ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA: A $30 million lawsuit has been filed by a Loudoun County student's family as their child was sexually assaulted in the high school bathroom by a "male student wearing a skirt."
The victim's father, Scott Smith, contended that Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) in Virginia failed to sufficiently investigate his daughter's claims and made an effort to conceal the sexual assault.
Scott Smith, who is also a plaintiff in the case, said, "It's been a very long two and a half years for my family to get here. We have put together a very strong Title IX lawsuit that we hope sets precedence across the nation to protect children and hold school districts accountable," in conversation with WJLA.
On May 28, 2021, a student at Stone Bridge High School, who was wearing a skirt, sexually assaulted Smith's 15-year-old daughter in a washroom, who utilized a pseudonym in the case.
A second assault—which involved a different girl—took place at Broad Run High School in an empty classroom in October 2021.
According to the complaint submitted on Wednesday, October 4, in US District Court in Alexandria, Smith's daughter "struggled academically, emotionally and physically for the remainder of the school year" and "continues to struggle significantly."
According to The Gazette, a Republican state senator from Virginia named Bill Stanley has been the Smiths' representative for more than a year.
They have asked for $30 million, citing trauma and peer abuse following an assault that prevented them from receiving quality education.
2021 sexual assault case sparked national firestorm in education
Parents began questioning rules permitting pupils to use restrooms for people of the opposite sex in response to the sexual assault, noting among other things the risk of sexual abuse, which set off a national tempest in education.
In the Loudoun case, the offender was only sent to a different school with little punishment, and only a few months later, he abused another victim. He was convicted for both assaults.
However, the documents included in the family's case show that the assaults don't seem to be particularly related to the attacker's gender identity.
According to the allegation, the attacker favored and asked for male pronouns, as per Daily Mail.
Dan Adams, a spokeswoman for the district, stated that school officials in the affluent Washington suburbs declined to comment on ongoing legal cases.
There was "no evidence that the perpetrator identified as a female or that he wore a skirt or kilt in an effort to gain access to the girls' bathrooms," stated the law firm's inquiry, commissioned by the school board.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently pardoned Smith from the charges stemming from his daughter's attack. He was accused of unruly conduct and obstructing the course of justice, but his case has now been dropped.
Smith was detained for speaking out about his daughter's abuse and accusing then-Superintendent Scott Ziegler of a cover-up at an LCPS school board meeting.
Later, a grand jury report supported the cover-up and brought charges against Ziegler, who was eventually terminated.
The lawsuit claimed that Ziegler "lied" and said there were no instances of attacks in restrooms while being aware of a Loudoun County Sheriff's Department investigation into the incident.
Internet stands in support of Scott Smith as sues LCPS
Social media users took to the online platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to shower their support for the father who sued Loudoun County Public School over his daughter's sexual assault charges.
One X user, being hopeful, wrote, "Praying for him. As 1988 LCHS grad, I've been watching this story unfold. Shameful."
A second user exclaimed, "Yes! Make them pay lawyers then a settlement."
"Finally!! Make the disgusting #LoudounCounty Pay 4 Allowing rapist boys in girls bathrooms!!" chimed in another user.
One more supporter wrote, "They will win this case!! Justice will be served!"
"This is the way. Litigate and hold these people responsible. If it costs them personally, they'll stop pushing this insane dogma on school children," seethed another person.
Another Smith supporter noted, "Wouldn't it be a shame if a bunch of parents who cared about their kids filed lawsuits against school boards and administrations and bankrupted the whole damn diseased temple? Praying for this family - regardless of the outcome of the case. No one wants this role in life."
