Oakton School Officials Joked About Alleged Assault: Report

OAKTON, VA — New testimony in Alexandria federal court shows Oakton High School officials made jokes about the alleged sexual assault of a student.

The girl, identified as Jane Doe in a lawsuit filed in May 2018 against the Fairfax County School Board, reported the assault from a band trip to Indianapolis in 2017. According to court documents, she claims the school district violated Title IX by how it handled her sexual assault report. The lawsuit alleges the victim was forced to touch the boy's genitals, and he touched her breasts and put his hand down her pants.

The Washington Post reported the new testimony in court, including from John Banbury, the principal at the time. He contacted by then-assistant principal Michelle Taylor about the alleged assault. In a later email, Taylor asked how many inches of snow could fall that week, to which Banbury replied, "How many inches under the blanket or on the ground?" In testimony, Banbury said the remark was "inappropriate" and wasn't mocking the alleged assault.

Another joke happened after one of the victim's friends talked to a school resource officer. In a text to assistant principal Taylor, the officer made a joke about the movie "American Pie."

The Washington Post has more on the case.