A group of Loudoun County parents is asking Virginia’s attorney general to investigate why a theater teacher has been placed on leave.

In a letter to Attorney General Jason Miyares, parents associated with Rock Ridge High School’s theater program are asking for an “immediate investigation into LCPS’ wrongful termination” of theater director Tony Cimino-Johnson.

The memo said Chief Human Resources Officer Lisa Boland and other school district staff are “purposely withholding or providing misleading information” to the school board regarding the case.

Cimino-Johnson, whom students and families call CJ, was put on leave last month, according to Eric Sutton, whose daughter is a current Rock Ridge student. Sutton told WTOP that Cimino-Johnson had told a student that they’d lose their part in an upcoming show if they weren’t going to attend rehearsals. Sutton said he learned of the alleged incident a few weeks after it happened.

“He’s strict, but he runs basically a D1 program at a high school,” Sutton said.

The school’s theater program is run as if it’s a college operation, Sutton said, and it’s helped students earn millions of dollars worth of scholarships in the last decade.

“He’s a once-in-a-generation type teacher that these kids have had, and that has just transformed so many lives. We’re just not going to stop fighting for him, because we owe it to him,” Sutton said.

WTOP has contacted Cimino-Johnson for comment. A spokesman for Miyares, meanwhile, said the office is reviewing the families’ letter.

In a statement, a Loudoun County Public Schools spokesman said the district doesn’t publicly discuss personnel matters.

“LCPS’s Department of Human Resources and Talent Development, under the leadership of its Chief, operates with integrity, professionalism, and a deep commitment to ethical standards,” the statement said.

“As a school division, LCPS is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace for all employees. This commitment includes making reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, in accordance with applicable laws and best practices.”

The Loudoun Times-Mirror was the first to report details of the families’ letter to Miyares. The outlet said that in a news release, Cimino-Johnson “blamed it on an allegation against him related to traits associated with his recently diagnosed high-functioning autism.”

At a recent school board meeting, several students urged the division to consider reinstating him. Sutton said families are planning to do the same during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s school board meeting.

They’ve been emailing the school board and copying Superintendent Aaron Spence, Sutton said, but, “We’re prepared to help him with a wrongful termination lawsuit. We’re also looking at potential legal action that we can take against the school district and potentially some of the personnel that have been involved with this.”

Sutton said Cimino-Johnson has helped his daughters thrive.

“Our second daughter, we sent her there because we knew that CJ would provide a safe place,” Sutton said. “She’s just a completely different person than when she was two or three years ago, confidence level, leading stuff.”

Many students are “devastated” and going through mental health challenges because of the circumstances, Sutton said.

“We’re not necessarily sure he’s going to get a fair hearing or take from Loudoun County Public Schools, and so we believe the only way to do that is to pull in help from the Attorney General’s office,” Sutton said.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.