Email from Loudoun Co. superintendent alerted school board on day of bathroom assault

The superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools sent a brief, confidential email to school board members on May 28 — the same day a female student at Stone Bridge High School said she was sexually assaulted in bathroom.

In an email obtained by WTOP, Superintendent Scott Ziegler alerted the board that the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office was investigating the incident, but provided few details.

“The purpose of this email is to provide you with information regarding an incident that occurred at Stone Bridge HS. This afternoon a female student alleged that a male student sexually assaulted her in the restroom. The LCSO is investigating the matter,” Ziegler wrote.

Last week, Ziegler apologized for the school system’s reaction to recent sexual assaults by students and outlined steps he said would improve the system going forward.

The May 28 assault was not made public until the victim’s father told the Daily Wire that the same 15-year-old charged in his daughter’s attack was later charged with groping a different girl, at Broad Run High School, on Oct. 6.

WTOP is not publishing the May 28 victim’s father’s name to avoid indirectly identifying a sexual assault victim, who is also a juvenile.

Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj told WTOP that the same 15-year-old has been charged in both crimes. Biberaj said the boy was on pretrial electronic monitoring for the May 28 sexual assault when he was charged with sexual battery and abduction for the October incident.

The 15-year-old, from Ashburn, who is not being identified because of his age, is being held at the Loudoun County Juvenile Detention Center.

In his Oct. 15 statement, Ziegler began with an apology.

“First, let me say to the families and students involved, my heart aches for you,” Ziegler said. “And I am sorry that we failed to provide the safe, welcoming and affirming environment that we aspire to provide. We acknowledge and share your pain and we will continue to offer you support to help your families through this trauma.”

Since then, the May 28 victim’s family has said it intends to file a civil lawsuit against the school system.

Bill Stanley, the attorney representing the family, said in a statement that Ziegler’s comments confirmed what the family alread... (Read more)

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