📷: Loudoun County’s Broad Run High School (Creative Commons/James H. Dunning)
EdNews Virginia | December 7, 2022
Members of the Loudoun County School Board voted unanimously to fire Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Superintendent Scott Ziegler last night. The action follows Monday’s release of a scathing grand jury report, which concluded that school administrators “failed at every juncture” in their handling of sexual assaults that occurred last year.
Ziegler was officially terminated without cause, effective immediately — which means the now-former superintendent remains entitled to his $323,000 annual salary and various benefits through 2023. Over the summer, the county school board awarded Ziegler a $28,000 raise.
During the school board’s closed session last night, county supervisors held their own public meeting — and the grand jury’s revelations were on everyone’s mind. The Loudoun Times-Mirror reports that Supervisor Phyllis Randall called for Ziegler’s termination. “Fire him tonight,” Randall said. “If you read that report, you can’t come out with anything else.”
Other Loudoun supervisors issued broad criticisms of the county schools. “I truly believe as a community we cannot restore faith—and I say this also as a parent in the school system—without change,” Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau said.
Supervisor Koran T. Saines called for the release of a report that was commissioned by the school district but has, to date, remained hidden from the public.
In contrast to county supervisors, members of the school board made no public comments last night. As of this afternoon, no statements have been published on the LCPS website or social media channels regarding last night’s board action.
This morning, EdNews Virginia emailed LCPS with the following questions:
- Does LCPS have any statement or comment on last night’s termination of Superintendent Scott Ziegler?
- Will LCPS release its own report on the sexual assaults, as many (including Supervisor Koran T. Saines just last night) have called for?
If/when the school district offers any comments, they will be published here.