Cut Scores, a Great Way to Skew Test Results Assessment policy makers want us to believe that standardized testing is a fair, rational and effective way to determine how well students are learning. In spite of our almost exclusive reliance on standardized tests for today’s students, Fairtests.org points out the tests are neither fair nor reliable, at least in part because the policy makers themselves are so highly politicized. There are a myriad of ways pass rates and the relative difficulty of assessments can be manipulated. Some ways include: Instructional alignment. The match between what is taught and what is tested, can be made less predictable - Each time standards are realigned, teachers need time and information to shift their instruction to match the changes in the tests and standards. Test question difficulty can be modified. For example when Common Core was introduced, the standard expectations for entering kindergartners was substantially altered. Subjectivity. The subjective approach of the test creator can require that loaded terms be used or removed. The current drive to eliminate racial or gender relevant details is an example of how test subjectivity can be manipulated. Also the change to asking phonics-related rather than comprehension-related questions can influence results. Length of test can be altered. The increase or decrease of a few number of questions can drastically alter the pass rates for any given test. Testing Accommodations. Accommodations such as audio, or visual enhancement, whether the test is timed or untimed, and native language delivery affects outcomes. Testing conditions can vary with the resources of the school. Basic conditions such as lighting, heating, cooling, space between students, and noise or movement interruptions are relevant and frequently flawed in less affluent communities. Technology access can be enhanced or impaired. A slow or spotty internet and new technology enhancements introduced but not previewed can change the testing results. Altering cut scores. And finally, the easiest, most direct and predictable way of lowering or raising test scores is to alter cut scores. (How many correct questions constitutes a pass) In other words, you can design assessments for a specific outcome. What’s about to Happen to Virginia Students? The Youngkin-Guidera Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has used most of these techniques at various points across their tenure to alter the potential state test scores, but none of the prior changes and manipulations will come near this final accumulated blow they plan to deliver to Virginia’s children in the form of the new Accountability Support Framework and their proposed changes to cut scores. When the Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) unveiled its plan for school accountability and accreditation in July of 2024, parents and educators alike were stunned to hear they projected as much as 70% of our schools would be “off track” or failing. At the time it seemed unbelievable that would ever be the case. We did not realize a 70% failure rate was indeed what they planned to build into the design. In order to quell the outcry, the VDOE ratcheted down the percentages projected across the summer of 2024, but the support documents just revealed at the Feb 26-27, 2025 Board of Education meetings restores the 70% failure rate as a goal. The Department will be setting new cut scores between now and July 2025. This is particularly political because Aimee Guidera has campaigned for the duration of her term that Virginia schools and students were failing and that the state and local governments were lying to parents about it. She and the governor have resurrected those accusations yet again. Every policy choice of Secretary Guidera’s and the governor's administration has been conceived to prove that failure. Every policy from changing standards without appropriate input to implementing without appropriate guidance documents has been geared to and guided by an attempt to prove failure which would pave the way for full voucher-charter-privatization reform. Since Socrates was tried and executed for teaching in 399 BCE, school assessment practices have been political, but never more so than now. At what point should using tests as political weapons and the politicization of school policy be considered corruption bordering on the criminal? How much damage should be allowed before the people of Virginia stop this deliberate sabotage? Please let the VBOE hear from you about their plans here. See Part I VDOE's Dishonesty about Virginia's Math Scores to understand how changing cut scores will return to the department’s projected massive failure rates.

Don’t let them Cancel Extracurriculars for our Teens! This week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BoS) is crafting their plan to eliminate funding for the Middle School After-School Program next year. Despite a surplus last year this program, that serves tens of thousands of Fairfax families and employs 26 amazing program specialists, will likely end up on the chopping block, unless you act now. Nearly twenty-five years ago, the after school program was funded through public and private partnerships to combat crime and increased gang recruitment of middle school students by providing 5-day programming afterschool from 2:30-4:30 pm. Now this program serves 23,000 students (and their families) across the 26 middle schools in Fairfax County. These programs contribute to health, wellbeing, academic success, and a sense of community among middle schoolers by: Providing quality programming in the areas of recreation, academic enrichment, social skills, youth development, physical health, wellness, and for students to create connections to their peers, their school, and their community. The after school program specialist at each middle school oversees the program, ensures diverse offerings that meet the needs and interests of students, and provides a healthy snack. If these programs are axed, 23,000 students per year will miss these opportunities to grow, learn, and make connections where they can form lifelong friendships, as well as develop skills, interests, and hobbies that will serve them a lifetime. Additionally, Fairfax County will see a likely see a marked rise in mental health issues, screentime, and crime among middle schoolers, AND a decrease in students ready to participate and succeed in high school activities including athletic and academic competitions. I f you live or work in Fairfax County and want our middle schoolers to succeed, please contact the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and Chairman to urge them NOT to eliminate middle school afterschool and summer programs by Friday, March 14, 2025 and sign this petition . Find contact information for your Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Find contact information for your Fairfax County School Board If you are unsure who are your elected officials, click here  to find them.   To learn more about how this will impact middle schoolers, our families and our schools, please read last week's blog on the subject .

