Loudoun School Board Member Not Formally Disciplined Over Confidentiality Concern

ASHBURN, VA — During a closed session on Monday, the Loudoun County School Board opted to not formally discipline Ashburn District representative Deana Griffiths.

Loudoun County Public Schools had said in a statement the School Board would have a closed session "to discuss and consider the performance and possible disciplining of a specific public officer." LCPS cited confidentiality concerns as stated in the Board Policies 1030 and 1035 and the superintendent's contract.

Griffiths, a Republican-endorsed School Board member elected in 2023, clarified in a statement that the closed session was due to her public comment about Superintendent Aaron Spencer's job performance related to additional pay. When Griffiths was asked by a WJLA reporter about her rating of Spencer and the superintendent's bonus, the School Board member said she rate him as proficient and didn't agree with the bonus.

"Whatever discussion happens on Monday, be assured that I will continue fighting for the truth, as together, we work toward improving the safety of and educational opportunities for all our LCPS students," said Griffiths in the statement.

After the closed session, a statement from School Board Chair and Dulles District representative Melinda Mansfield indicated the board acted to reaffirm the confidentiality measures.

"Based on the discussion, the Board voted that in light of an unauthorized disclosure of confidential information pertaining to an individual rating concerning the Superintendent’s evaluation that was otherwise discussed in a closed session, that they reaffirm the confidentiality of individual ratings and all aspects as such evaluation discussions, which the Board has a duty to treat confidentially, individually and collectively," said Mansfield.

According to Loudoun Now, at-large representative Anne Donohue raised concerns about how the superintendent's contract said evaluations had to be confidential. That language was OK'd by the previous School Board. Loudoun Now noted former at large-School Board member Denise Corbo and former Broad Run representative Andrew Hoyler had publicly commented on not rating former Superintendent Scott Ziegler as proficient in 2022.

In response to the closed session over Griffiths's comments, Hoyler shared his experience with a similar closed session over speaking about Ziegler's evaluation.

"While I cannot share what was discussed during that closed session, I maintain to this day that I broke no rules or policies as I did not share any part of Dr. Ziegler’s final evaluation," Hoyler shared. "I simply stated that my personal evaluation did not rise to the level of proficient; our individual evaluations were not part of the final evaluation in any way, therefore, I did not disclose any confidential information about an employee.