LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (7News) — Loudoun County School Board members voted to terminate Dr. Scott Ziegler’s employment contract as superintendent of LCPS without cause during a closed meeting on Tuesday evening.
LCPS will be required to pay Ziegler a severance of twelve months of salary and compensation, according to an employment contract. The payments will be made in monthly installments, according to the contract.
Ziegler’s employment contract was obtained by 7News. This year, a majority of Loudoun County school board members voted to give Ziegler a $30,000 raise on top of his base salary of $295,000.
The termination comes after a number of parents complained about his performance to the school board.
“Board members, I make the following motion,” a Loudoun County School board member said on Tuesday evening. “I move that pursuant to section VII C of the Superintendent’s contract for employment that the school board vote to terminate the employment of Dr. Ziegler. With a Loudoun County School Board without cause effective immediately. Is there a second?”
The Loudoun County School Board voted unanimously to fire Superintendent Scott Ziegler without cause. This means Dr. Ziegler will be paid, as severance, 12 months of salary and compensation, according to his contract. @7NewsDC
— Nick Minock (@NickMinock) December 7, 2022
School Board member John Beatty seconded the motion.
“Further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor of emotion, please aye and raise your hand. That motion will carry unanimously. Board members as there is no further business. We are adjourned. Thank you,” a school board member said.
Loudoun County parents are telling 7News On Your Side they are alarmed about how Ziegler and school administrators handled two sexual assaults that happened at two different schools last year.
“I think sadness is the first thing that comes to mind that this is our reality,” said Loudoun County mother Lauren Shernoff. “A little bit of shock in accepting it. A lot of us knew that this was coming or anticipated that it was coming, but to see it in print, with the evidence supporting that print, it’s just it’s really disheartening and it feels a little bit hopeless and helpless right now. I feel that way about my kids being in these schools.”
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office released the following statement Wednesday regarding the sexual assaults that happened at two different schools last year:
“The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office takes all reports of crimes seriously. Regarding the Special Grand Jury Proceedings, the LCSO thoroughly investigated both sexual assaults. Our investigators worked tirelessly to ensure that victims were heard, and we recommended appropriate charges to Juvenile Court Services. Any incident in our schools’ concerns all of us and we will continue to partner with Loudoun County Public Schools, the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, and Juvenile Court Services to resolve criminal incidents.”
Governor Glenn Youngkin tweeted the following statement:
“The special grand jury’s report on the horrific sexual assaults in Loudoun has exposed wrongdoing, prompted disciplinary actions, & provided families with the truth. I will continue to empower parents & push for accountability on behalf of our students.”
Wednesday morning, LCPS said they had no further statement on Ziegler’s termination.
7News’ Scott Taylor spoke with parent Scott Smith about Ziegler’s firing. Smith’s daughter was one of two students sexually assaulted inside LCPS.
“Firing Ziegler is a good first step, though it should have been done in October of 2021. However, justice will be denied until everyone whose egregious and RECKLESS conduct was detailed in that report is terminated as well. That includes the Deputy Superintendent, Division Counsel, school board members and the other unnamed actors whose actions put our child and everyone else’s at risk.”