Contact your Fairfax County Supervisor and the Chairman now! Did you know that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (BoS) has proposed to eliminate funding for the Middle School After-School Program (ASP) and summer programs next year? This program costs barely $4 million from the BoS but serves 23,000 students (and their families) across the 26 middle schools in Fairfax County. If you live or work in Fairfax County, contact them now  to urge against this.  If this plan goes ahead it would eliminate all afterschool activities from basketball, drama club, chess club, Math Counts, and Model UN, leaving only cross country and track and field at any middle school. These are activities where students make new friends and learn new skills, preparing them for high school. For some students, these after school activities are lifelines that keep them engaged during the school year as well as during the summer. My own kids took advantage of these programs at their middle school, participating in Dungeons and Dragons, Retro-Computing, Science Olympiad, drama, and cooking classes. My son earned regional and state medals in Science Olympiad, which set him up to be part of the team in his high school, and enabled him to hone his engineering skills that he is now using in college.  For my daughter, she developed friendships and skills in all of her after school activities. In particular, Frost Minds Matter helped develop resilience to change while encouraging her to support others in her school. Not only that, but she was the sole middle-schooler at the Minds Matter gala presenting their work to adults. This means she gained impressive presentation skills, as well. For other children in the county, these after school programs offer connections to trustworthy adults, and also provide opportunities for students to get help with homework or develop networks that help them to succeed. These advantages were outlined in the Fairfax County Youth Survey . The survey identifies that having trusted adults to talk to and participating in after school activities offer “protective factors” to better manage stress, make better choices, and develop healthy habits. Also, participation of Middle school students in extracurricular programming gives those students a leg up in high school where the list of afterschool activities grows nearly exponentially. Without such programs, students may be unsupervised for hours at a time. When left to their own devices students are more likely to engage in negative behaviors and activities, according to studies  conducted shortly after these programs began. It is ironic that the BoS is considering cutting these programs to increase safety, which begs the question: safety for whom? Will middle school students and their families be safer with these cuts? Nearly all of these afterschool programs are free of cost to all students. If these programs are cancelled, 23,000 students per year will miss these opportunities to grow, learn, and make connections . They can form lifelong friendships, as well as develop skills, interests, and hobbies that will serve them a lifetime. If you live or work in Fairfax County, please take a few minutes to contact the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and urge them NOT to eliminate middle school afterschool and summer programs and sign this petition . Find contact information for your Fairfax County Board of Supervisor and the Chairman of the Board Find contact information for your Fairfax County School Board member and the three At-Large members. If you are unsure who you need to contact, click here to find your local elected officials.

Be an Observer at the March 19, 2025 FLE Curriculum Meeting March 19th 7-9 pm Invitation to the FLE Meeting You may be unaware but sex education is under attack  in Fairfax County. Since January 1st of this year, far right blogs and extremist groups have attacked the reputations, intentions, and actions of the students, parents, educators, and professionals on the Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee (FLECAC). They have even gone so far as enlisting hate groups and the Fairfax GOP to spread lies about adult and student volunteers who have committed their time and talent to ensure inclusive, scientifically accurate, and age-appropriate FLE curriculum for K-12 in FCPS. You can read more about these attacks in Why is FLE under attack?   This year, the FLE committee was tasked with making the FLE curriculum in Elementary School more inclusive, meaning that it would include new topics or approaches to ensure that the diverse student population in Fairfax County could be seen in the curriculum. One component of this is to ensure that gender identity is included in the curriculum, as students and parents have expressed that the current curriculum ignores transgender and nonbinary students to such an extent that the curriculum can feel somewhat hostile and exclusionary. To learn more, please consider joining others to witness the important work of the FLECAC  on March 19, 2025 from 7-9pm. Of course, in these days of book banning and “culture wars,” a small, but loud, minority of people are trying to hijack these efforts. Right before the last scheduled FLECAC meeting on February 12, 2025, which was cancelled due to snow, Cathy Ruse and Deborah Maddrell sent a letter (see below) across the nation misrepresenting the actions of Fairfax volunteers, requesting that their followers attend the FLECAC meeting to be a “first-hand witness of the evil of planned child abuse” by the “Sex Ed drafters,” as they referred to the adult and student volunteers of FLECAC. The entire letter used inflammatory language including the subject line of the email referring to a “ Vote on Trans Cult Lessons for Littlest Students .” The situation was so “dire” that Ruse and Maddrell advised attendees to bring “holy water.” I’m not sure how “holy water” will be useful at a curriculum discussion meeting, but I hope that they keep it in their purses and pockets, because throwing it at people could be considered assault . Absurdly, Ruse and Maddrell’s letter seems to indicate that FLECAC volunteers intend to vote to indoctrinate students and that participation is forced in these classes, despite the fact that: 1) FLE classes are age and scientifically appropriate and 2) it is easy to opt-out of the classes. In fact, it is so easy to opt out of FLE lessons that I opted my own child out of several FLE lessons one year because I felt they were incompatible with my family’s values. It was simple to opt out, and my child was given alternative material during the lessons. Not only are Ruse and Maddrell leaders of the 11th Congressional District Virginia Republican Committee , but they are part of the same groups who organized the aggressive, disruptive protest at the West Potomac High School (HS) drama presentation of Kinky Boots  last Spring. At the Kinky Boots musical at West Potomac HS, members of their group sprinkled unknown substances near the brunch for the drag show attendees, and harassed and filmed people as they arrived at West Potomac. Sadly few people outside of the volunteers on the committee come to the FLECAC meetings. At this time, I’d like to cordially invite you to join us to witness the work of the FLECAC  on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 from 7-9pm at Gatehouse in the first floor cafe of Gatehouse at 8115 Gatehouse Rd, Falls Church, VA (please park in the parking garage). You will need to be a silent observer, but we need you to attend to support the committees’ work because typically the only attendees are those who wish to misrepresent our work to inflame culture wars in our county in order to pit Fairfax residents against each other. Help support the student and adult volunteers who are trying to bring sex education into the 21st century. Come bear silent witness to their work and to support them in the face of aggressive outsiders. Wear spirit or rainbow gear to show your support.

