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Loudoun County Sheriff's Office proposes school resource officers in elementary schools
A decision on Monday could shape school security in Loudoun County as the board votes for funding that could bring resource officers to elementary schools.
LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA. - The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has launched an investigation into Loudoun County Public Schools following reports that a high school student may have secretly recorded dozens of underage students in school bathroom stalls over a three-year period.
According to the Department of Education, the investigation will examine whether the school division violated Title IX by failing to prevent and properly respond to allegations of sexual harassment.
The alleged incidents are also under investigation by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.
Dig deeper:
Federal officials said the case comes amid broader scrutiny of the district’s policies surrounding student privacy and the use of school facilities.
Last year, the Office for Civil Rights determined that Loudoun County Public Schools violated Title IX by allowing students to use intimate facilities based on gender identity rather than biological sex, and by retaliating against male students who reported concerns about a female student in male facilities.
What they're saying:
In a statement, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey criticized the district’s handling of student privacy and safety concerns.
"Loudoun County — yet again — appears to demonstrate its profound dereliction of responsibility to protect its students’ privacy and dignity," Richey said. "The Trump Administration will not stop fighting to restore common sense, hold administrators accountable when they sacrifice students’ wellbeing to a radical ideology, and ensure all students can learn in an environment free from discrimination."
The Department of Education did not identify the student accused in the investigation announced Wednesday, and no criminal charges have been publicly announced.
The backstory:
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office announced it was investigating allegations of unlawful recording involving juveniles at Freedom High School earlier this month.
In an email to families obtained by FOX 5 D.C., Freedom High School Principal Tania Brown said school administrators were handling the situation in coordination with law enforcement.,
In a follow-up update to the school community also obtained by FOX 5 D.C., Brown said the investigation is not believed to involve a single isolated incident and encouraged anyone with relevant information to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
The Source: Information from Loudoun County Public Schools and previous FOX 5 D.C. reporting.