Burr, Foxx Demand Answers on LCPS’ Inadequate Response to Sexual Assault Reports

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Ranking Member of the House Education and Labor Committee, sent letters to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, U.S. Department of Education Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon, and Loudoun County Schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler demanding more information about Loudoun County Public Schools’ (LCPS) response to reports of a sexual assault at an LCPS school earlier this year, which appears to fall short of what Title IX regulations require.

“It is perplexing to us that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is currently focused on investigating parents exercising their free speech rights at school board meetings, while it is not concerned, at least publicly, with alleged crimes occurring against students in our nation’s public schools,” the Members write in their letter to Attorney General Garland.

The Members continue, “According to the available evidence, neither LCPS nor Mr. Ziegler followed any of the procedures outlined in the Title IX regulations. For example, there is no known evidence that the victims were offered supportive measures. Instead, there is evidence that at least one of the victim’s parents was arrested and painted as a ‘domestic terrorist.’ Further, the only known response that LCPS and Mr. Ziegler had was to conceal the original incident, transfer the accused student while known criminal charges were pending, and create the opportunity for another student to be assaulted.

“While it is for your office to determine whether these actions violate civil rights laws, the victims would undoubtedly have been spared indignity and trauma had LCPS and Mr. Ziegler acted reasonably by being truthful from the beginning and not transferring the accused student while criminal proceedings were pending.”

You can read the full letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland here.

You can read the full letter to U.S. Department of Education Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon here.

You can read the full letter to Loudoun County School Superintendent Scott Ziegler here.