Yes, as are LGBTQIA Students and Fairfax Volunteers! Content Warning:  The blog below includes some hateful terms, phrases, and imagery. These were deemed necessary for context and to explain extremist beliefs that may be unknown or unclear to the reader.  Of course, 2025 began with fiery rhetoric and inaccurate blogs from hate groups about Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). I’m sure no one is surprised after the fabricated National Merit Certificate crisis of 2023  which cost over $1.6 million in outside legal fees, and annual election “October surprises” from the Daily Wire and Fairfax Times. However, this current campaign hits me personally, because hate groups and others are questioning the very existence of LGBTQIA kids, families, and staff while also targeting the safety of student, staff, and parent volunteers on Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee (FLECAC).  As a member of FLECAC, I don’t appreciate the threatening language used against my fellow committee members, much less name-calling and reputational harm of any of us. Similarly, as the co-leader of FCPS Pride (and an American!), I fundamentally believe in the importance of protecting civil rights, including those of LGBTQIA kids, families, and staff to have access to a respectful and safe educational experience.  I am dismayed by the angry rhetoric surrounding Mark Spooner’s 12/31/24 Fairfax County School Monitor (Monitor) blog , which was amplified by the Fairfax GOP and a SPLC-defined hate group , Parents Defending Education  ( PDE ). This amplification and assoc iated disinformation has inflamed the community, possibly endangering volun teers, while advocating to infringe on the civil rights of the LGBTQIA community in our public schools.  The related blogs and responsive comments misrepresent the work and efforts of FCPS while they also malign and endanger the volunteers of the FLE committee, including parents, students, educators, staff, and public health professionals. Responses to PDE’s links to Spooner’s blog likened the FLE committee to child abusers, groomers, molesters, and the “mentally ill” doing the devil’s work. Response to amplification of Mark Spooner's recent blog I will attempt to correct the record below while explaining some of the inaccuracies, anti-LGBTQIA dog whistles, and civil rights impact of Spooner’s blog. Summary of the Monitor Blog Unfortunately, this current disinformation campaign was triggered by the Monitor blog which focuses yet again on sex education, known as Family Life Education (FLE) in Fairfax County. The Monitor is a blog written by Spooner, a retired octogenarian lawyer, who has sued FCPS multiple times and actively works with the Fairfax GOP and local political and dark money groups . His blog is influenced by his conservative viewpoint, but also seems to display a lack of understanding of public schools and 21st century students and families. The Monitor has been reprinted by the Fairfax GOP over a dozen times, thus can be considered a political blog, particularly when it advocates against equity, LGBTQIA rights, FLE, inclusive education, teacher’s rights, etc. At first glance, Spooner’s blog , which was accompanied by a more detailed letter to the FLECAC, sounds somewhat reasonable: it uses calm, lawyerly language to describe policy differences and significant confusion about the FLE curriculum and FLECAC. Unfortunately, the blog assumed malevolent intent on behalf of the FLECAC, and Spooner did not verify such suppositions with unbiased parties, much less anyone on the FLECAC; therefore, his blog is fundamentally inaccurate and flawed.  Although Spooner avoids easily identifiable hate speech, the blog and associated letter are far from benign. They are filled with anti-LGBTQIA dog whistles, and the pejorative descriptive words applied to LGBTQIA children and our friends and family are appalling. His blog and letter also contradict the FLE goals to work toward a more inclusive FLE curriculum.  Fundamentally, his blog advocated for anyone who is NOT cisgender and heterosexual to just stay in the closet , as if LGBTQIA students lose their rights when they walk in the schoolhouse door. Thus, if one follows the logic and subtext of the Monitor blog and letter, trans, non-binary, gay, intersex, and queer people are too “controversial”, “non-conforming”, or “contradict basic science” and therefore should be excluded from the FLE curriculum and public school conversations. That would mean that the nearly 20% of high students who identify as LGBTQIA+ would have their civil rights trampled, and other students would remain in the dark about anyone other than cisgender, heterosexual people in FLE. Spooner touted “parental rights” as the reason for his suggested changes to the FLE curriculum, but he seemed to forget that: 1) parents of LGBTQIA students have rights, 2) all parents have rights, and 3) he is not a parent in our schools. Additionally, “parent’s rights” are currently observed and respected by the FCPS FLE program, since parents can opt their children out of any portion of the curriculum. Accuracy Matters It is true that Spooner has attended the meetings since October of this year; however, beyond that, there is little accuracy about the FLECAC and FLE curriculum in his blog. Specifically, Spooner hypothesizes the intent of FLECAC members individually and as a whole; however, it is unlikely that he can know the intent of any individual, much less over 20 adults and students who are active members of FLECAC. I have witnessed and been part of heated, but respectful, discussions in FLECAC, so I can tell you firsthand that the committee is not a monolith, and even I cannot divine the intent of individuals on the committee, outside of the common interest in supporting student health, safety, and education.  At an October FLECAC meeting, I was dismayed to see Spooner trying to photograph the sign-in sheet of the FLECAC members, despite our names being publicly available online . His actions made me feel intimidated, particularly since he would withdraw from this task each time I walked toward the table. Additionally, his behavior toward another spectator who witnessed him photographing the signature list was both defensive and aggressive. It was reported that he also used…shall we say…”caustic” language with this spectator. In his blog, Spooner spent significant time describing the December FLECAC draft document; however, he ignored or misunderstood critical facts: The second and third columns of the chart were not draft language, but current language that has been used for years (e.g., the existence of different types of families, including families that have same gender parents, single parents or guardians.) The information in the right two columns were strawman language, not proposed language; therefore, to call them “draft” language is quite a stretch. It was agreed that the FCPS team was going to revise the draft document for discussion at the January meeting. Thus, the December draft would be overwritten by a January draft, and likely a February draft. Spooner questioned the FLECAC’s vote to add “gender” to a different identities of students, which included “race, cultures and traditions, religion, and dis/ability.” Although there was a sound rationale for this addition by FLECAC, he did not seem to capture it, and he had great concerns about the additional language, although it seemed uncontroversial to me, since a person’s identity is reflected by their gender in addition to their racial, religious, or other identities. Whether one is a boy or a girl, one’s identity is driven by gender. This is evidenced by gendered clothing, gender roles, social expectations, work load, pay, and more. Whether a child identifies as cisgender (where gender assigned at birth matches their gender identity) or is transgender (where gender identity may not match their gender assigned at birth).  Throughout his blog and letter, Spooner asserted that FLE should teach students non-scientific terms and ideology which do not comply with the law, or FCPS regulations. In many cases, his suggestions for the FLE curriculum would fall under the purview of parents' rights, not public school curriculum. For example, Spooner objected to the inclusion of intersex in the curriculum. He defined intersex as a “non-hetero-practice” and a “nonconforming sexual relationship” when intersex is actually a status of being, not a practice. Being intersex means that a person has chromosomes, genitals, or reproductive organs that don’t “fit into a male/female binary.”  