In a surprising reversal, the Virginia High School League (VHSL), announced on Monday, February 8th that it was capitulating to Trump’s Executive Order (EO) and will now exclude transgender students from women’s high school sports teams. Only days earlier , they had reaffirmed their long-standing policy permitting transgender athletes to play sports according to their gender identity.  This change comes as a blow to athletes, coaches, and families across the state, particularly after the VHSL held firm to their 2014 trans inclusive policy in the face of Governor Youngkin’s 2023 exclusionary “Model Policies” that effectively attempted to eliminate transgender and nonbinary students from sports and public education in the state. There are over 177,000 students across Virginia that participate in sports and academic extracurriculars governed by VHSL policies. Yet only “five students applied during the 2024-2025 school year for waivers to play on teams that did not match their sex assigned at birth.” It is unknown how many other transgender or nonbinary athletes may be participating in VHSL sports, but this ban will cause immense harm to them, their families, and their school communities. Despite a lack of evidence of harm and a miniscule number of trans athletes, VHSL decided to exclude trans athletes from participating in VHSL-run activities. Of course, now transgender and nonbinary students will think twice about participating in any VHSL-run activities, knowing that VHSL not only does not support them, but will gladly exclude them when things get tough. Of course, the harm caused by this exclusive policy does not end there. Girls’ sports have already been hyper-scrutinized by anti-trans groups and individuals. In some cases, girls have been harassed and even threatened because they did not comply with narrow gender stereotypes of what a “girl looks like.”  Such an exclusionary policy empowers people (a.k.a. “trans-inspectors") to dispute the gender of an athlete, which is concerning when female athletes are often more muscular and may be less traditionally feminine than their counterparts, particularly when they are competing. A sweaty girl with a hockey stick in her hand may be targeted by trans-inspectors because they think she looks “more masculine” than what they consider acceptable, no matter her gender identity.  The National Women’s Law Center  argues that the President’s EO “reinforces sexism and abuse in sports.” They say that: Sports bans are a gateway into policing how we all look and act. Enforcement of these bans threatens to sweep up any girl or woman athlete who is perceived as “too masculine” or “too good” at their sport to be a “real” woman or girl, leading to invasive questioning and medical testing to verify their gender, harassment, and violence. This has already happened across the country. Last fall, a Utah state board of education member made a “social media post  [that] implied that a basketball player was transgender, leading to such intense harassment that the district sought police protection for the child.” All because the girl wore baggy clothing and wore her hair short. The VHSL’s policy change increases threats to all students, especially those whose gender expression may be less comprehensible to adults whose expectations for gender expression may be more parochial or dated. In particular, this impacts students who are LGBTQIA+ and/or non-white. Only last summer, Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer, was subjected to slurs and harassment  due to her gender presentation as a muscular athlete. Girls who are perceived as “too masculine” have been subjected to criticism and sometimes threats. Girl athletes have always had to walk a tightrope of admiration and disapproval, but now there will be an extra element of suspicion and violence, since the very nature of girl athletes often defies gender stereotypes. Please consider signing the petition  now to ask the VHSL to affirm and strengthen policies that promote inclusivity, ensuring that all students, regardless of identity, have equal access to participate in high school athletics. CLICK here to Sign the VHSL

Note: This was originally printed as an OpEd in Dogwood. Please click here to view. We were warned by Project 2025 that there were plans to drastically cut or terminate the U.S. Department of Education (ED). As of February 7, 2025, the President is reportedly drafting his Executive Order to dismantle the ED and is seeking coordination with Congress in order to make the closure a reality. Now there is a bill in Congress to terminate the ED, and the ED is being threatened with a hostile takeover. More than ever we must recognize and protect the ED based on the value it brings to our nation. The alternative is to let federal funds that are appropriated for public education “be block granted to states without strings.” The federal government makes a relatively small monetary contribution to the public education budget for states (about 13.6%), but the ED plays a critical role in providing education support, expertise, and oversight to each state. Most of the funding for public education comes from state and local budgets, which is why currently there is such inequity among public school systems across the country. The ED is highly valued by most Americans, as was shown in a recent poll. Education is one of the public policy issues that the “public says the government is spending too little on.” Many of the programs administered by the ED are not only highly popular, but implement specific laws Congress has mandated, so to date there has been little support for dismantling the department and terminating existing education programs. Roles of the ED include administration of special education programs and those for underserved students and communities. Among the programs slated for termination are: Title 1, which is the largest source of federal funding for public schools, and provides money for states to distribute to schools with the lowest income families and thus the highest need. