The sexual assault incident that occurred in a bathroom at Loudoun County High School in Virginia in 2021 attracted attention as a political issue in conjunction with the gubernatorial election at the time. The school authorities’ response to this became a problem, and considerable controversy ensued over issues such as school safety, gender identity, and parental rights. In the end, some say that as this incident came to prominence, it had an impact on the election of Governor Glenn Youngkin, the Republican candidate at the time.
And on the 4th, the victim’s family filed a $30 million lawsuit against the Loudoun County Office of Education. It is a claim that the school district violated the ‘Title IX’ anti-discrimination law, and ‘Title IX’ states that no one should be discriminated against based on gender, and this includes sexual harassment and sexual violence.
The sexual assault incident occurred twice on May 28 and October 6, 2021, and according to the lawsuit documents, the school at the time did not allow the female victim and her family to talk about the incident, so the perpetrator was not found until three hours after the incident occurred. He pointed out that he couldn’t do it. Jane Doe reported the sexual assault to the school at the time, but she claimed that school officials and the district did not protect her in violation of Title IX. Because her assailant is currently a minor, she is being held in a juvenile treatment facility and is on probation until she turns 18.
According to the plaintiff, the school district did not begin an investigation until five months after the incident occurred and did not provide support services to the victim. It was also pointed out that former Superintendent Scott Ziegler denied at the Board of Education meeting held in June 2021, “There has never been a sexual assault incident in a school bathroom.”
Afterwards, State Attorney General Jason Miyares formed a special grand jury to investigate two sexual assault cases in accordance with the governor’s executive order. A special grand jury issued a report harshly criticizing the school board’s irresponsible response, and the county Board of Education unanimously voted in a closed session to fire Superintendent Scott Ziegler. He was later charged with three misdemeanors.
The plaintiff’s attorney said, “The county office of education is seeking $30 million in damages because it violated Title IX by failing to take appropriate action, failing to protect the victim, and failing to expel the offending student.”
The victim’s father (Jone Doe) was indicted on charges of causing a disturbance at a school board meeting last June but was recently pardoned by the governor. The county office of education says it will not comment on cases where legal issues are ongoing.