As the Cleveland Clinic notes, intersex traits  may be apparent at birth or later in life (e.g., puberty), and that being intersex should not be considered a “disorder, disease, or condition.”  As many as 2% of children born are intersex, which is approximately the same percentage as children who are redheads. If this percentage holds true for FCPS students, then as many as 3,600 students in FCPS may be intersex, which is not an insignificant number.  In truth, I know very little about intersex individuals (learn more here ), but as a mother of two redheads, I wouldn’t want my children to be excluded or maligned in a curriculum because they are “gingers.” Intersex children exist and they and their peers need scientifically accurate and inclusive FLE. Anti-LGBTQIA Dog-Whistles  It is impossible in this space to capture and explain all of the dog whistles in Spooner’s blog and letter, so I will focus on two terms he uses: “transgenderism” and “gender ideology.” First, Spooner falsely reported that the FLE committee “favor[ed] lessons on transgenderism in elementary grades.” What are “transgenderism” lessons? I have no idea, thus Spooner’s use of the term made little sense, until I did some research– GLAAD  says that this word “arises from anti-trans extremists who seek to delegitimize and dehumanize trans people by implying that being trans is an ideology rather than an identity.” Furthermore, even Christian groups have identified that "transgenderism" is " the word of choice in the culture wars today ," thus they recommend less combative and negative words if one wants to open up conversation. It was explained to me that using the word “transgenderism” (a.k.a., “trans ideology”) is an effort to deny the very existence of transgender people. Anti-trans extremists have repeated this hateful revisionist term, thus in conservative circles, it has become an accepted term and viewpoint despite the fact that it is both dehumanizing and inaccurate to deny the existence of a person due to their gender identity. Denying the existence of a person is a violation of their human and civil rights. This is not to say that Spooner is anti-trans; however, his usage of the word “transgenderism” seems to have been influenced by anti-trans extremist ideology and media. Second, Spooner uses the term “gender ideology” in the blog’s title, “FCPS Moves Closer to Gender Ideology Instruction in Elementary Schools.” Although he never defines what this means, the term “gender ideology” seems to have a clear meaning to the audience of the Monitor, Fairfax GOP, and PDE. His blog inflamed readers who likened “gender ideology” to a cult and advocated that parents should “rise up In large numbers and confront this radical gender ideology.” Because of their shared fear and anger about “gender ideology,” commenters described FLECAC members as groomers who are sexualizing and experimenting on children. None of these inflammatory comments made sense to me, but that was because I was unaware that the term “gender ideology” has been redefined  to be rooted in anti-LGBTQIA extremist conspiracy theories which the American Defamation League (ADL) says, "characterize attempts to achieve LGBTQ+ rights or representation as an extreme ideology or even part of a nefarious left-wing plot to dominate public institutions…." Furthermore, the ADL says that proponents of such rhetoric "often use it to oppose school curricula that feature and/or celebrate LGBTQ+ history or experiences, falsely claiming that such materials promote the sexualization of minors and/or coerce children into identifying as members of the LGBTQ+ community." See ADL's report tracking anti-Transgender rhetoric here . I do not know whether Spooner has fallen into the trap of misusing these definitions as outlined above; however, commenters on his and the associated blogs have clearly accepted such inaccurate, extremist, and dehumanizing use of the word “gender ideology.” Finally, Spooner calls the phrase “sex assigned at birth” radical, despite it being approved in 2018 for FCPS FLE . “Sex assigned at birth” is the accepted term by major medical groups like the American Association of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association, thus it is scientifically accurate. Nevertheless, the Monitor blog claims that “gender assigned at birth” is “highly controversial but scientifically wrong,” which is sadly incorrect. Human and Civil Rights Merely because there is controversy does not mean that schools or the state can ignore basic civil rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as detailed in the Declaration of Independence that inspired our representative democracy. Spooner’s assertion that “transgenderism is one of the most controversial issues in today’s society” sounds eerily similar to rhetoric used to over history to prevent certain demographic groups from having rights in American society including women in the workplace, Black students in public schools, and all having rights to interracial or gay marriage.  Civil rights should always trump controversy, and in fact many of our most esteemed civil rights have been born of controversy. For example, in the 1960s integration and voting rights were some of the “most controversial issues;” however, the Supreme Court and civil rights laws supported the rights of Black citizens to vote, be educated, have access to housing, and exist without Jim Crow.  Similarly, Virginia has laws that govern the rights of transgender individuals, as does the United States, all of which confirm the rights of transgender individuals to exist, including to be employed , attend school , and have equal access to medical treatment . Thus FCPS Regulation 3280.4  applies to differences of opinion and seems more applicable to civics lessons than lessons on biology, despite Spooner’s assertions.  Final Thoughts I respect Spooner’s interest in attending the meetings and sharing information. I wish more community members attended in good faith to understand the role and actions of FLECAC. However, I do not appreciate fear-mongering and disinformation associated with a campaign against the FLE committee and FCPS students, staff, and families. No volunteer deserves to be targeted or to feel unsafe. Additionally, it was out of line for Spooner to directly contact anyone other than the FCPS liaison for the committee–sending letters to volunteers’ work or home addresses is unconscionable and intimidating.  Spooner’s blog and letter display confusion about FLECAC’s role in the FLE curriculum. FLECAC’s role is to “ provide advice and recommendations  to the curriculum coordinator as objectives and descriptive statements are developed and basal materials are considered for use in instruction ( FCPS Regulation 1708 ).” Thus Spooner’s argument that descriptors should be “more specific” and less “vanilla” countered the goals of FLECAC. Curriculum development is conducted by trained educators and health professionals, not FLECAC–see the curriculum development process to learn more–therefore, it is nonsensical that he would expect specificity from the descriptive statements produced by FLECAC.  I am confused why Mr. Spooner is so involved in this subject and has spent significant time and energy writing blogs about the FLECAC, FCPS Pride, and “transgender issues” (his term) despite having no children in FCPS, little knowledge of 21st Century sex education curricula, and no training in this arena.  Spooner has sued FCPS five times, and one of his lawsuits cost $266,270 in outside legal fees , which means that significant time and money was spent by our school system to address his seemingly politically motivated lawsuits. Are his blogs another burden on FCPS to pursue a political agenda? Of course, he has the right to free speech and action, even if it comes at a financial burden to our school system, but his motivation in this arena of sex education is concerning since his blogs involve anti-science, anti-safety, and anti-LGBTQIA themes and suggestions. Also, how much time do his inquiries, blogs, advocacy, and lawsuits take away from the education of our school children?  