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Who exactly is the University of Virginia protecting? That’s among the questions being raised by critics of the school’s decision to withhold an independent, external review documenting the events that led to the murder of three UVa student-athletes on Grounds last year. Attorneys say that releasing the report would not only fulfill the university’s obligation to transparency but would help bring closure to Charlottesville, the victims’ families and perhaps even prevent another tragedy from unfolding in the future. “Whenever you have a public university with such a tragic event, it’s important for the public to know what happened,” John Fishwick, former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, told The Daily Progress. “I think they should release it immediately.” So why is the university — which has been in possession of the report for more than a month — keeping it from public view? “All I can say is I have no earthly idea,” Michael Haggard, an attorney for the families of the victims, told The Daily Progress. Megan Rhyne, executive director for the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, a nonprofit group that presses for access to public records, said UVa’s refusal to release any information from the report undermines the university’s credibility.

It’s become predictable. Some tragedy, some catastrophe, some breakdown, something’s gone terribly wrong. Everyone’s reeling. Questions are multiplying. Rumors are flying. So it is understandable that in their zeal to Do Something, many public bodies most closely impacted by the event rush to launch an investigation. Please. Someone. Tell us what went wrong. Then, weeks or months later, the announcement is trumped that the review is complete. The investigation is in-hand. We have the report. Finally, we’ll have a shared accounting of what happened, when it happened, why it happened and how we can work to make sure it doesn’t happen again. But, no. Yes, we have the report, but no, we are not sharing it with the public. There’s a reason we can’t. It’s because of student privacy, or personnel, or attorney-client or working papers. There’s always a reason.

Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Aaron C. Spence said a two-week delay in notifying School Board members about a series of fentanyl-related overdoses among high school students wasn't an attempt to mislead them. "There was not a decision made to withhold information, but I accept responsibility for your lack of awareness as I did not decide or direct my team to make you aware specifically," Spence said in a Nov. 1 email to board members. "I intend to ensure that the Board is made aware of any overdose as a matter of course." The email came after Spence, who said he had concerns that notifying the public about the overdoses could violate a federal student privacy law, was criticized by a School Board member and Sheriff Michael Chapman for not notifying the public.

Those hoping for one more chance to lobby the Arlington School Board on proposed changes to the school system’s sex-ed curriculum likely will come up empty on Nov. 30. The policy change, which picked up a number of public speakers when it was introduced several weeks ago, has been placed on the School Board’s “consent agenda.” If that decision sticks – it may or may not – the only chance speakers will have to weigh in on the matter will be during the board meeting’s public-comment period. And that comes after the consent agenda is adopted.