www.thecentersquare.com – By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-06-02 15:13:00
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has referred Loudoun County Public Schools and its School Board to the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice. His office’s investigation found that LCPS launched a retaliatory Title IX probe into three boys who objected on religious grounds to sharing a locker room with a biological female at Stone Bridge High School. The investigation uncovered possible violations of Title IX, retaliation, and viewpoint discrimination. Miyares criticized the school division for punishing students expressing faith-based objections and emphasized that Title IX should not suppress free speech or religious beliefs. The case awaits further federal review.
(The Center Square) – Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has referred Loudoun County Public Schools and the Loudoun County School Board to the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice.
Miyares’ office found the school division launched a Title IX investigation into three boys who objected to sharing a locker room with a biological female at Stone Bridge High School.
Theinvestigation“revealed significant concerns regarding potential violations of Title IX, unlawful retaliation, and viewpoint discrimination,” according to the attorney general’s office.
“The investigation reveals a disturbing misuse of authority by Loudoun County Public Schools, where students appear to have been targeted not for misconduct, but for expressing their discomfort for being forced to share a locker room with a member of the opposite sex,” Miyares said in a Monday press release.
“TitleIX was never meant tobe usedas a weapon against free speech or religious convictions. Every student in Virginia deserves the right to speak openly, think freely, and live according to their conscience without fear of retaliation. Protecting those rights is not political—it’s foundational to who we are as Americans,” the attorney general added.
The attorney general’s office said LCPS “initiated a retaliatory Title IX investigation” against the students after they raised “sincere religious objections” to the division’s Policy 8040, which permits students to use sex-separated facilities based on gender identity.
“Rather than safeguarding the constitutional rights of all students, LCPS appears to be punishing those who hold and express faith-based views,” the statement said.
The press release also stated there are “persistent reports that LCPS and the School Board take adverse and potentially unlawful action against parents, teachers, and public speakers.”
“Accordingly, the Virginia Office of the Attorney General has referred this matter, Loudoun County Public Schools, and the Loudoun County School Board to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division for further investigation and appropriate action,” the release added.
Loudoun County Public Schools did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.Thisis a developing story.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Right-Leaning
The article predominantly presents the perspective of Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, highlighting his criticism of Loudoun County Public Schools’ handling of a Title IX investigation. The language used in the quoted statements emphasizes concerns about “unlawful retaliation,” “viewpoint discrimination,” and the defense of “faith-based views” and “free speech,” which align with conservative or right-leaning talking points—particularly around issues of gender identity and religious freedom. The article does not offer counterpoints or responses from the school district, nor does it provide broader context that might balance these claims. This framing and selective focus suggest a right-leaning bias by implicitly supporting the Attorney General’s stance while portraying the school board and division negatively. The content reports on factual events but does so by amplifying a particular ideological viewpoint without evident neutrality or equal representation of multiple perspectives.
www.youtube.com – WTVR CBS 6 – 2025-06-03 16:31:01
SUMMARY: The Winchester Greens community in Chesterfield is expanding affordable housing to address Richmond’s growing housing crisis. Greta Harris, president of the Better Housing Coalition, emphasizes that affordability affects not only low-income households but all socioeconomic groups. Income needed to buy a home in the region has doubled from \$60,000 to \$120,000. Alongside the National Housing Project Network, Harris supports several developments aimed at first-time buyers and low-income earners. Mayor Danny Avula calls housing Richmond’s biggest crisis and stresses collaboration among experts to create policies and investments that build more affordable housing, essential for community well-being and opportunity.
A locker room incident at Loudoun County’s Stone Bridge High School sparked controversy over student privacy and free speech. Three male students said they were uncomfortable when a biologically female student changed clothes in the boys’ locker room and recorded it. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares confirmed an investigation into the school system’s “retaliatory Title IX” actions against these students, citing potential misuse of authority targeting their expressed discomfort. The case was referred to federal agencies for review. LCPS defends its gender identity policies but faces criticism amid ongoing safety concerns following a prior bathroom assault case.
