The case against the Loudoun County Public Schools system began in March after a girl who reportedly identifies as male secretly recorded at least two boys in the boys' locker room at Stone Bridge High School.
When they questioned why she was in there, the female reported them to administrators, and the two boys were punished – even though the school's own policy prohibits recording in locker rooms.
Another policy, adopted by the school board in 2021, allows students to use restrooms and locker rooms aligned with their gender identity, which allowed a male student wearing a skirt to sexually assault a girl in a school restroom that same year.
In this case, Josh Hetzler, legal counsel for Founding Freedoms Law Center, says the temporary restraining order means his clients will be allowed to return to classes while the case plays out in court.
"Recently, the boys were found guilty of the Title IX violation of sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination, and we appealed that," he reports. "They just last week got back to us, and they denied our appeal; they upheld the punishment."
The punishment included a 10-day suspension, a no contact order, and a meeting with the administrators to essentially create a plan of correction.
One student remains in the school district, and even though the other boy moved out of state, Loudoun County would not drop his suspension, which was scheduled to begin Tuesday, Sept. 16.
Monday, Hetzler's team asked a federal court for emergency relief to stop the suspension while the case plays out. The judge approved, and the student was allowed to return to school Wednesday.
"Ultimately, what we're asking the court is to reverse their decision altogether, take this charge of sexual harassment off their record so they're not affected as they're applying for colleges and jobs or the military," Hetzler summarizes.
Monetary damages may also be acquired based on the boys' reputational damage and emotional suffering.
According to CBN, the district initially launched a Title IX investigation into the three boys – two Christians and one Muslim – who say their objections to sharing locker rooms with a female student are based on their religious beliefs.
The sexual harassment charge against the Muslim student was dropped, but new sex-based discrimination charges were filed against the two Christian students.