What is truly concerning is that a political party and an extremist group amplified his Monitor blog, despite it containing a wealth of flaws. I’ve been watching the interplay of extremist political forces for the last four years, and I can tell you that an inaccurate, biased blog about a minor school system committee changing one word (i.e., adding “gender”) doesn’t “accidently” get amplified by multiple venues outside of a person’s personal vanity project. That doesn't “just happen.” However, repetition is key to any successful disinformation campaign . Even the timing is suspect: Mr. Spooner published his blog on 12/31/24, Fairfax GOP published his blog on 1/1/25, Erika Sanzi of PDE published a version on 1/2/25 , and the Federalist published a blog on the “radical trans activism” of FLECAC on 1/2/25. I don’t know about you, but I was celebrating the holidays with friends and family during that same time period. It is obvious that there is interplay among the parties involved and intent beyond the words of the blog. Spooner has frequently partnered with Stephanie Lundquist-Arora , whose 1/2/25 Federalist editorial described the FLECAC volunteers as “extremists” with seemingly the “sole intent of indoctrinating our young children in transgender ideology.” Lundquist-Arora has also referred to these tireless FCPS volunteers as “leftists” who are trying to groom students, and she has called those who rally for LGBTQIA civil rights a “ trans cult  made up of mostly bored white women.” Lundquist-Arora is also the Chapter Chair of Independent Women’s (IWN) Network, and has written numerous anti-trans editorials and also sued FCPS multiple times , including a current suit against transgender student rights. Her group and its sister group, Independent Women’s Forum  (IWF, an anti-feminist group that partners with hate groups ), have long pursued anti-LGBTQIA legislation and advocacy, using dangerous stereotypes and tropes to categorize transgender children. IWF and Lundquist-Arora frequently partner with Fairfax GOP and PDE . Efforts have been made by Mr. Spooner, Fairfax GOP, PDE, and Lundquist-Arora to inflame people to “make their voices heard;” even though the public is not permitted to speak during FLECAC meetings, just observe. Based on the responses to his blog and letter, one might be concerned that their invitees will have trouble maintaining control during the meeting. Unfortunately, students, parents, staff, and health professionals are caught in the crossfire as the FLE curriculum and the existence of LGBTQIA kids are used for political gain . No one in our community should be forced to go back in the closet, or excluded from public schools. Whether intentionally or not, Spooner’s blog has fanned the flames of hate and disinformation in Fairfax County. As a result, I and others are being threatened online by extremists, and possibly neighbors, some of whom have said that the FLECAC volunteers belong in prison. Those of us who volunteer to do unpaid labor for our school system deserve to feel safe. There can be differences of opinion, but it is unnecessary to demonize those of us who give up our time with our friends and family to try to make our schools inclusive, supportive, and respectful spa ces for all to work and learn. If you would like to learn more, please consider attending a FLECAC meeting, which occur on the second Wednesday of the month from 7-9pm in the Gatehouse Administration Center Cafeteria. The next meetings are on 2/12/25, 3/12/25, 4/9/25. Please see the FCPS FLE Program  if you have questions about its content. Note: There is a rebuttal by the Monitor to this blog. Unfortunately, there are claims and accusations in the Monitor blog that are incorrect and/or continue to use anti-LGBTQIA dog whistles. I will not take the time to address them at this time; however, I strongly suggest that a closer reading of this 4PE blog may clear up some confusion. For example: Describing language as transphobic is not the same as calling a person transphobic. Similarly, an ad hominem attack is an argument or reaction directed against a person rather than the position they are maintaining. By addressing words and behavior, this blog is not an ad hominem attack. No one accused Spooner of using "angry rhetoric;" however, there is clearly angry rhetoric "surrounding his blog" which includes responses to his blog and responses to amplification of his blog. Accuracy matters.

We the People Black History is American History As Black History Month comes to a close and Women's History month is about to begin, we must fiercely defend our rights to celebrate both, particularly when the Trump Administration is busily eliminating both from federal databases, jobs, and websites. Twentieth century historians typically ignored or misattributed contributions of Black people and/or women, which is why acknowledging, celebrating, and retelling their stories is important. In fact, the founder of Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson, had a life-long passion for history, because he knew that we needed to truly understand our history to move toward a greater future. I saw this first hand at the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) first annual Black History celebration at Carter G. Woodson High School last week where FCPS staff, students, and families came together to break bread, "Lift Every Voice," and revisit stories of Black education in Fairfax. Likely, the event inspired the crowd to keep the light of truth alive in these dark and dangerous times. Frankly, it is hard not be inspired by the stories of Black Fairfax families who took personal ownership of their children's educational future, despite anti-Black violence when the school system abdicated their financial and moral responsibilities. Black families did this by: Fundraising for teachers, schools, supplies, and books. Consistently fighting for educational rights locally and on the national stage. Persistently entering spaces where they were unwelcome and often threatened by white leaders, parents, students, and outside agitators. Pursuing their legal rights through the courts. Volunteering time and funds to teach, feed, and support students and educators. The Rosenwald Schools built in Fairfax County have been replaced by housing, but they were critical to providing safe, secure, clean, welcoming spaces for Black students to learn when Fairfax County spent pennies on the dollar for their education. Renowned leader of the Tuskegee Institute Booker T. Washington collaborated with Julius Rosenwald (philanthropist President of Sears) and inspired Rosenwald to create the Rosenwald Foundation which helped fund the construction of over 5,000 schools for Black students across the South. Despite these efforts, many Black children were under-educated or not educated at all. At this time, the right to celebrate is under fire. The Trump Administration has banned affinity groups and monthly celebrations in the federal government, while they have aggressively sought to erase both Black people and women from jobs, descriptive statements, and search engines. One would have to be blind to miss the danger to us all if they succeed, because the next step will be to rewire history books so that the contributions of Black people and women will be once again be eliminated from history curricula. I cannot emphasize enough that schools across the nation should integrate Black, Asian, Hispanic, and queer history throughout history books and curricula to eliminate the need single weeks or months throughout the year to highlight important events, contributions, and history associated with often overlooked Americans. However, until that happens, we need to raise up cultural and historical contributions from all of our great Americans and American immigrants to this nation. There are those who mistakenly believe that teaching Black History is "divisive" and there are those who are dissatisfied with a diverse, inclusive future this nation has been pursuing for decades. Thus, we need to fiercely defend our successes and stridently work for future change. In the words of Wendi Manuel-Scott, professor of integrative studies and history at George Mason University, who was a keynote speaker at the Woodson Black History celebration: [Carter G.] Woodson knew teaching was a radical act. Read books that challenge you. Expand your mind and generate questions. I hope that Woodson's legacy inspires you to never stop asking questions. Your power is in your curiosity. If we all recognize how radical it is to have access to quality education, then maybe we will be able to defend its existence. Vanessa Hall is one of many local citizens in Fairfax County who successfully advocated to change the name of her children’s high school from W.T. Woodson to Carter G. Woodson. You can learn more about this in A Tale of Two Woodsons. To learn more about Carter G. Woodson and Virginia history, read Black History, Our History. A musical ensemble performs "Lift Every Voice" (credit: FCPS)

