voted against publishing a potentially devastating internal report on student sexual assault cases. This was just months after the grand jury indicted school officials.

Loudoun County School Board decided 6-3 to keep the report secretive from the public. Board members Jeff Morse (atoosa reaser), Erika Ogedegbe. Ian Serotkin. Brenda Sheridan. Harris Mahedavi opposed its release. Scott Ziegler, a disgraced ex-county superintendent, and Wayde Atard, a former public information officer, were among those who voted to keep the report from the public. Indicted In December, they were criticized for their handling of sexual assaults committed by a student. “gender-fluid.”

“This is about justice, integrity, and service,” Tiffany Polifko, a board member who supported the release, informed her fellow members before casting a vote. According to The Washington Post. “You can’t have justice without truth.”

The cases of sex assault in Virginia sparked frustration and led to Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R.), who will be running for the November 2021 election on a platform to protect parents’ rights in education, was elected to office. A special investigation led by Jason Miyares (R.), the Virginia attorney general, revealed that Ziegler had been fired. “administrators pursued their own interest instead of that of their students.”

Three misdemeanors against Ziegler include false publication, prohibited conduct and penalizing an employee to appear in court. Perjury is a felony charge against Byard. Loudoun Schools released an email in October 2021 revealed Ziegler was informed about the rape that occurred in a high-school bathroom even though there had not been any reports of sexual assaults weeks prior.

Six members opposed to the release of the report cited privacy concerns for students and faculty. One member argued that Ziegler’s resignation prevented the release of the report. Only Polifko and John Beatty, who were board members with him, demanded that it be made public.

Scott Smith, a Loudoun County father, whose daughter was the victim in the sexual assaults of his daughters, lambasted members of the board after Tuesday’s vote.

“How can you send a child to school tomorrow with this school board in charge of your child’s safety?” He said: According to WJLA. “How can you do that? How can a parent with any intelligence send your child to school tomorrow? Mine won’t be in school tomorrow. Absolutely not.”