The attorney general of Virginia has decided to dismiss a case against a former school superintendent who faced allegations of terminating a teacher for reporting inappropriate conduct by a student.
The teacher, Erin Brooks, sought closure on the matter and recently reached a settlement with the former superintendent and the Loudoun County Public Schools, according to a court filing made public on Thursday.
“I cannot articulate my gratitude toward the Attorney General’s office and the Attorney General himself for their steadfast support throughout this case,” Brooks expressed in a statement shared by Attorney General Jason Miyares.

Former superintendent Scott Ziegler has consistently maintained that the case was driven by political motivations. He further stated that “new evidence would have shown that I acted in the best interests of Loudoun County’s most vulnerable students.”
This dismissal marks the second time the attorney general’s office had aimed to secure a conviction against Ziegler, who had previously been found guilty in 2023 of a misdemeanor for violating Virginia’s conflict of interest laws through retaliatory actions against Brooks.
However, a judge determined last year that errors in jury instructions rendered that conviction invalid, despite the presence of “ample evidence” supporting a jury’s finding of retaliation. A retrial was scheduled to commence next month.

Brooks, who had worked as a special education teacher in Loudoun County, spoke to a special grand jury investigating the school district’s handling of sexual assault cases.
During her testimony, she recounted the challenges she faced with a special needs student in elementary school, who had been inappropriately touching her.
Prosecutors argued that Ziegler’s actions to ensure that Brooks’ teaching contract was not renewed constituted retaliation for her public comments.
Conversely, Ziegler maintained during the trial that her dismissal was not linked to her speaking out, contending that the prosecution was an exercise in political motivations.

Both Miyares, a Republican, and Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin criticized the Loudoun school administration during their successful campaigns in 2021.
They alleged that the school leaders disregarded parent concerns regarding the management of transgender students, as well as the responses to a student who had assaulted classmates at two high schools that same year.
The incident drew considerable media attention, particularly as the boy found guilty in both assaults wore a skirt during one of the incidents, attacking a girl in the women’s restroom. This event ignited a national discussion on how educational institutions should handle transgender students and restroom usage reflective of their gender identity.

At Youngkin’s request, Miyares established the special grand jury in January 2022, leading to a sharply critical report released that December. The report accused the school district of mishandling the assaults, claimed Ziegler had lied to the public, and stated that various warning signs were overlooked by officials.
In his recent statement, Ziegler accused prosecutors of ignoring facts and squandering taxpayer resources.
“This initiative was fundamentally aimed at influencing voters in Northern Virginia, prioritizing political gain over truth and justice,” he asserted.

In a news release, Miyares reiterated his commitment to “upholding the rights of teachers and parents unequivocally.”
“It often requires the bravery of one individual standing firm to foster change,” Miyares stated. “Today, thanks to Erin’s resilience, the entire national discussion has been transformed. Erin’s demand for respect was validated by a jury of her peers.”