Loudoun County parents group makes recommendations for school board amid grand jury report

Parents in Loudoun County are making their own recommendations for the school board amid a grand jury report and indictment following two sexual assaults at county schools. FOX 5's Tisha Lewis has the latest details.

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - Parents in Loudoun County are making their own recommendations for the school board amid a grand jury report and indictment following two sexual assaults at county schools.

A grassroots group called Fight for Schools is spearheading the movement. They are demanding board members waive their attorney-client privileges and release all reports.

LCPS board meets in the wake of special grand jury report

Parents showed up in numbers at Tuesday night's Loudoun County school board meeting, the first scheduled since the release of a scathing special grand jury report.

They’re also requesting the termination of employment for Division Counsel Robert Falconi reportedly due to his "behavior in obstructing the special grand jury and his advice to this board since August of last year."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Report on Loudoun County Public Schools released following special grand jury investigation

Fight for Schools says Falconi has not served the school district or the taxpayers well.

The group is also recommending the board recover funds it paid to conduct its own investigation for the Blankingship & Keith report.

Ian Prior, Executive Director of Fight for Schools, says the group is also recommending the board delay the hiring of a permanent superintendent until a new school board is seated in January 2024. Prior says the group’s recommendations are focused on doing what is in the best interest of the community.

2 LCPS officials indicted appear in court

Two LCPS officials who were indicted by a special grand jury appeared in court for the first time Tuesday.

"[It's] business as usual for this school board where they're debating individual lines in policies, but they're not actually talking about what the problems were," says Prior. "The problems are based on a culture. A culture of fear that exists in LCPS, of unaccountability that was highlighted in the grand jury report."

The group is also calling for school board members that are running for higher office to step down.

Prior is also urging Direct Interim Superintendent Dan Smith to terminate for cause all individuals identified in the report who acted with reckless indifference to the safety of children, terminate both Scott Ziegler and Wayde Byard for cause and waive all outstanding FOIA bills due from Loudoun County residents.