Family Sues School District for $30 Million Over Handling of Teen's Rape

The family of a teenage girl who was sexually assaulted in a high school bathroom has filed a $30 million lawsuit against Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia. They accuse the school district of failing to adequately investigate the incident and attempting to cover up the assault.

National Attention

The incident, which occurred on May 28, 2021, gained national attention when a father, Scott Smith, spoke out at a June 2021 school board meeting. Smith alleged that the district had concealed his daughter's sexual assault, claiming that a male student, dressed in a skirt, had raped her in the girls' bathroom at Stone Bridge High School. Smith contended that the district was attempting to suppress the assault to support its controversial transgender bathroom policy, which faced parental protests that year.

Charges and Transfer

The accused student was charged in connection with the May assault and was barred from returning to Stone Bridge High School by court order. However, administrators transferred the student to another school in the district, Broad Run High School, where the student sexually assaulted another girl in October 2021. The attacker, who was 15 at the time, was convicted as a juvenile in both cases.

Allegations of Deception

The family's lawsuit alleges that the school district lied to the public in an effort to cover up the May assault, as it was working to advance Policy 8040, allowing students to use bathrooms and locker rooms according to their gender identity, which had not been implemented at the time of the assault.

Ongoing Struggles

The victim of the May assault "struggled academically, emotionally, and physically for the remainder of the school year" and continues to face significant challenges, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court.

Grand Jury Report

In December, a grand jury report criticized Loudoun County Public Schools for prioritizing its own interests over its students' well-being in handling the sexual assaults. The report highlighted a "stunning lack of openness, transparency, and accountability" on the district's part.

Former Superintendent's Denial

The report also condemned the district's former superintendent, Scott Ziegler, who denied knowledge of the May assault at a school board meeting in June 2021. Ziegler had previously stated, "the predator transgender student or person simply does not exist," but evidence suggested otherwise.

Investigation and Firings

Emails revealed that senior district officials had discussed the first assault and linked it to the transgender policy. A law firm's investigation found no evidence to support claims that the perpetrator identified as a female or that he wore a skirt to gain access to the girls' bathrooms.

Ziegler was accused of lying about the May assault and was later fired by the school board. Last week, he was found guilty of retaliatory firing in connection with the district's handling of the sexual assaults.

Federal Investigation

The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into Loudoun County Public Schools earlier this year regarding its handling of the sexual assaults.

Note: This article has been adapted for simplified language and readability while retaining the core facts and context of the original news report.