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Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Loudoun schools accused of misusing Title IX in transgender locker room case
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares at a press conference in 2023. (Photo by Meghan McIntyre/Virginia Mercury) A locker room incident at a Loudoun County high school has reignited controversy over student privacy, free speech, and school policy — now drawing scrutiny from Virginia's top law enforcement office. On Monday evening, the Office of the Virginia Attorney General confirmed that Loudoun County Public Schools launched an investigation against three male students who said they felt 'uncomfortable' when a biologically female student changed clothes in a boys' locker room and recorded the event. The Attorney General's office also cited 'persistent' reports that LCPS and the school board have taken 'adverse' and 'potentially unlawful action' against parents, teachers, and public speakers. Last month, Gov. Glenn Youngkin asked Attorney General Jason Miyares to investigate the claims to ensure the school division was upholding student privacy, dignity, and safety. The office described the school system's actions as a 'retaliatory Title IX investigation' targeting the three Stone Bridge High School students. The case has been referred to the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice for further review. 'The investigation reveals a disturbing misuse of authority by Loudoun County Public Schools, where students appear to have been targeted not for misconduct, but for expressing their discomfort for being forced to share a locker room with a member of the opposite sex,' Miyares said in a statement Monday evening. He added that Title IX was never meant to be used as a 'weapon' against free speech or religious convictions. 'Every student in Virginia deserves the right to speak openly, think freely, and live according to their conscience without fear of retaliation,' he said. 'Protecting those rights is not political — it's foundational to who we are as Americans.' LCPS' Policy 8040 allows access to sex-separated facilities based on gender identity. However, the Attorney General's Office said the school division appears to be punishing the students 'who hold and express faith based views' instead of protecting their constitutional rights. The school division has not commented on the investigation findings as of Tuesday morning. However, LCPS did release a statement saying it was 'deeply disheartening' to see an elected official — whom they did not name — rely on a WJLA report to publicly criticize the school division. LCPS defended its safety policies and commitment to student well-being and rejected the suggestion that schools are unsafe. Loudoun County is still contending with the fallout of a 2021 bathroom assault case involving a male student who was found guilty of attacking two female students at different schools over six months. In the first incident, the male student was wearing a skirt when he assaulted a female student in a girls' bathroom, although there's no evidence he identified as female. In 2023, Loudoun County Public Schools launched a pilot program aimed at improving restroom privacy and safety. The initiative was designed to increase accessibility and provide students with the option of using multi-fixture, gender-specific restrooms or single-occupancy restrooms across all LCPS facilities. Stone Bridge High School, where the locker room incident and investigation originated, was not part of that pilot program. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Virginia Attorney General refers Loudoun County locker room case to federal authorities
The Brief Virginia Attorney General refers Loudoun County locker room case to federal authorities. Investigators examine possible Title IX violations following student complaints about school policy. LCPS defends its actions while parents argue their children faced discrimination. LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. - Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has concluded his investigation into possible Title IX violations in Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), referring the case to federal authorities for further review. The inquiry was launched after complaints from parents who alleged their sons were punished for objecting to LCPS's transgender policies. The controversy centers on an incident in the boys' locker room at Stone Bridge High School, where a student who identifies as male recorded video of an encounter with other students. The reason the student went into the locker room has not been disclosed. READ MORE: Loudoun County Public Schools board meeting turns heated as parents push back on Title IX probe According to Miyares, the boys involved were expressing sincere religious objections, while LCPS disputes that characterization. The case has become another focal point in the debate over Policy 8040, which LCPS adopted in 2021 in compliance with Virginia law. The policy allows students to use sex-separated facilities, such as locker rooms and restrooms, that correspond with their gender identity. During the incident, three boys under investigation were heard loudly questioning the presence of a student they perceived to be female, making statements such as, "There's a girl in here?" and "I'm so uncomfortable." LCPS subsequently launched a Title IX investigation to determine whether the interaction constituted harassment or discrimination. Parents of the boys argue that their children are the ones facing discrimination. One parent, Renae Smith, spoke ahead of a May 20 school board meeting, stating, "This school system has failed everybody. The policy, if you look at the facts, who felt safe in that situation? And the answer is no one and that's going to be my message tonight. No one felt safe, no one felt respected, and no one left that locker room with their dignity intact." VIDEO: Tensions rise at Loudoun County school board meeting What they're saying In a statement to FOX 5, LCPS said: "To be absolutely clear: Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) would not investigate or discipline students based on their personal opinions, thoughts, or beliefs, provided those expressions do not violate policies prohibiting hate speech, discriminatory language, threats, or other forms of harmful or disruptive conduct. However, LCPS does investigate and may take disciplinary action when student behavior violates LCPS' Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook for Families and Student Code of Conduct." LCPS has not confirmed whether its investigation has been completed. Meanwhile, Miyares announced that he has referred LCPS and its school board to the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division for further investigation. The Source Information in this article comes from Loudoun County Public Schools and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tensions flare at Loudoun County School Board meeting amid Title IX investigation
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. - Emotions ran high at Tuesday night's Loudoun County Public School Board meeting as a crowd of parents and community members gathered to address a range of concerns — chief among them was a controversial Title IX investigation involving three high school students. 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.
