Virginia town at war over sex offender claiming he was transgender to spy on women in locker room
A Virginia town is at war over a sex offender claiming he was transgender to spy on women in a high school's locker room.
Outraged parents in an affluent Virginia suburb are facing fierce criticism for questioning transgender bathroom policies after a registered sex offender allegedly exploited them to watch young girls undress for months.
The controversy began after Richard K. Cox, 58, a convicted sex offender, was arrested in December for allegedly spying on women while naked in the female changing rooms at Arlington's premium aquatic center, which shares facilities with Washington Liberty-High School.
But now parents who voiced concerns about Cox are facing fierce backlash from activists who are defending the school's policy.
At a January 30 Arlington school board meeting, supporters of the current policy launched a fierce defense of rules allowing men to use women's facilities if they identify as transgender - even after the disturbing incidents came to light, as reported by 7 News.
'The gender identity of the person who entered the pool locker room is completely irrelevant to this conversation,' Amy Kilala, a mother of two young children, said at the school board meeting, as reported by the outlet.
'If the same individual had exposed themselves in the other locker room, that would be an equally egregious breach of safety,' she added.
Richard K. Cox, 58, a convicted sex offender, was arrested in December for allegedly spying on women while naked in the female changing rooms at Arlington's premium aquatic center, which shares facilities with Washington Liberty-High School
Now parents who voiced concerns about Cox are facing fierce backlash from activists who are defending the school's policy
Another speaker insisted that since the pool is open to the public, anyone should be free to use whichever locker room they choose.
APS Superintendent Francisco Durán responded to the scandal by doubling down on the district's commitment to 'inclusive' policies for those who 'identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community.'
His statement emphasized creating 'safe, welcoming spaces' but made no mention of the months during which young girls were allegedly exposed to a sex offender in their changing rooms.
'Our facilities are designed to be safe, welcoming spaces where our community can come to connect, engage and focus on their health and well-being,' he wrote.
He emphasized that the school 'did not knowingly admit a sex offender into any of our aquatic facilities.'
Duran emphasized that the school district is planning on 'strengthening the security protocols for signing into our facilities, community use, pool access requirements during non-school hours will mirror those during our standard time during the day.'
Those protocols include '100 percent ID check against the sex offender database before anyone is allowed to enter any of our facilities, including the after school non-community time.'
'This system will be in place no later than the end of February.'
One concerned parent accused district leadership of failing to 'take the report seriously,' according to 7 News.
Activists at the meeting demanded the board 'reject attacks from those within the community.'
At a January 30 Arlington school board meeting, supporters of the current policy launched a fierce defense of rules allowing men to use women's facilities if they identify as transgender - even after the disturbing incidents came to light, as reported by 7 News.
'I also request the APS board reject attacks from those within the community,' a man added. 'Attempts to equate protections for trans kids to the actions of a sex offender is disgusting and it must be rebuked.'
'Sadly, sexual predators exist and it will probably happen again,' another Arlington resident stated at the meeting. 'There is not many things we can do to stop it.'
'I also encourage you not to backpedal on our supportive policies,' another said.
Cox was arrested on December 6 at Barcroft Sports & Fitness Center, but investigations uncovered a disturbing pattern stretching back to September 2024.
Despite repeated complaints, the predator allegedly continued accessing facilities by claiming to be transgender.
Prosecutors have charged Cox with indecent exposure, identity theft, sex offender loitering near schools, and indecent liberties with children.
Detectives linked him to similar incidents at Washington-Liberty High School in October and Wakefield High School in October and November.