This weekend, OPM sent an email to millions of federal employees demanding they describe what they did the previous week in five bullet points. Per Elon Musk, failure to respond would be considered a “resignation.” From new hires (if there are any left after the “DEI” and Valentine’s Day firings) to 30 year civil servants, each federal employee received the following email which created concern, confusion, and chaos after different departments refused to comply, citing concerns about security and usefulness of the exercise. Of course Musk’s memes didn’t help things. Nor did his revelation that this exercise was merely to determine if employees had a pulse , and all responses will be run through an AI system. This begs the question: what efficiencies are gained by this exercise? How does this make the federal government more effective? The BS of the 5 Bullet Points This chaotic request in the federal government made a number of people think about their own jobs. Many, like Michelle Singletary  reported five things they did to deal with Elon’s offensive request, including talking to federal workers anxious about their future, and interviewing a psychologist to help workers cope. Others, like the American Federation of Government Employees  did just one thing: file a lawsuit against the OPM request for “violating procedural requirements.” What would normal people do if others demanded that they write five bullet points to completely encapsulate what they do in a week? It is a disrespectful demand that only an unserious person would make of a civil servant who has managers, receives 360 reviews, and reports to their agency administrator. To highlight how disrespectful the request was, some chose to send in humorous bullet points. Wonder who will read those? Many people thought deeply about how hard they are holding it together in the deep chaos of the first six weeks of the new national administration which has been hallmarked by mass firings, mass deportations, threats to the existence of trans people, the targeting of school systems for “DEI” and “gender identity” infractions against Trump’s EOs, the appointment of unqualified agency leads, diplomatic hostility to allies, renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, and removing legitimate news organizations  from the White House press corps for refusing to use the Gulf of Mexico’s new name.  Teaching Cannot be Summarized in Five Bullet Points Of course, there is no way to narrow down all that teachers do in a week to a mere five bullet points, because everything they do goes far beyond the lesson plans  whether it is ensuring that diverse students are included in the learning community or just by showing up after catching a cold from a kindergartner. A local high school teacher shared this list of a week in the trenches as a high school educator in Fairfax County: Emotional Labor: Teachers navigate the complex emotional landscapes of 100+ teenagers, acting as a counselor, mediator, and sometimes, surrogate parent, all while trying to maintain a semblance of professional detachment. The constant exposure to their anxieties, their traumas, and their frustrations takes a heavy toll on teachers’ own emotional wellbeing.  Paperwork Mountain: There is no such thing as regular or business hours. Teachers can be found grading stacks of essays and assignments, often late into the night, while simultaneously documenting student progress, writing IEPs, and responding to endless parent emails. The feeling of never being caught up is a constant, suffocating weight. Resource Scarcity:  Teachers are constantly scrambling to find adequate resources for their students, often spending personal funds on classroom supplies, because budgets are stretched so thin. The frustration of trying to provide quality education with limited materials is a daily battle. Disciplinary Minefield:  Every day, teachers find themselves dealing with behavioral issues that range from mild disruptions to serious incidents, often with minimal administrative support. The fear of potential violence or escalating conflicts is a constant undercurrent. The Weight of Potential:  Teachers carry the immense responsibility of helping to shape young lives, knowing that a student’s future trajectory can be significantly influenced by a teacher’s action. The pressure to provide students with the tools they need, despite systemic obstacles, is crushing. Teachers have been hardest hit in the last five years of pandemic, remote and hybrid teaching, book bans, doxxing, and fear of reprisal by bad faith actors or their own administration. Despite efforts by many school districts to increase pay and support for teachers and staff, all public educators are re-evaluating what they do on a daily basis to hold it together while still teaching, supporting, and protecting students from the political chaos.  Not only that, but education staff have always been the first required to “tighten their belts” in crises and the last to be compensated when financial crises are over. So what will happen under the current administration when the President has: pledged to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, accused teachers of indoctrinating students, and promised to remove federal funding from public school districts? Federal funding can be anywhere from 1-26% of a school’s budget, and it is intended to support the students who need it most by covering food, health care, disability services, and English language instruction, so removing federal funding may be catastrophic. Use Your Voice to Get Teachers Out of the Trenches It is the responsibility of superintendents, administrators, families, and communities to think deeply about how teachers can teach when they must be more than merely a teacher in the classroom and their school community. Education staff are social workers, supplemental nutritionists, nurses, guidance counselors, protectors, and, in some cases, human shields. No staff person should expect to dodge bullets as part of their job. Yet, school staff are expected to be that–many have difficult conversations with their families “just in case” the worst happens at their school. You can help get teachers out of the trenches and onto the fields of education, which means:  Paying them for their education, experience, and work. Providing sufficient support services for students and families who need it, so that their basic needs (shelter, nutrition, health, and security) are met before a student enters the classroom. Education gaps will persist unless all students start school healthy, safe, and fed. Respecting their time , effort, and education by supporting and protecting them, instead of targeting and harassing them. Recognizing their work –their life’s calling–as one of the most important jobs since they educate and mold the electricians, nurses, mechanics, lawyers, artists, and teachers of our future. Telling our federal, state, and local funding sources to fully fund education as if our life depends on it, because one day, it may. Your voice matters, even if current national and state administrations refuse to listen to reason (and they have eliminated contact information on their websites). So, contact the Virginia’s Governor, Virginia's Education Secretary, and your state and federal representatives now to demand they fund and support our public schools. Use these links for their emails. Glenn Youngkin, Governor of Virginia at glenn.youngkin@governor.virginia.gov , submit a comment via their web form or call his office at 804-786-2211. Aimee Guidera, Secretary of Education VDOE has no email listed, so contact her Executive Assistant at: Tammy.babbs@governor.virginia.gov or call her office at (804) 786-1151. Senators and Congressmen: Find contact emails and phone numbers for your federal representatives here . Virginia Representatives: Find contact emails and phone numbers for your state legislators here .

