Loudoun County Public Schools board meeting turns heated as parents push back on Title IX probe

Tensions rise at Loudoun County school board meeting

A packed Loudoun County Public Schools board meeting grew heated Tuesday night as parents pushed back against a Title IX investigation at Stone Bridge High School.

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. - A packed Loudoun County Public Schools board meeting grew heated Tuesday night as parents pushed back against a Title IX investigation at Stone Bridge High School.

The controversy stems from a cell phone recording taken inside a boys' locker room by a female student who identifies as male. The video, which captured comments questioning the student’s presence in the locker room, led to a Title IX complaint.

Parents push back on Title IX

What we know:

Parents and Governor Glenn Youngkin have argued that the boys in the video were made uncomfortable, were inappropriately recorded, and are now being wrongly investigated.

School officials say they review student behavior based on the district’s Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook and Code of Conduct.

Many parents at the meeting not only demanded an end to the investigation but also called for the repeal of Policy 8040, which allows transgender and gender-expansive students to use locker rooms and restrooms that align with their gender identity.

READ MORE: Tensions flare at Loudoun County School Board meeting amid Title IX investigation

Locker room video sparks debate

The case has drawn renewed scrutiny as Stone Bridge High School was previously at the center of a high-profile sexual assault investigation involving school restroom policies. 

The State Attorney General is investigating the current case, and the Board of Education has already launched a separate review of Policy 8040, which LCPS says was adopted in 2021 to comply with state law.

READ MORE: Title IX investigation sparks controversy in Loudoun County locker room privacy case

Tensions flare at Loudoun County School Board meeting

Emotions ran high at Tuesday night’s Loudoun County Public School Board meeting as a crowd of parents and community members gathered to address a range of concerns—chief among them, a controversial Title IX investigation involving three high school students.