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An outside review found that Fairfax High School staff acted urgently and followed required procedures after receiving reports that a student had groped female classmates, according to Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid.
FCPS hired an outside law firm in March to examine the school’s response to complaints involving 18-year-old Israel Flores Ortiz. The review followed concerns from several victims’ parents, who said the school had minimized their children’s experiences and tried to conceal what happened.
Reid announced Monday that the review was complete, but FCPS did not release the law firm’s report.
In a message to families, Reid said administrators and staff fully complied with Title IX protocols. She said staff immediately reviewed hallway surveillance footage, identified the student and removed him from class and the general student population.
The City of Fairfax Police Department said school administrators notified officers on May 5 about multiple assaults. Investigators determined that an adult male student had assaulted numerous underage female students at the school between Feb. 25 and March 4.
Flores Ortiz turned himself in two days later and was arrested. He faced 13 misdemeanor assault-and-battery charges and was convicted on nine counts in Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
On April 21, Judge Melinda VanLowe sentenced him to 180 days in jail on each count. She suspended 140 days per count, provided that he behaved while incarcerated and followed his probation requirements.
Flores Ortiz was expected to serve about 140 days in total, including the time he had spent in custody since his March 7 arrest.
Although he was a junior at Fairfax High School, Reid said he will not return to FCPS following his conviction and incarceration.
Reid said the outside investigation confirmed that administrators responded promptly and appropriately. She also thanked school employees and law enforcement for working together to stop the misconduct and hold the student accountable.
A separate federal inquiry remains open. The U.S. Department of Education began investigating FCPS on March 30 to determine whether its handling of the complaints potentially violated Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in public education.
The department said it does not comment on ongoing investigations.