Tipsheet

More Shenanigans in Loudoun County Emphasize Need for Virginia's Bill on School Masking

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  February 11, 2022 3:00 PM

As Guy covered on Thursday, a bill just passed out of the Virginia Senate with an amendment from a moderate Democrat, State Sen. Chap Petersen. The amendment empowers parents to decide whether or not their children will wear masks to school. Last month, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) issued an executive order on optional masking upon taking office, though the order has been tied up in the courts.

One of those school boards engaging in a back-and-forth in the courts via a separate lawsuit from the Youngkin administration and parents who have had enough is the Loudoun County Public Schools system. Earlier this week it was revealed that district staff were trained on how to obtain warrants to charge students and parents for trespassing if they don't mask up.

Last week, audio was released of Janet Davidson, the assistant principal of Creighton’s Corner Elementary School, who shared that students could be charged with trespassing for not wearing masks. In Virginia, trespassing is a Class I misdemeanor that could carry with it a 12-month jail sentence or fine of $2,500.

Loudoun is where a now 15-year old male student raped a classmate in the girls' restroom. He was transferred to different schools throughout the district, which allowed him to re-offend, all while parents were kept in the dark. 

There is also outrage over how Superintendent Scott Ziegler has handled concerns with a student being allowed to repeatedly rape fellow students, as well as his dismissiveness with concerns that parents have on these and other matters. A parents group has asked that Ziegler be removed. 

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While the school board has tried to keep the details of an independent investigation private, Virginians and Attorney General Jason Miyares want the results revealed. 

It's not merely Ziegler whom the problem lies with, but the Loudoun County Commonwealth Attorney who was supported by George Soros and former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe. The latter who tried to run once more in 2021 and subsequently lost to Youngkin.

In addition to her mishandling of the case to do with the now 15-year old male student, Buta Biberaj charged and sought jail time for Scott Smith, the father of one of the convicted rapist's victims. Smith was arrested at a school board meeting last June for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after he reacted to misleading and false claims from the school board about any incidents occurring in the district. 

It was also revealed this week that Biberaj's office hired a registered sex offender. "Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Loudoun County confirmed the man was hired as a paralegal but refused to confirm the date or length of employment, citing a Virginia code on personnel records," Fox 5 DC reported. The sex offender, John, told the outlet he was " kind of surprised how quickly the [hiring] process went," and that he was fired days later. His parole officer had called to confirm his employment status. 

Students in Loudoun, and other districts, including Fairfax County Public Schools, which is the largest district in Virginia and one of the largest in the country, face suspension for refusing to mask. 

The bill in question, SB 739, was quickly sent to Del. Glenn Davis' Education Committee where it passed on Friday. 

It already has the support from Gov. Youngkin, who has tweeted his support for the bill and discussed it in media appearances with Fox News.