Loudoun schools superintendent questioned in Congress over alleged locker room incidents
Loudoun schools superintendent questioned in Congress over alleged locker room incidents
Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence faced renewed scrutiny in Congress this week as lawmakers raised questions about student safety policies, transparency with parents and how the district has handled multiple incidents involving alleged unlawful recordings in school locker rooms and bathrooms.
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. - Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence faced scrutiny in Congress on Wednesday over student safety, parent transparency and the handling of alleged recordings in school locker rooms and bathrooms.
The hearing came shortly after the Trump administration announced a federal investigation into Loudoun County Public Schools over allegations involving a student recording others inside a school bathroom.
READ MORE: Education Department probes alleged bathroom recordings in Loudoun schools
The backstory:
Lawmakers pointed to multiple incidents in the District’s recent history, including a May case in which a Freedom High School student was charged with felony counts of unlawful filming after allegedly recording students in bathrooms and locker rooms.
They also referenced a 2025 incident at Stone Bridge High School involving a transgender student who recorded interactions inside the boys’ locker room while documenting alleged harassment.
Those incidents have also drawn the attention of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, according to officials familiar with the matter.
What they're saying:
During the hearing, Republican members of the committee pressed Spence on disciplinary decisions tied to the Stone Bridge incident, questioning why students who were recorded faced different consequences than the student who made the recordings. Spence declined to discuss specific disciplinary actions, citing student privacy laws, but said discipline is issued only when students are found to have violated the District’s code of conduct.
Loudoun schools superintendent to testify before Congress
The superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools will be on Capitol Hill Wednesday facing questions from lawmakers.
Some lawmakers also raised concerns about whether parents were notified in a timely manner about overdose incidents on school campuses.
"It is unclear to us when we have an overdose situation," Spence responded. "If a student is transported medically out of our building, when they get to the hospital, we no longer have access to their medical records. They don't tell us what happened to the child. We just know that they passed out in our building."
Parents who attended the hearing offered sharply divided views. Some said the District has not been transparent enough about what occurred or when families were informed, while others defended school leadership.
READ MORE: Loudoun sheriff investigating alleged bathroom recording at Freedom High School
Republicans on the committee said they were seeking clearer answers about District policy, student safety and administrative decision-making. Committee Chairman Tim Walberg was particularly critical, accusing District leaders of prioritizing ideology over student protection.
In response, Loudoun County school officials rejected that characterization. In a statement, the school board said recent comments from lawmakers "misrepresent what is happening in the District" and do not reflect ongoing efforts to support students and families.
What's next:
The federal review of Loudoun County Public Schools remains ongoing.
The Source: Information in this article comes from Loudoun County Public Schools and previous FOX 5 reporting.