A locker room incident at a Loudoun County high school has reignited controversy over student privacy, free speech, and school policy — now drawing scrutiny from Virginia’s top law enforcement office.
On Monday evening, the Office of the Virginia Attorney General confirmed that Loudoun County Public Schools launched an investigation against three male students who said they felt “uncomfortable” when a biologically female student changed clothes in a boys’ locker room and recorded the event.
The Attorney General’s office also cited “persistent” reports that LCPS and the school board have taken “adverse” and “potentially unlawful action” against parents, teachers, and public speakers.
Last month, Gov. Glenn Youngkin asked Attorney General Jason Miyares to investigate the claims to ensure the school division was upholding student privacy, dignity, and safety. The office described the school system’s actions as a “retaliatory Title IX investigation” targeting the three Stone Bridge High School students.
The case has been referred to the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice for further review.
“The investigation reveals a disturbing misuse of authority by Loudoun County Public Schools, where students appear to have been targeted not for misconduct, but for expressing their discomfort for being forced to share a locker room with a member of the opposite sex,” Miyares said in a statement Monday evening.
He added that Title IX was never meant to be used as a “weapon” against free speech or religious convictions.
“Every student in Virginia deserves the right to speak openly, think freely, and live according to their conscience without fear of retaliation,” he said. “Protecting those rights is not political — it’s foundational to who we are as Americans.”
LCPS’ Policy 8040 allows access to sex-separated facilities based on gender identity. However, the Attorney General’s Office said the school division appears to be punishing the students “who hold and express faith based views” instead of protecting their constitutional rights.
The school division has not commented on the investigation findings as of Tuesday morning.
However, LCPS did release a statement saying it was “deeply disheartening” to see an elected official — whom they did not name — rely on a WJLA report to publicly criticize the school division. LCPS defended its safety policies and commitment to student well-being and rejected the suggestion that schools are unsafe.
Loudoun County is still contending with the fallout of a 2021 bathroom assault case involving a male student who was found guilty of attacking two female students at different schools over six months. In the first incident, the male student was wearing a skirt when he assaulted a female student in a girls’ bathroom, although there’s no evidence he identified as female.
In 2023, Loudoun County Public Schools launched a pilot program aimed at improving restroom privacy and safety. The initiative was designed to increase accessibility and provide students with the option of using multi-fixture, gender-specific restrooms or single-occupancy restrooms across all LCPS facilities.
Stone Bridge High School, where the locker room incident and investigation originated, was not part of that pilot program.
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Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Right-Leaning
This content reflects a right-leaning perspective, as it emphasizes concerns over student privacy, free speech, and religious convictions in the context of policies accommodating transgender students. The article highlights the involvement of Republican officials such as Attorney General Jason Miyares and Governor Glenn Youngkin, who are critical of school policies allowing access to sex-separated facilities based on gender identity. The framing of Title IX as being potentially misused against free speech and faith-based views, along with the focus on alleged retaliation against students expressing discomfort, aligns with conservative viewpoints on these issues. Though the piece references responses from the school division and acknowledges ongoing efforts to improve safety and privacy, the overall tone sympathizes with the critics of the current policies, which is characteristic of a right-leaning bias.
www.youtube.com – 12 On Your Side – 2025-06-03 06:39:30
SUMMARY: Tuesday will be sunny and warmer with a high near 85 and low humidity, making it the best weather day of the week. Morning lows will be in the mid-50s to upper 50s, warmer than recent mornings. Wednesday will be the hottest day, reaching the upper 80s with lots of sunshine and a southwesterly breeze. A weak system near the coast will bring rain to parts of Georgia and the Carolinas, causing more clouds Thursday and Friday with cooler temperatures in the low 80s. Scattered showers and storms are expected Saturday, with a comfortable, low-humidity Sunday.