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which ensures that children with learning and physical disabilities receive an education. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which dictates that states provide every child with a quality education as a right. Title 1 of the ESSA supplements state and local funding in school districts with high concentrations of underserved families with children in K-12 public schools, including families with low-income backgrounds, English Language Learners, and other traditionally underserved populations. There are significant disparities in funding and education resources among school districts with high-poverty schools receiving less total funding even with the federal contribution. This is even while children living in poverty tend to have greater educational needs. Evidence shows that school funding matters for student outcomes. Without the more equitable distribution of resources provided through Title I, systematic disadvantages will increase for low-income families. Although educators recognize that aspects of this Act’s accountability measures need updating, this information is necessary for effective policy development and targeting of funds to low income schools and communities Students with disabilities and learning challenges are particularly vulnerable to reductions in education funding. The ED provides expertise, resources, and oversight for implementation of laws such as the IDEA that serves these students. Every student has the right to a free and quality education and the ED provides the individual support necessary for any student with a disability. The ED guides the creation of individualized education plans (IDP) and administers these plans for the many and complex learning needs of students with disabilities and learning challenges. It is unlikely that this expertise and support can be provided at the local level for many if any states. Another important role of the ED is protection of students’ civil rights. Currently, public school systems are responsible for operating safe and welcoming environments for all students. The ED holds schools accountable when students’ civil rights are violated. Project 2025 calls for reducing these protections for students and also calls for narrowing or eliminating aid programs. In addition to closure of the ED itself, the administration is proposing that public school funds be mandated in every state to be directed to private schools. The proposal to redirect public school funds to private schools via education scholarships or vouchers is unworkable because all students have a right to an education but private schools are not required to admit students with disabilities, or any other student they don’t want to educate. Public schools may not discriminate. If funds allocated for public education go to private school scholarships, underfunded public schools will be left to educate students who are not accepted by private schools. Furthermore, school scholarships generally will not cover all of private school tuition, so only wealthy families will be able to use the scholarships. Meanwhile it is unlikely that adequate resources and expertise will be available in the schools that become underfunded due to the redirection of federal funds. Note: this can be a dire consequence in rural areas because private schools are not required to provide transportation to students. It is not just K-12 public schools that are potentially at risk with proposed changes to the ED. Students in higher education also are vulnerable. Because the ED manages the student debt portfolio, millions of students would not be able to borrow money to go to college or would be forced to take on private loans with higher interest rates and more onerous repayment plans. Oversight by the ED provides consumer protection for all borrowers. Eliminating this support and oversight could cause disastrous results for college students and their families. In addition to helping financially, the ED administers other programs that help students finish college. These include providing aid and technical assistance to minority and traditionally underserved students and under-resourced institutions. Termination or severe cutbacks of the ED could cause students to accrue even more debt and have more difficulty repaying their loans. Minority-serving and under-resourced institutions could be seriously affected and their ability to provide a quality education to their students could be jeopardized. Previous attempts to terminate the ED have failed – once under President Reagan and again during President Trump’s first administration. With the current conservative trifecta in the federal government there is a greater chance of attacks on the ED being successful. All who recognize the importance and value of education must be ready to push back against the proposal for its termination. Please consider calling your Representative and two senators and tell their legislative assistants that you object to the dismantling of the Department of Education. Here is a link to where you can find their contact information.