The 2025 General Assembly Session ended on February 22. Sadly, bills that called for improved funding for public education were defeated in the legislature. This was even after the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) recommended there be substantial increases in funding for Virginia’s public schools as these school systems are seriously underfunded. All six of 4 Public Education’s priority bills failed, as have some other bills that 4 Public Education supported. Those include a proposal to provide free breakfast and lunch for all public school students and a proposal to allocate additional state funding for English learners. Although it is disappointing that these bills did not pass this session, it is likely that they will be considered again in future years and many of those issues are being addressed further in the state’s budget. The House and Senate money committees resolved differences between the amended budget bills of the two chambers on February 18 and the conferees published a Joint Conference Committee report on February 20. A comparison of the Conference Budget and the Governor's Budget can be viewed at this link. On February 22 there was overwhelming bipartisan support for the Conference budget when it came to a vote in the General Assembly (81-18 in the House and 27-3 in the Senate). Since then the conference budget has been delivered to the Governor. With that overwhelming bipartisan support in the General Assembly there is hope that appropriate funding for public education will come through in this year’s final budget. In fact Ashley Kenneth, President and CEO of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis (TCI) reported that: The proposed budget continues recent historic investments made by state lawmakers in public education. After over 15 years, lawmakers have proposed significant funding to finally lift the arbitrary cap on state funding for student support positions, which covers the state share of the cost of an additional 4,725 support staff to help students succeed in the classroom (numbers for each school division are available here). Additionally, the conference report includes an additional $52.8 million in flexible funds for localities to be able to better support students with disabilities by paying for critical supports like learning aids and assistive technology. There are several major differences between the Governor’s and the Conference Budget. Governor Youngkin called for $50M for school vouchers for private schools, or $5K per student, but the Conference budget does not support any funding for school vouchers. Similarly, the Governor proposed $25M for lab schools and the conference budget called for no funding for that purpose. Also, the Governor’s budget did not consider lifting the support cap but the Conference Budget includes the funding needed to lift that cap. 4 Public Education agrees with the Conference Budget and finds the Governor’s Budget undermines public education by taking funding away from teachers and students. Now Governor Youngkin may sign the bill, veto the entire bill, veto certain line items, or recommend amendments to the bill. If the Governor vetoes any part of the bill, or if he recommends amendments, the bill will go back to the General Assembly in the spring during a reconvened session for that body to act on the Governor's proposed amendments. We don’t yet know the outcome of the state budget negotiations, and there is additional uncertainty in Virginia’s education budget due to the current assault on the US Department of Education (ED). Only about 14% of public school funds come from the ED to the states, but the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) appears to be crippling the agency’s ability to provide education services needed by the states. The ED is being stripped of staff, contracts, and grants, all of which are being terminated without apparent pre-planning or logic, leaving the agency in chaos and unable to fulfill its responsibilities. One of the necessary services in jeopardy is the measurement of student achievement across the nation using the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), known as the Nation’s Report Card. Because NAEP relies on grants and programs that are being eliminated by DOGE, it will be difficult for the federal government to administer the NAEP and monitor performance of schools in each state. This is particularly ironic in light of Virginia’s recent NAEP scores. The latest report showed that Virginia is last in the entire nation on math recovery. It is now up to Governor Youngkin to make the correct choice on funding our public schools. Will he choose to defund our public school students despite public outcry?

February 4th was Crossover, which is the last day for each chamber to act on its own bills. After that date, all bills that passed in each chamber crossed over to the other chamber for consideration. By February 6th proposed amendments to the existing budget by the Governor and the money committees of both chambers were published online. February 20th is the last day legislators can act on bills and appoint conferees, and February 22nd is the day this legislative session adjourns. Currently budget negotiations are underway. Status of 4PE’s Priority Education Bills on February 13, 2025 Of our six priority bills, only two crossed over to the other chamber and of those two, only one is still being considered in the General Assembly. HB 2196 – would provide funding for a Restorative Schools program. It is being considered in the Senate Finance and Appropriations committee. Please answer this new call to action for the Senate committee. The priority bills that are no longer under consideration by the General Assembly are: HB1954 – crossed over to the Senate but was passed by indefinitely in the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. HB2118 – was left in the House Education Committee. SB977 – was left in the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee SB979 – was defeated in the Senate SB1262 – was left in Finance and Appropriations committee Budget Amendments Amendments are being made to the current budget proposed by the Governor and the House and Senate money committees. Although many of the education bills are being defeated in the legislative chambers, some important education issues still are being addressed in Virginia’s Budget. Amendments to the current budget are proposed by the Governor and the House and Senate money committees and are provided on page 3 at this link. The proposed amendments for priority issues and the amendments preferred by 4 Public Education are provided below. Support Cap In 2009, during the Great Recession, Virginia lawmakers capped (limited) the amount of state funds that could be spent on support staff. This cap has not changed in subsequent years and with inflation this has resulted in a declining number of support staff positions. Currently Virginia funds less than 40% of its support positions, requiring local governments to make up the difference. As a result, the cap has drained resources from critical roles like clerical, maintenance, and instructional support. The cap on support staff is still in effect in the education budget.The proposed budget amendments for the support cap are: Governor: No change House: $222.9 M increase Senate: $222.9M increase 4 Public Education: Supports the House and Senate proposed amendments to lift the support cap. Funding Formula for Public Schools The Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission (JLARC) reported that Virginia’s funding formula is flawed and should be revised to where it would provide 66 percent to 93 percent more funding to public schools than at present. The proposed budget amendments for correcting the flawed