Following reported sexual assaults, schools in Loudoun County, Virginia, are making some changes to better protect students.
In a statement, Loudoun County Public Schools said a new Title IX Coordinator, who is tasked with making sure students don’t face sex discrimination or harassment, has been appointed. LCPS has also launched a new system to place students who may be a risk to others into alternative schools. School administrators are also being trained how to timely report disciplinary data to the state.
“Loudoun County Public Schools has taken action, and will continue to take action, responsive to the concerns raised by the sexual assaults in LCPS in order to further protect our students from sexual assault and strengthen Division practices regarding harassment and discrimination,” a statement from the schools said.
Last May, a 15-year-old student sexually assaulted a girl at Stone Bridge High School, then a few months later groped a student at Broad Run High School, where he had been transferred.
That student has since been sent to a juvenile treatment facility and will have to register as a sex offender, a rare requirement in a case involving a juvenile.
The school system said it will also propose changes to the Memorandum of Understanding between the school system and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office to ensure school discipline and criminal investigations can happen simultaneously.
This includes the sheriff’s office notifying the superintendent and the principal when students are charged with serious offenses.
There are also plans to conduct a senior administration-level review of every potential harassment and discrimination complaint made over the past 12 months, to ensure that all Title IX processes were followed, complaints were appropriately addressed and corrective actions were taken where appropriate.
