A pro-family, pro-faith legal group is representing a student who is being investigated by Loudoun County Public Schools for asking why a female student was in the boys’ locker room.
The Founding Freedoms Law Center said Monday that its client, a high school sophomore, is facing a Title IX investigation for sexual harassment in Loudoun County. Title IX bars discrimination in education based on sex.
“Our student client (whose identity is being withheld for his protection) simply said, ‘Why is there a girl in the locker room?’” the group’s press release reads.
The issue arose when a student who identifies as male filed a complaint with the school and recorded some boys talking about their confusion and discomfort in having a female student in their locker room.
The school board has a policy that allows students to use locker rooms and bathrooms based on their gender identity, not their biological sex.
A spokesperson for Loudoun County Public Schools said there has been misinformation in the media.
The spokesperson said that Loudoun County Public Schools does not investigate or punish students who express personal opinions but will investigate or take disciplinary action for conduct that runs afoul of the student handbook.
“Because this matter could result in discipline, LCPS will not discuss the specifics of the incident publicly. Student privacy is a fundamental right protected by both policy and law, and LCPS is firmly committed to upholding that principle without exception,” the lengthy statement read. “Our decision not to comment on the matter should not be taken as license for any news organization to determine what the facts are without verification.”
“We reject any characterization that implies our schools are unsafe or that we fail to protect the rights of all students. We remain steadfast in our legal and ethical obligation to uphold the rights of every student and will continue to create and nurture an environment that is welcoming and accepting for all students, so that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed,” the statement continued.
Seth Wolfe, the sophomore’s father, said his son is being targeted by the school under the guise of a “sexual harassment” probe.
“My 15-year-old son is being unfairly targeted for simply asking a basic question that any boy would be asking in that situation. It’s astonishing that Loudoun school officials are subjecting him to a formal investigation for a bogus charge that could derail his life,” Mr. Wolfe said.
The Founding Freedoms Law Center is asking the school to end its probe.
“This is yet another egregious example of how LCPS continues to defy state law on transgender policies as well as President Trump’s recent executive orders. This high school boy did absolutely nothing wrong, and LCPS needs to end this baseless investigation immediately,” said Josh Hetzler, legal counsel for the law center.
Two other boys are also being investigated, according to ABC-TV affiliate WJLA.
Loudoun County’s policy became the center of national debate in 2021, when a male student assaulted a female student in a girls’ bathroom.
The school system’s policy is reportedly being investigated by the Department of Justice.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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