Dozens of students in Loudoun County, Virginia, protested by walking out to show their disapproval of the recent sexual assault cases at the public school system while also showing their love and support for the victims of the abuses.
In a statement, Loudoun County High School principal Michelle Luttrell said that the students who decided to join in the protests will not be penalized. However, the official requested that students who did participate to conduct the demonstrations peacefully, without signage, and in accordance with the Students Rights and Responsibilities.
Public School Sexual Assaults
Many students who were enrolled at Stone Bridge, Broad Run, Riverside, and several others, announced they would join the walkout that was scheduled on Tuesday. They planned to exit their classrooms for 10 minutes and stay outside in protest of the crimes.
Organizers of the protests urged students and teachers who planned to participate in the demonstrations to wear white and create protest signs. There were about 75 students who temporarily walked out of their classes at Broad Run High School. Unfortunately, the planned mass, widespread walkouts nationwide were not conducted, Fox News reported.
The situation came after a juvenile court judge ruled that a high school student was sexually assaulted by a schoolmate inside a bathroom at Stone Bridge High School located in Ashburn in May earlier this year. The suspect, who is now 15 years old, was charged with sexual battery and abduction of another female student on Oct. 6.
A two-hour hearing was conducted in the Loudoun County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. During the opening statements, prosecutor Barry Zweig said that the two teens constantly talked on the Discord app in the weeks prior to the May 28 incident.
The prosecutor said that the teens had "sexually charged conversations" and had previously engaged in consensual sexual relations two times inside a bathroom at the school. But on May 28, the male teen contacted the female victim and asked to meet inside the girls' bathroom, to which the latter agreed. During the encounter, however, the boy forced himself on the girl without her consent, WTOP News reported.
Protest Against Crimes
Principal Luttrell said that the top priority of Loudoun County Public Schools was to keep students and staff safe and secure. The official noted that they would be providing students who decided to participate in the protests a designated, safe space for them to exercise their freedom of expression.
Additionally, Superintendent Dr. Scott Zieger acknowledged on Oct. 15 that the currently enforced procedures were not enough to address sexual assault cases. The official called for the Title IX policy changes after media outlets reported two alleged sexual assaults of students at different LCPS facilities, WUSA9 reported.
The crimes have caused parents to criticize school officials, some demanding Ziegler and the Loudoun County School Board to resign. The issue comes after an email that surfaced last week that suggests officials knew of the sexual assault crimes but did nothing to protect their students.
"You have buried a sexual assault to protect your precious 8040 policy. Every last one of you, resign!" said Carrie Michon, a grandmother of children who study in Loudoun County.
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