Tell FCPS to Stop Trying to Bankrupt a Survivor Here. 

Dear friends,

A little while ago, over 23,000 of you spoke out against Fairfax County Public Schools’ attempt to gut Title IX. Together, we made our voices heard: schools should not get “one free rape” before they are required to investigate. Because of that effort, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, and Title IX protections remained intact. That petition showed how much people care about protecting students and holding institutions accountable.

Now, another injustice demands our attention. In a separate sexual assault case, Fairfax County is trying to punish the survivor by forcing her to pay $250,000 in legal fees—simply because she did not win at trial, even though her appeal is still pending.

Here is the link to the Petition to prevent this from happening: https://www.change.org/p/stop-fairfax-county-from-punishing-a-sexual-assault-survivor-with-250-000-in-court-costs

Think about that: a young woman, just 12 years old at the time, comes forward after being sexually assaulted on a school trip. Instead of protecting her, the school mocked her and ignored her cries for help. The National Women’s Law Center, together with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, forced FCPS to enact sweeping policy changes. She then sued, and after years of litigation and a six-week trial—where complex legal issues and Title IX’s pro-school standards made the case incredibly difficult—the district now wants to bankrupt her for daring to seek justice.

This isn’t just cruel to one survivor. It’s a dangerous precedent. If Fairfax County succeeds, it will send a chilling message to survivors everywhere: If you come forward, you risk financial ruin. No one should have to choose between safety and solvency.

We can’t allow this. Survivors need to know that the community stands with them. They need to know that retaliation has no place in our schools—or in our courts.

That’s why we are asking you to take one more step. Please sign and share this new petition calling on Fairfax County to withdraw its outrageous $250,000 fee demand. With your help, we can shine a light on this injustice, rally support before the hearing, and show survivors across the country that they are not alone.

You’ve already proven the power of collective action. Now let’s do it again.

Petition Link: https://www.change.org/p/stop-fairfax-county-from-punishing-a-sexual-assault-survivor-with-250-000-in-court-costs