CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) — A petition has been drafted demanding full accountability and transparency from Albemarle County Public School and the Albemarle County School Board regarding Wednesday’s arrest of Hollymead Elementary School counselor Michael Swiney on 11 felony counts related to allegations of sex crimes on children.

“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,” the petition said.

The petition was posted on iPetitions.com by a user named “ACPS Accountability.” It was later shared anonymously in the Facebook group “Charlottesville’s Magical Mamas” on Monday afternoon.

163 people had signed the petition as of Monday evening.

The 37-year-old Swiney, who previously worked at Woodbrook Elementary School, turned himself into the Albemarle County Police Department on Wednesday and was charged with seven counts of felony aggravated sexual battery, three felony counts of indecent liberties and one felony count of attempted aggravated sexual battery.

ACPS Superintendent Dr. Matthew Haas addressed Swiney’s arrest in an email to families on Thursday, calling the charges “deeply concerning.” Haas added Swiney “successfully completed the required background checks before employment,” and had been on leave since January, when the allegations surfaced.

Still, the petition highlights that “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,” the petition said. “Student safety cannot be managed behind closed doors. The failures here appear multilayered and systemic, and they demand independent public exposure.”

The petition goes on to demand an independent review to penalize of 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,” as well as an open and recorded public hearing to address the district’s handling of the situation and given community members a chance to voice concerns and receive direct answers.

The petition then outlines 14 questions regarding Swiney’s case, demanding “direct, substantive answers” to each. Among these are questions regarding Swiney’s employment and departure from Woodbrook, his hiring and position of Social Emotional Learning Coach (SEL) at Hollymead and any and all complaints, concerns and allegations against him during his time working for ACPS.

The questions also asked for specific details regarding the procedures followed by ACPS, the timeline of the criminal investigation and steps that were taken to notify past and current students.

ACPS spokesperson Jason Grant told Cville Right Now that, while some of the questions regarding topics like the practices surrounding SEL coaches and protocols that ACPS follows in these types of cases can be answered, others cannot because of the ongoing legal investigation. He emphasized the criminal justice process must be respected to protect student safety, and that the school system is cooperating fully with law enforcement.

Grant outlined the procedure in cases where the division receives a complaint against an employee.

In the event ACPS receives an allegation, the staff member the allegation is directed toward is put on administrative leave. Schools and school officials are mandated reporters and therefore would immediately report the allegation to the appropriate authorities. For allegations of abuse and assault, ACPS immediately notifies Child Protective Services and Albemarle County Police, which each launch their own investigation. ACPS Human Resource and Title IX teams do the same.

In the event of an ACPD investigation, as was the case with Swiney, Grant said ACPS is notified, but the school system cannot legally inform anyone, including the staff member, other school officials or the public, because doing so may undermine the investigation.

In the event ACPD files charges, Grant said the school division would notify its families as soon as the charges become public to ensure they are aware of the situation.

Grant also said ACPS does not disclose specific personnel matters and therefore could not disclose details such as why Swiney left Woodbrook or any specific complaints that were logged against him.