Tensions flare at Loudoun County School Board meeting amid Title IX investigation
Hundreds make comment
More than 130 people signed up to speak during public comment, with 117 appearing in person. Due to the volume of speakers, each was limited to just one minute.
Loudoun County School Board Chair Melinda Mansfield issued a stern warning ahead of the meeting, reminding attendees not to name students or staff or make personal attacks — rules that were challenged repeatedly throughout the evening.
At the center of the controversy is Policy 8040, a guideline adopted in 2021 that permits students to use restrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity rather than their biological sex. Some parents are now calling for the policy to be repealed.
The backstory
Their concerns stem from an incident currently under Title IX investigation, in which three male students are accused of sexually harassing a transgender student—who is biologically female but identifies as male—in the boys' locker room after gym class.
The transgender student recorded video as they entered the locker room, it shows a black screen at first while capturing audio of classmates questioning why "a girl" was present and one student expressing that he felt "uncomfortable." The student filming then positioned the phone where the camera could see some of the students in the locker room.
While it is illegal to record inside locker rooms, a Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) official confirmed that no individuals appeared in compromising positions in the video. As a result, it was determined that no privacy laws were violated.
What they're saying
Parents of the accused students spoke to FOX5, voicing frustration over the policy and how the investigation is being handled.
"The school system has failed everybody," said Renae Smith, mother of one of the accused students. "Who felt safe in this situation? The answer is no one. No one felt safe, no one felt respected, and no one left that locker room with their dignity intact."
"We're trying to define where the line is drawn between student rights and policy enforcement," added Seth J. Wolfe, another parent. "We feel our children's rights are being taken away because of these policies."
Big picture view
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has since requested that the Attorney General launch an independent investigation into how LCPS has managed the situation.
Meanwhile, the families of the accused students have retained legal counsel and are awaiting further updates as the school system continues its inquiry.
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Fox News
4 days ago
- Fox News
DOJ assistant AG responds to new allegations in SJSU transgender volleyball controversy
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In November, a Mountain West Conference investigation into the initial allegations against Fleming concluded without finding "sufficient evidence" just three days after the first emails to witnesses to set up interviews were sent, according to public records obtained by Fox News Digital. The investigation was carried out by the law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher (WFG). WFG was also hired by the Mountain West to defend the conference against a lawsuit by Slusser, which included the very same allegations against Fleming that the law firm cleared. Public records obtained by Fox News Digital show WFG attorney Tim Heaphy led the investigation into Fleming's alleged misconduct. Heaphy previously served as the chief investigative counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives select committee to investigate the January 6 capitol protests. 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When asked if he was satisfied with how the university handled the controversy involving Fleming in 2024, Konya said, "I think everybody acted in the best possible way they could, given the circumstances." The U.S. Department of Education opened a federal Title IX investigation into the situation involving Fleming and the university's handling of the trans athlete. The DOE recently reached agreements with other universities that allowed males to play on women's teams. On July 1, the DOE announced it had reached an agreement with the University of Pennsylvania to apologize to all female athletes that competed with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 2021-22 season and to rescind all of Thomas' school records. Then, on Friday, the department announced a similar agreement with Wagner College in response to the school allowing transgender fencer Redmon Sullivan to compete on the women's fencing team. Education Secretary Linda McMahon previously told Fox News Digital her department will continue working to address the SJSU investigation. "Our investigation will continue," McMahon said. The DOJ has launched lawsuits against public officials in California and Maine for allowing males to compete in girls sports and refusing to come to an agreement with the Trump administration. Fox News Digital has reached out to SJSU, the Mountain West and WFG for a response to Dhillon's statement. When Fox News Digital previously asked the Mountain West if it would disclose any evidence from the investigation, particularly if any of the witnesses interviewed corroborated the allegations against Fleming, the conference declined. "With litigation ongoing, the Mountain West will have no further comment," a conference spokesperson said. San Jose State previously declined to respond to Slusser's claims. 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USA Today
4 days ago
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Woman gets settlement in case alleging Louisiana colleges ignored rape reports
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Within his first two weeks of classes at Louisiana Tech, court records show Silva met a female student later known as Jane Doe through a dating app. After studying together twice, Silva invited her to his apartment, where they drank heavily with his friends and roommates. Text messages show Doe texted Silva, "I'm incredibly drunk," before passing out clothed on his bed. The woman said she woke up multiple times throughout the night to Silva groping and sexually assaulting her, despite her repeatedly telling him "no." She reported the incident to Flournoy that December after seeing a tweet by a UL Lafayette student that identified Silva as an accused serial rapist. Without requesting legal advice, Flournoy concluded that Title IX did not apply because the alleged assault occurred off campus and did not involve a student group – despite federal guidance saying otherwise. The next day, then-Louisiana Tech President Les Guice received an email from a student voicing concerns about Silva. 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Follow him on X @kennyjacoby and on Bluesky @ Email him at kjacoby@
New York Post
4 days ago
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