Former LCPS Superintendent and LCPS Public Information Officer indited

Update as of December 12, 2022

On Dec. 12, three indictments by Special Grand Jury were unsealed against former Superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools Scott Ziegler. Ziegler was fired on Dec. 6.

Ziegler is charged with one count of prohibited conduct, one count of penalizing an employee, and one count of false publication. The three counts are misdemeanors.

Wayde Byard, LCPS Public Information Officer, was indicted on one count of felony perjury.

On Dec. 12, LCPS released the following press release:

“Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) is aware of the indictments that the Special Grand Jury issued that were unsealed today. As a result, Mr. Wayde Byard, Public Information Officer, was placed on leave today in accordance with LCPS Policy and Virginia State Code. 

While LCPS will await any additional updates from the Special Grand Jury, LCPS plans to address the recommendations of the Special Grand Jury in the School Board’s December 13, 2022 work session. The Board will consider policy-related and process improvements to implement to further ensure the safety and care of all LCPS staff and students and restore trust within our community.”


Loudoun County School Board fires Ziegler

Original post dated December 6, 2022

On Dec. 6 after a two-hour closed session meeting, the Loudoun County School Board voted unanimously to immediately fire Superintendent Scott Ziegler.

On Monday, Dec. 5, a report on the Special Grand Jury investigation of Loudoun County Public Schools was released. The report was done at the request of the Office of the Attorney General for the purpose to “investigate and report on any condition that involves or tends to promote criminal activity …”

The investigation covered how the Board handled two sexual assaults at two different high schools committed by the same gender fluid high school student on two different female students – one at Stone Bridge High School and then the other at Broad Run High School where the student was transferred.

The first assault at Stone Bridge High School happened on May 28, 2021 in the female restroom. Then Loudoun County Public Schools allowed the same student to transfer to Broad Run High School where the second assault occurred.

In October 2021, the Loudoun County School Board conducted an independent review of the incidents. In January 2022, the School Board announced “operational changes to the school system …but noted it would not be publicly releasing the review regarding how LCPS handled the two sexual assault incidents citing … family privacy, student confidentiality, and the attorney-client privilege.”

The grand jury found that “throughout this ordeal LCPS administrators were looking out for their own interests instead of the best interests of LCPS. This invariably led to a stunning lack of openness, transparency, and accountability both to the public and the special grand jury.

“There were several decision points for senior LCPS administrators, up to and including the superintendent, to be transparent and step in and alter the sequence of events leading up to the October 6, 2021 BRHS [Broad Run High School] sexual assault. They failed at every juncture.” The report states that the “brunt of the blame” for the two incidents rests with LCPS. The report noted that there was a breakdown of communication with multiple parties including the Court Services Unit, the Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.

To view the Report of the Special Grand Jury on the Investigation of Loudoun County Public Schools click here.

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