funding formula are: Governor’s: no change but “allocates $1M from the Transformation Office to build an interactive model” for the funding formula. House: $1M increase to revise the funding formula Senate $1M increase to revise the funding formula 4 Public Education: Supports the monetary number and prompt action on the funding formula, but prefers a process that protects the needs of distinct stakeholders rather than the goals of the Transformation Office. School Vouchers School vouchers divert public funds to private schools. Problems with school vouchers are discussed at this link. Governor: $50M, redirected from public school funding to private schools. House: $0 Senate: $0 4 Public Education: Prefers the House and Senate proposed amendments because public funds should remain in public schools. College Partnership Lab Schools Governor: $25M House: $0 Senate $0 4 Public Education: Prefers the House and Senate amendments. The recently established Lab Schools tend to be management top-heavy with few new dollars reaching classrooms. They also undermine ongoing advanced programs such as Dual Enrollment, IB, and AP. Though the Governor maintains these dollars are available for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), HBCUs were eligible for the earlier grants but chose not to apply. At this time, none of the current Lab Schools have established track records to confirm they are effective, so the promise that they will be self-sufficient in the future appears unlikely. Community Schools Governor: $0 House: $2.5M Senate $1M 4 Public Education: Prefers the House amendment because it calls for greater funding for community schools. These schools create opportunities, empower communities, provide wrap-around services, and meet students where they are in their communities. School Construction Governor $140M from the School Construction Fund & $150 m from the Literary Fund for competitive grants. House: $150M from the School Construction Fund for competitive grants. Senate: $140M from School Construction. Fund and also allows all localities to hold referendums for 1% local sales tax. 4 Public Education: Prefers the Senate amendment that authorizes localities to hold a referendum for 1% local sales tax for public education. Bonuses for Teachers and Support Staff Governor: $0m House : $1K per position to be provided in September Senate: $1K per position to be provided in June 4 Public Education: Prefers salary increases instead of bonuses. Bonuses do not contribute to employees base pay for ongoing cost of living or retirement basis. Virginia employees are underpaid and need actual raises that accrue over time, rather than temporary band aids like bonuses. Students with Disabilities Governor: $0 House : $52.8M Senate: $52.8M 4 Public Education: Prefers the House and Senate versions because there is a need for additional funding for students with disabilities. Funds for “Off-track” & “Needs Intensive Support” Schools Governor: $51.3M House: $0 Senate: $0, and implementation of the Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE) new accountability plan should be delayed. 4 Public Education: Prefers the Senate amendment because the Governor’s amendment calls for implementing and responding to results of the new VDOE accountability framework the 2025-2026 school year. It is critical that implementation of the accountability framework be delayed until the many identified problems are resolved. There is an opportunity for the public to make comments on the Governor’s, House, and Senate proposed amendments at this link. Please consider making your voice heard.

Thursday Feb. 13, 2025 at 10 am Linda McMahon will testify at her Senate confirmation hearing When I googled Linda McMahon for her experience and quotes on education for this blog, no quotes came up. Nada. Nothing. I found lots of scrubbed and buffed articles from assorted anti-public schools outlets popped on the screen, but no policy statements, no sound bites, no “running for office” quotes from Linda herself. It seems at least for the broad public, Linda is letting the favorable algorithms of the five tech guys who had Trump’s back at the inauguration and the anti-public schools lobby do confirmation hearing public relations for her. There are some things we do know about Linda though: Fake: She got her business experience managing a company that specializes in fake competitions, WWE, which is best known for fooling gullible people, and entertaining those who enjoy staged violence and fabricated conflicts. Linda also managed WWE through multiple steroid scandals and avoided basic accounting systems like withholding social security and taxes for WWE’s employees. Questionable Parenting: Linda’s examples of parenting involve publicly staged foul mouthed arguments with her daughter in which they took turns calling each other names and smacking each other around. Poor Track Record on Sexual Predators: She seems unconcerned with protecting youth from sexual predators, as at least 5 adolescent boys who worked for her sued her, accusing her of looking the other way as her manager sexually abused them. Public School Privatizer: Similar to prior Trump Secretary of Ed Betsy DeVos, Linda avidly supports school privatization, has her own private jet, and has a yacht she named “Sexy Bitch.” No Experience: She has no experience in education–other than some board appointments in Connecticut where she was caught lying on her resume saying she had a bachelor's degree in education. Although, she did give a building to private Sacred Heart University and was named to their board. Let’s be pragmatic: despite a lack of qualifications, Linda McMahon will be confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Education (ED) this week. The Democratic Committee members have offered little more than tepid resistance to most of Trump’s abysmally unqualified and unfit cabinet nominees this time around. Her confirmation will be even easier than many of the others no matter how offensive her nomination is to educators, parents, and students. Afterall, she has already served at the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term. For decades, philanthropists have spent hundreds of millions a year pushing the public and policy makers to adopt school privatization yet, according to 33rd Square: “Over the past 10 years, public school enrollment has increased 15% from 50 million to 57.8 million students nationally. Private school enrollment grew 7% in that same period from 5.9 million to 6.3 million students.” At the same time, according to the 74million, charter schools grew by 9% between 2019-23. So after at least 30 years of hundreds of millions annually spent by anti-public schools philanthropists to convince the American public to go charter or private school, enrollment in public schools is still outpacing private and charter growth. More people, not fewer, are choosing public schools. The privatization lobby is using Trump and his allies as a last ditch effort to break the public schools. All the current threats of the last 24 days are an attempt to force Americans to abandon their neighborhood schools whether they want it or not: Linda McMahon as the nominee for Secretary of ED, Elon Musk’s muskrats invading the ED building and its computers, Donald Trump’s freezing of funds, and ordering contracts cancelled, and Deeply buried funding and authorization for federal vouchers in the reconciliation bill. Nevertheless, the American people have chosen their local public schools. Maybe the Senate and the House should follow their constituents’ lead, and choose the public schools which have delivered longer lifespans, higher productivity, expansive creativity and innovation, and world leadership, rather than listening to large donor class demands.