The Call to Action: By signing this petition, we affirm that we will not accept institutional silence or symbolic reassurances when the safety of our children is at stake. We demand full accountability from every individual and entity entrusted with protecting our students and our schools.

We, the parents, guardians, educators, and community members of Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS), are deeply alarmed by the severe failures in transparency, communication, and swift action surrounding the case of Michael Swiney.

Mr. Swiney, the Social Emotional Learning (“SEL”) Coach at Hollymead Elementary School, who previously worked at Woodbrook Elementary School, faces 11 felony charges—including seven counts of aggravated sexual battery—involving multiple juvenile victims. All the acts of sexual battery and other charged criminal acts appear to have occurred on school property, and all identified victims appear to be Hollymead students.

While ACPS stated that Mr. Swiney was placed on administrative leave in January 2026, the full timeline, internal handling, and potential systemic delays remain hidden from families. The lack of proactive communication and apparent institutional opacity has raised immediate concerns about student safety, administrative competence, and the integrity of district leadership. Student safety cannot be managed behind closed doors. The failures here appear multilayered and systemic, and they demand independent public exposure.

Our Demands: We respectfully demand that ACPS and the Albemarle County School Board take the following immediate actions:

1. Personnel Accountability: Conduct an aggressive independent review to penalize or terminate any school- or district-level educators, staff, or administrators whose actions—or inactions—delayed, obscured, or obstructed appropriate, rapid responses to allegations against Mr. Swiney.

2. Public Hearing: Convene an open, recorded public hearing specifically dedicated to addressing the district's handling of this timeline, allowing parents and community members to voice concerns and receive direct answers.

3. Transparency: At the bottom of this petition, we have included a detailed list of questions that we demand direct, substantive answers to. In addition, these questions should serve as foundational guidance for any independent inquiry commissioned to investigate this matter.

We acknowledge the ongoing nature of the investigation and affirm our commitment to respecting and protecting both its integrity and the privacy of the victims, with the full expectation that all PHI and PII will be appropriately redacted in any materials and information provided. None of our requests should be construed as an attempt to intrude upon or compromise that process. At the same time, those necessary protections cannot be wielded as a shield for ACPS's culture of secrecy, which has long obscured this investigation, or as a barrier to accountability for any missteps that may have occurred.
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The questions we demand answered regarding the Michael J. Swiney criminal case:

1. Were there complaints and/or concerns about Mr. Swiney during his employment at Woodbrook? Describe the facts and circumstances of any complaints/concerns, and how the concerns/complaints were handled, including the exact dates actions were taken.

2. Describe the facts and circumstances regarding Mr. Swiney’s departure from his Woodbrook employment with ACPS. Was his departure/transfer in any way related to concerns about Mr. Swiney’s work performance and/or conduct with students or staff? What information did Woodbrook and ACPS share with Hollymead about any concerns and/or complaints related to Mr. Swiney leading up to his hiring as SEL coach at Hollymead?

3. What specific due diligence activities and steps were completed, and on what dates, during the hiring of Mr. Swiney for the SEL coach position at Hollymead? Describe each diligence step, when it was taken, and what it revealed.

4. Social Emotional Learning coaches are staff members who have not pursued graduate studies in psychology or counseling, who do not have a license to provide mental health services, and who do not have a state board overseeing their role. Provide the position description for Mr. Swiney’s job of “SEL Coach” at Hollymead. Describe the typical scope of practice and duties of a SEL coach at Hollymead and Woodbrook. Do children get referred to meet with SEL coaches in a private office at every ACPS school, or was this practice unique to Hollymead?

5. Were there complaints and/or concerns about Mr. Swiney during his employment/work with EDEP? Describe the facts and circumstances of any complaints, and how the concerns/complaints were handled, including the exact dates actions were taken.

6. Before January 2026, were there prior reports or complaints of any type related to Mr. Swiney at Hollymead or any other ACPS entity or program? For each complaint, describe the headlining facts, circumstances, date of occurrence, date of reporting, and how it was handled. Provide any related adverse actions, counseling, or employment actions, including their relevant timelines. Describe any reports made to DSS (state or local), local law enforcement, or other agencies, and provide the reporting timeline for each, including the specific dates.

7. For all relevant events related to current sexual battery and related charges, and any previous allegations at ACPS, Hollymead, or Woodbrook, specify whether VA Mandatory Reporter laws were followed. For each event, provide the reporting timeline with specific dates, the names of reporter(s), and the exact agency or entity that received each report.

8. For all past and current allegations, reports, or outcries of child abuse of any kind (sexual or otherwise) by Mr. Swiney, detail compliance with VA Mandatory Reporter laws, including the exact date of each report, the reporter’s identity, and the specific agency or entity that received each report.

9. For all past or current allegations of sexual harassment or sexual assault by Mr. Swiney, describe how Title IX procedures were followed. Include the dates and timeline for each step taken to comply, expectations for reporting, and all response requirements met. State when ACPS believes it became aware of potential sexual harassment and sexual assault committed by Mr. Swiney in ACPS. State when and how potential victims, including but not limited to past and present students of Mr. Swiney, were informed of their Title IX rights. State if ACPS has received any formal complaints. State how those complaints were handled and what stage they are currently in. State if notification, reporting, response, and investigative timelines were met.

10. Provide a detailed investigative and prosecutorial timeline leading to Mr. Swiney’s indictment on Monday, 1 June 2026, exactly the first business day after ACPS schools let out for the summer. Did ACPS provide input on this decision? Is so, how through whom, and when was this input provided? What was the substance of ACPS’s input?

11. Describe the investigative and prosecutorial decisions and timeline that resulted in non-disclosure of Mr. Swiney’s criminal conduct to the Hollymead Elementary School and broader community until 4 June 2026.

12. Detail the exact steps that were taken to preserve evidence, protect victims, identify additional victims, and ensure the community’s safety during the six months from the initiation of the investigation to the release of information to the public. Provide a timeline for these actions.

13. Describe the steps that have been taken up to 4 June 2026 to notify past and current (up to January 2026) students who received services from Mr. Swiney. Provide the exact dates when the steps were taken. Describe when and how past students who have since left Hollymead, including but not limited to those who have graduated up to Lakeside Middle School, were informed about Mr. Swiney’s criminal acts and what steps have been taken to screen them to determine if Mr. Swiney sexually abused and/or otherwise assaulted them

[End of Questions]