Calls for accountability are intensifying in Albemarle County, Virginia, following the arrest of Matthew Swiney, a former employee at Hollymead Elementary School, on multiple child sex crime charges. Parents and now a U.S. congressman are demanding an outside investigation into how the school division handled the case, questioning whether current policies are adequate to prevent future incidents.

Phil Riese, whose daughter attended Hollymead Elementary, expressed the anguish felt by many families. "I have a daughter who was in close proximity to the individual alleged to have sexually abused kids at Hollymead Elementary," Riese said. "It's hard to have those types of questions." He noted that it has been 41 days since school officials first became aware of the allegations, yet no independent third-party investigation has been initiated. "They still have not initiated a third-party investigation to figure out how this could have happened," he said.

The frustration has reached Washington, D.C. U.S. Rep. John McGuire sent letters to Governor Abigail Spanberger and Attorney General Jay Jones, urging a full state investigation into Albemarle County Public Schools. McGuire is also pushing for stronger safeguards, including clear timelines for notifying parents, protections during closed-door meetings between staff and students, and regular public updates during investigations involving allegations of sexual misconduct. "I cannot believe there's no policy in place to prevent a teacher from being in a room alone with the door locked with an elementary school kid," McGuire said. "Our government has failed the people."

Riese emphasized that an independent investigation is needed before students return to school this fall. He also questioned why former Superintendent Dr. Matthew Haas did not inform the Albemarle County School Board when he first learned of the investigation in January. "They deserve to know when Matt Haas knew," Riese said. "The fact that he left them in the dark for five months, and they still allowed him to resign and get over a quarter million dollars in pay, that just doesn't make sense to me."

Beyond the state level, McGuire has contacted the U.S. Department of Justice and members of congressional oversight committees to explore whether federal involvement is warranted. The push for accountability comes as the U.S. Department of Education launches a nationwide initiative aimed at combating sexual abuse in K-12 schools. The initiative will examine whether school districts properly investigate credible allegations of sexual misconduct, accurately report incidents, and comply with federal law.

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon stated, "Through this initiative, we are holding school districts accountable because every child deserves to learn in a safe environment free from sexual abuse and harassment."

The Albemarle County School Board is expected to vote Thursday on a new sexual misconduct policy. Parents like Riese see the proposed policy as a positive step but argue it fails to answer lingering questions about how the case was handled or whether school leaders acted appropriately after learning of the allegations. The community remains on edge, demanding transparency and systemic changes to protect students.