My daughter was physically ill on Tuesday after she witnessed Nazi salutes on the inaugural stage, and executive orders signed to create chaos and harm, and upend the rule of law.  We are in unprecedented times where violent criminals are pardoned, kindness is out of fashion, and the Constitution is undermined with the swipe of the Presidential pen. Where science and truth are rewritten by ideologues, and ICE is unleashed on schools, hospitals, and places of worship, terrifying entire communities. Civil rights and public education are under attack.  Nevertheless, we must do the work. Educator and former Congresswoman Katie Porter says not to let the chaos and fear distract us. Instead, we must: Stay focused on the real people harmed by these policies and work to mitigate that harm.  Stand up to bullying --Be an upstander, not a bystander.  Work cooperatively as possible, but NEVER compromise values, or civil rights . Speak truth to power.   FCPS must continue to offer safe, meaningful educational space for students, staff, and families by prioritizing kindness and patience, offering mental health support, and maintaining the Trust policy which protects immigrant students and Regulation 2603 which protects transgender students. You are the first line of defense for staff–protect them and provide resources, support, and pay they need to do their best by their students. No matter what happens at the federal level, you  were elected to do the work here, and you are empowered by the Virginia Constitution to support, protect, and educate our children regardless of race, religion, immigration status, disability, gender, or gender identity in FCPS. Our world is being turned upside down, which is why we all must do the work  of ensuring safety, equity, exc ellence, and opportunity in FCPS and beyond. Vanessa Hall gave this speech in front of the FCPS School Board on January 23, 2025, which can be viewed here .

Haga clic en la foto para la traducción al español Threats of Deportation Harm Education of K-12 Students As if K-12 students didn’t have enough to worry about, now, some face the threat of forced deportation of themselves, their parents, and/or their friends. The president elect’s promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants has unnerved immigrant students, their parents, and their communities. His threat to end birthright citizenship adds an additional layer of cruelty to his mass deportation plans. According to the American Immigration Council, forced deportation or even the threat of deportation has “significant physical, emotional, developmental, and economic repercussions for millions of children across the country. Deportations of parents and other family members have serious consequences that affect children—including U.S.-citizen children—and extend to entire communities and the country as a whole.” Threats of mass deportation inhibit "people’s ability to function in society and for their kids to get an education” said Hiroshi Motomura, a professor at UCLA School of Law. An estimated six million minor children share a home with an undocumented family member, who is often a parent. Pew Research estimates that 9 million people are “mixed status families” which include at least one “unauthorized adult” and at least one child born in the United States. If children of undocumented residents are U.S. citizens, then what happens to them if their parents or guardians are deported? Reuniting families may take years, particularly after an ill-defined mass deportation plan as has happened in this country previously. A heartless solution to that problem was offered by Tom Homan, President Elect Trump’s nominee for Border Czar and formerly the head of the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). When asked "Is there a way to carry out mass deportation without separating families?" he answered "Of course there is. Families can be deported together." One concern of educators is that vulnerable students will begin to stay home from school to avoid opening their family up to the possibility of deportation. This is at the same time school systems across the country are making efforts to address chronic absenteeism because the importance of school attendance to academic performance is well documented. With the recent efforts to improve student performance, it is counterproductive to create situations where absenteeism will reduce performance. The Trump Deportation Plan During the first Trump administration, plans to deport students and their families terrified immigrant communities, but at least ICE had a policy that agents should not conduct enforcement actions near schools, hospitals, or places of worship. However, indications are that under the new Trump administration that policy will be changed and enforcement will become aggressive even in places formerly designated as off limits. Currently, the president elect promises to double down on the actions taken during his first term. Well before the 2025 inauguration, the newly elected administration is making plans to deport close to 11 million people. This includes the expansion of detention facilities for this purpose and deployment of the military for enforcement. Surely, there will be substantial legal, economic, and political challenges with such a plan, but President Elect Trump “ promises