The former superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia has been indicted following a special grand jury report that concluded the school district mishandled several sexual assault cases involving students.
The Loudoun County Special Grand Jury charged former Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler on Monday on three misdemeanor charges, including penalizing an employee for a court appearance, while Loudoun County Public Schools Public Information Officer Wayde Byard was indicted with felony perjury. The Loudoun County School Board fired Ziegler Dec. 7 “immediately and without cause” following the special grand jury report. (RELATED: REPORT: Virginia Grand Jury Investigating Loudoun Schools Over Allegedly Mishandling Sexual Assaults)
Byard was put on leave on Monday following the indictment, Loudoun County Public Schools said in a press release.
The special grand jury in Virginia found on Dec. 5 that Loudoun County Public School “dropped the ball” when considering student safety following several instances of sexual assaults within the school district. Despite being made aware of the sexual assault incidents, the school district failed to alert the community because of student privacy concerns.
JUST IN: Indictments announced against two Loudoun County Public Schools officials.
▪️Former Superintendent – Scott Ziegler; 3 misdemeanors including penalizing an employee for a court appearance.
▪️Communications Director – Wayde Byard; Felony perjury (lying under oath). pic.twitter.com/XIo2QpuF6r
— Sierra Fox (@thesierrafox) December 12, 2022
“LCPS administrators were looking out for their own interests instead of the best interests of LCPS,” the report read. “This invariably led to a stunning lack of openness, transparency and accountability both to the public and the special grand jury.”
On Dec. 5, the Loudoun County School Board noted that they were “pleased” the investigation “found no evidence of criminal conduct on the part of anyone within LCPS, and not a single indictment was filed as a result of this lengthy process.”
Loudoun County Public Schools did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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