Virginia ex-superintendent convicted of misdemeanor in firing of teacher

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia jury has found a former Virginia schools superintendent guilty of a misdemeanor charge in connection with what prosecutors said was the retaliatory firing of a school teacher. Local news outlets report the jury returned a split decision Friday, also acquitting former Loudon County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler on a separate count. The charges stemmed from a special grand jury commissioned by Attorney General Jason Miyares that investigated the school system’s widely criticized response to two sexual assaults committed by a high school student against female classmates in 2021. Ziegler could face jail time when sentenced in January. His attorney says she intends to file a motion to set aside the jury’s verdict before any appeal.