n LOUDOUN
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VOL. 8, NO. 3
Pg. 8 | n PUBLIC SAFETY
Pg. 13 |n PUBLIC NOTICES
Pg. 22 | n OBITUARIES
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DECEMBER 8, 2022
‘Not A Single Person Stepped In’ Grand Jury Condemns School Administrators’ Actions—and Inactions—in Sexual Assault Scandal BY ALEXIS GUSTIN
agustin@loudounnow.com
Following an eight-month investigation, the report of a special grand jury empaneled to investigate Loudoun County Public Schools’ handling of two sexual assaults committed by the same student was unsealed Monday. The panel was convened in April at the request of Attorney General Jason Miyares to determine whether criminal conduct occurred in the case in which a
student charged with sexually assaulting a girl at Stone Bridge High School in May 2021 was transferred to Broad Run High School, where he assaulted another girl in October 2021. The investigation was requested by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in an executive order signed on his first day in office. The jury stated it heard testimony from more than 40 witnesses and reviewed over 100 pieces of evidence that lead to the conclusion. In the 24-page report, the jury conclud-
SEE THE GRAND JURY’S RECOMMENDATIONS ON PAGE 31 ed division administrators were “looking out for their own interests, instead of the best interests of LCPS” in their response to public outrage over the incidents. The jury noted there were several instances where senior division administrators, including the superintendent, could have been transparent, and found that the sexual assault at Broad Run High School could have been avoided had school staff heeded warnings in the years and days
School Board Fires Ziegler BY ALEXIS GUSTIN AND RENSS GREENE agustin@loudounnow.com rgreene@loudounnow.com
Following a two-hour closed session Tuesday night, the Loudoun County School Board voted unanimously and without public discussion to fire Superintendent Scott Ziegler immediately and without cause. Under the terms of his contract, since he was fired without cause, Ziegler will be paid his full $323,000 annual salary and compensation for the next year in monthly installments. On top of his salary, his compensation
includes perks such as a $12,000 annual vehicle allowance, health insurance and retirement benefits. The School Board had approved a $28,000 raise for Ziegler in July. The action came 34 hours after the public release of a special grand jury’s report on the school district’s handling of two sexual assaults by the same student, who, after attacking one girl in a bathroom at Stone Bridge High School, was transferred to Broad Run High School where he attacked another girl in an empty classroom. The special grand jury found school administrators prioritized their own best interests over those of the school district and community,
before the attack. In one case, the jury wrote, they agreed with witnesses in the investigation that Ziegler told a “bald-faced lie” when he said at the tumultuous June 22, 2021 School Board meeting “to my knowledge we don’t have any record of assaults occurring in our restrooms.” After that meeting, at which Scott Smith, the parent of the first victim, was arrested, Ziegler refused to offer School Board members more information when they emailed, saying “[t]his matter is under GRAND JURY REPORT continues on page 30
Smith Family Says ‘Clean House’ BY ALEXIS GUSTIN
agustin@loudounnow.com
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Former Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler speaks outside Freedom High School Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021.
blocked transparency to the public, and even attempted to obstruct the jury’s own investigation. ZIEGLER FIRED continues on page 29
The family of a student who was sexually assaulted in a school bathroom released a statement after the firing of superintendent Scott Ziegler on Tuesday night. Scott and Jessica Smith, the parents of the first victim, released the following statement via text message: “It’s unfortunate that it took a special grand jury report for anyone to take action. The firing of Ziegler was way overdue, and we hope this is the first of many firings of all those who failed these young women who now have to deal with what happened to them for the rest of their lives.” Ziegler was fired Tuesday after the School Board met in closed session for two hours. A report from a special grand jury empaneled to look into how the school division handled two sexual assaults by the same student was released Monday. CLEAN HOUSE continues on page 31
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