to brush aside hurdles and mount a campaign modeled after the harsh roundups of the Eisenhower Administration, when the U.S. government expelled hundreds of thousands of migrant workers to Mexico. Accordingly, school systems are preparing for the worst, as details about the mass deportation plan are revealed. Past and current plans for aggressive enforcement by ICE resulted in the self-designation of a number of sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States. Sanctuary cities, counties and states “have laws, ordinances, regulations, resolutions, policies, or other practices that obstruct immigration enforcement and shield [immigrants] from ICE — either by refusing to or prohibiting agencies from complying with ICE detainers, imposing unreasonable conditions on detainer acceptance, denying ICE access to interview incarcerated aliens, or otherwise impeding communication or information exchanges between their personnel and federal immigration officers.” Fairfax County in Virginia has a Public Trust and Confidentiality Policy that ensures that immigrant residents can access county benefits and services without fear that the information they share will be disclosed to federal immigration officials. Fairfax County “believe(s) in keeping families together and protecting those who are most vulnerable and the trust policy specifies that this policy applies “regardless of their immigration or citizenship status”. The objective of the policy was to increase opportunities and decrease crime in immigrant communities by giving residents protection from deportation if they reported crimes and sent their children to school. By all accounts this policy has been successful. Sadly, there are those who use disinformation to disparage immigrant communities and the policies that protect immigrants. For example, there are inaccurate reports of intricate “relationships among sanctuary cities, English Learners, boundary policies in Fairfax County Public School System, and political rantings about the 'Southern Border.'" Some suggest that undocumented students should not attend our public schools because of the cost to taxpayers but these people “wildly misunderstand the purpose and mission of public schools, which are to educate everyone--a point which is foundational to our nation and supported by numerous laws and regulations.” Since the 1982 Supreme Court decision known as Pyler v. Doe, undocumented children have had the right to attend public school. However, recent challenges to that decision are increasing and experts warn that the conservative-dominated Supreme Court may overturn the precedent. Strategies to Oppose Deportation Despite an aggressive campaign to reduce immigration, there are vigorous efforts to oppose deportation. Thanks to Jessica Craven of Chop Wood Carry Water, a compendium has been compiled by state organizations that support immigrants. Mobilization for Justice has provided information on what to do if ICE comes to your school and a community of concerned K-12 educators and supporters of immigrant children, families, and communities produced and shared a guide for schools with large immigrant populations. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is intensely involved in opposing deportation of immigrants. The ACLU shares critical support by providing the history of laws and policies related to immigration, a warning of deceptive tactics that may be employed by ICE, details of their work on the fight for asylum, information on lawsuits against deportations, potential use of the Alien Enemies Act to rationalize detention of immigrants, and a way that President Biden can protect undocumented immigrants before he leaves office. In addition, the ACLU offers a roadmap for opposing the planned mass deportation of immigrants. Additional Resources What Do We Expect At The Beginning of Trump 2.0 and How You Can Get Prepared Immigration: Know your rights and deportation defense. Deportation defense manual Know your rights: Immigrant Rights (in many languages) Asylum seekers: Consider taking these steps before January 2025 National Visitation Network Map: Sanctuary Cities, Counties, States Turning election fear into immigrant power

La cuestión Como si los estudiantes de primaria y secundaria no tuvieran suficientes preocupaciones, ahora algunos enfrentan la amenaza de la deportación forzada de ellos mismos, de sus padres y/o de sus amigos. La promesa del presidente electo de deportar a millones de inmigrantes indocumentados ha inquietado a los estudiantes inmigrantes, a sus padres y a sus comunidades. Su amenaza de poner fin a la ciudadanía por derecho de nacimiento añade una capa adicional de crueldad a sus planes de deportación masiva. Según el Consejo Estadounidense de Inmigración (American Immigration Council) la deportación forzosa o incluso la amenaza de deportación tiene “repercusiones físicas, emocionales, de desarrollo y económicas muy significativas para millones de niños en todo el país. Las deportaciones de padres y otros miembros de la familia tienen graves consecuencias que afectan a los niños, incluidos los niños ciudadanos estadounidenses, y se extienden a comunidades enteras y al país en su conjunto”. Hiroshi Motomura, profesor de la Facultad de Derecho de la UCLA, ha dicho que las amenazas de deportación masiva “inhiben la capacidad