Albemarle County school board asks superintendent to resign after public outcry over alleged student abuse

The Albemarle County School Board announced on June 11 that it has asked Superintendent Dr. Hos to resign following a night of intense public comment about alleged sexual abuse at two elementary schools and complaints about the district’s transparency.

Parents and other community members used the board’s three-minute public-comment period to demand records, an independent investigation and policy changes. Lisa Broadway, a parent and special-education teacher, said she submitted a formal preservation request and urged four immediate steps: “First, preserve all records related to this matter; second, ensure that all relevant information has been referred to the appropriate outside agencies, including law enforcement, CPS, the VDOE, and any applicable Title IX or civil-rights office; third, retain an independent outside investigator; and finally, bring to the board within six weeks a public framework for proposed student-safety policy revisions.”

Why it matters: Commenters and educators said the alleged incidents at Holly and Woodbrook elementary schools exposed gaps in supervision, recordkeeping and notification practices that, they argued, left students vulnerable and eroded public trust in district leadership. Several speakers tied the concerns to broader issues of equity and student safety and asked the board to show accountability.

Many speakers recounted systemic and emotional effects. Megan Mitchum, a parent and graduate student in social work, said the families left in the district “are depleted by the constant fear for their children’s safety and survival,” and called on principals and the board to ensure every school is a safe harbor for transgender and gender-expansive students. Cassandra Ber, a 19-year ACPS educator and parent, said the situation reflected “a massive failure of leadership” and urged the board to consult long-serving teachers in any review.

Board action and next steps: After public comment the board reconvened in closed session. On returning from closed session, Chair Rebecca Berlin told the meeting, “It is this board’s obligation to rebuild the trust with this community, and because of that we have asked Dr. Hos for his resignation and we have instructed our legal officer to work with Dr. Hos on the details. An interim superintendent will be named in the coming days.” The chair also said the board would review and, as necessary, amend district policies and practices to address issues raised by the Holly and Woodbrook communities.

Routine business and administrative approvals: Earlier in the meeting the board approved administrative appointments including David Foreman as principal at Stone Robinson Elementary, John Wheeler as principal at Baker Butler Elementary, and Chris Liverman as principal at Stony Point Elementary, and it approved the consent agenda. The board also voted to resume and certify closed sessions consistent with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

Claims, requests and outstanding questions: Commenters repeatedly asked whether prior complaints involving the employee named by parents were handled properly under Title IX and mandatory-reporter laws and whether transfers or reassignments occurred without appropriate notification. Sarah Paulsworth, a Holly parent, asked the board to report whether there had been past Title IX or other complaints and why parents were not notified sooner. Those questions were raised publicly but were not resolved during the meeting; the board’s public announcement was limited to the resignation request and a pledge to amend policies.

What the board did not resolve publicly: The meeting did not include a detailed public account of investigatory findings, and no independent investigator or timetable for an outside review was announced by the board during the session. Parents’ requests for a public accounting of prior complaints, specific timelines for personnel decisions, and a named independent investigator were not satisfied in the meeting record.

Votes at a glance: - Certification motions (closed-session certifications): passed by recorded/voice votes (motion moved and seconded). - Consent agenda: approved by voice vote. - Administrative appointments (three principals and tenure recommendations): approved (motion moved by Ellen Osborne; seconded; voice approval recorded). - Motion to resume closed session: passed; board reconvened and later certified. - Board asked superintendent to resign: announced as board action following closed session; formal personnel details to be worked out with legal counsel.

What’s next: The board said it will name an interim superintendent soon and that it intends to review and amend policies addressing staff–student boundaries, reporting and building visibility in the coming weeks. Parents and advocates in the room said they will continue to press for an independent outside investigation, the preservation and release of records where not exempted by law, and clearer notification practices.