ASHBURN, Va. — Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow said her office is reviewing allegations against the Loudoun County Public Schools superintendent.
The parent group "Fight for Schools" released a March 15 letter from Balow responding to their request to remove Superintendent Scott Ziegler. The group called Ziegler a "liability to the safety of Loudoun County children" and claimed he "repeatedly and blatantly misled the public" following the handling of two high-profile sexual assault cases involving the same student.
"Please know the issues raised in the letter, as with any allegation of misconduct raised against any superintendent, are concerning and are being reviewed in detail," Balow said in the letter to Fight for Schools.
According to a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Education, Balow is waiting on the conclusion of the Office of the Attorney General's investigation.
Ziegler said Balow's office has not contacted him about the matter.
"LCPS has responded to concerns in a way that balances the community's need for transparency with our requirement to maintain student confidentiality," Ziegler said in a statement. "We will continue to focus on our students and make their education our highest priority."
Balow was recently appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has also demanded that Ziegler resign over the sexual assault incidents and accused him of covering them up. The 15-year-old in both cases was found guilty and sentenced to supervised probation.
Just hours after he was sworn into office, Youngkin signed an executive action requesting Attorney General Jason Miyares conduct a full investigation of the Loudoun County Public Schools system. A spokesperson for Miyares said the investigation is ongoing.
In February, Ziegler was under fire by a Loudoun County supervisor when he asked the district to release an independent report on the sexual assault cases before he can support the budget request.
Loudoun County Public Schools stated in January that it would not publicly release the report due to privacy concerns.
Per Virginia law, a superintendent may be assessed a reasonable fine, suspended from office for a limited period or removed from office by either the Board of Education, upon recommendation of the Superintendent of Public Instruction or the school board of the division for sufficient cause. A division superintendent may appeal to the appropriate circuit court.