An independent investigation has found that Fairfax County Public Schools administrators acted appropriately in response to allegations against a high school student convicted of assault related to multiple groping incidents earlier this year. Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle C. Reid announced Monday that an external review confirmed the school system’s handling of the case was prompt and in accordance with established protocols.

The investigation was conducted by McGuireWoods, a law firm engaged by the Northern Virginia school system. However, the school district and the firm declined to release the full report publicly. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Education has initiated a civil rights investigation into the district’s response to the incident, but officials have not commented specifically on the findings of the independent probe.

The student at the center of the case, 18-year-old Israel Flores Ortiz, was convicted last month of nine counts of assault and battery. A judge sentenced Flores Ortiz, a junior at Fairfax High School and a native of El Salvador who reportedly entered the United States illegally in 2024, to nearly one year in jail. During the trial, defense attorneys argued that his conduct was immaturity-related and not indicative of his future character.

Testimony during court proceedings revealed that between February and March, a female student confided to friends about being assaulted, prompting others to come forward. The school investigated the complaints after the students alerted officials and verified most of the allegations against Flores Ortiz through security camera footage, according to Fairfax High School Assistant Principal Troy Ketch. Additionally, administrative assistant Jessica Rios testified that Flores Ortiz admitted the incidents during a school interview and in a written statement submitted in Spanish.

Reid emphasized that school officials responded swiftly upon receiving reports of inappropriate conduct and removed the student from classes. She also stated that Fairfax High School staff complied fully with Title IX requirements, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational settings.

The Department of Education declined to respond to questions about Reid’s statement, citing the ongoing status of its investigation. Some victims and community members have expressed concerns that the case has been politicized, particularly in the context of heightened scrutiny of immigration policies under the Trump administration. After the sentencing, the Department of Homeland Security posted on the social media platform X that Flores Ortiz should not have been enrolled in a Virginia school.

In a related development, Fairfax County’s sheriff and top prosecutor testified before Congress last month. The hearing involved criticism from Republican lawmakers and praise from Democrats, occurring shortly after the Justice Department launched a civil rights probe into the Democratic prosecutor’s office in Fairfax County.