de las personas para funcionar en la sociedad y para que sus hijos obtengan una educación”. Se estima que seis millones de niños menores de edad comparten el hogar con un familiar indocumentado, que a menudo es uno de sus padres. Pew Research estima que 9 millones de personas son “familias de estatus mixto” que incluyen al menos un “adulto no autorizado” y al menos un niño nacido en los Estados Unidos. Si los hijos de residentes indocumentados son ciudadanos estadounidenses, ¿qué les sucede si sus padres o tutores son deportados? La reunificación familiar puede llevar años, sobre todo después de un plan de deportación masiva mal definido, como ha sucedido en este país anteriormente. Tom Homan, el candidato del presidente electo Trump para el cargo de zar fronterizo y ex director del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de Estados Unidos (ICE), ofreció una solución despiadada a ese problema. Cuando se le preguntó si había alguna manera de llevar a cabo deportaciones masivas sin separar a las familias, respondió: "Por supuesto que sí. Se puede deportar a las familias juntas". Una de las preocupaciones de los educadores es que los estudiantes vulnerables comiencen a quedarse en casa sin ir a la escuela para evitar exponer a sus familias a la posibilidad de una deportación. Esto ocurre al mismo tiempo que los sistemas escolares de todo el país están haciendo esfuerzos para abordar el ausentismo crónico porque la importancia de la asistencia a la escuela para el rendimiento académico está bien documentada . Con los recientes esfuerzos por mejorar el rendimiento de los estudiantes, es contraproducente crear situaciones en las que el ausentismo reduzca el rendimiento. El plan de deportación Durante la primera administración de Trump, los planes de deportar a estudiantes y sus familias aterrorizaban a las comunidades inmigrantes, pero al menos el ICE tenía una política según la cual los agentes no debían llevar a cabo acciones de control cerca de escuelas, hospitales o lugares de culto. Sin embargo, hay indicios de que bajo la nueva administración de Trump esa política cambiará y la aplicación de la ley se tornará más agresiva incluso en lugares que antes estaban designados como lugares prohibidos. Actualmente, el presidente electo ha prometido redoblar los esfuerzos en las acciones que tomó durante su primer mandato. Mucho antes de la toma de posesión en 2025, la nueva administración electa está haciendo planes para deportar a cerca de 11 millones de personas. Esto incluye la expansión de los centros de detención para este propósito y el despliegue de militares para la aplicación de la ley . Por supuesto, un plan de este tipo enfrentará importantes desafíos legales, económicos y políticos, pero el presidente electo Trump “promete superar los obstáculos y montar una campaña inspirada en las duras redadas de la administración de Eisenhower, cuando el gobierno estadounidense expulsó a cientos de miles de trabajadores migrantes a México”. En consecuencia, los sistemas escolares se están preparando para lo peor, a medida que se revelan los detalles sobre el plan de deportación masiva. Los planes pasados y actuales de aplicación agresiva de la ley por parte del ICE dieron como resultado la autodesignación de varias jurisdicciones santuario en todo Estados Unidos. Las ciudades, condados y estados santuario “tienen leyes, ordenanzas, reglamentos, resoluciones, políticas u otras prácticas que obstruyen la aplicación de la ley migratoria y protegen [a los inmigrantes] del ICE, ya sea negándose a cumplir con las órdenes administrativas de detención del ICE o prohibiéndoles hacerlo, imponiendo condiciones poco razonables para la aceptación de las órdenes administrativas de detención, negando al ICE el acceso para entrevistar a extranjeros encarcelados o impidiendo de otro modo la comunicación o el intercambio de información entre su personal y los funcionarios federales de inmigración”. El condado de Fairfax en Virginia tiene una Política de Confidencialidad y Confianza Pública que garantiza que los residentes inmigrantes puedan acceder a los beneficios y servicios del condado sin temor a que la información que compartan sea divulgada a los funcionarios federales de inmigración. El condado de Fairfax “cree en mantener unidas a las familias y proteger a los más vulnerables y la política de confianza especifica que esta política se aplica “independientemente de su estatus migratorio o de ciudadanía”. El objetivo de esta política era aumentar las oportunidades y reducir la delincuencia en las comunidades inmigrantes, brindándoles protección contra la deportación si denunciaban los delitos y enviaban a sus hijos a la escuela. Todo parece indicar que esta política ha tenido éxito. Lamentablemente, hay quienes utilizan la desinformación para desprestigiar a las comunidades inmigrantes y las políticas que las protegen. Por ejemplo, hay informes inexactos sobre “relaciones causales entre las ‘ciudades santuario’, los estudiantes de inglés, las políticas de límites en el sistema escolar público del condado de Fairfax y desvaríos políticos sobre la ‘frontera sur’. Algunos sugieren que los estudiantes indocumentados no deberían asistir a nuestras escuelas públicas debido al costo para los contribuyentes, pero estas personas “malinterpretan enormemente el propósito y la misión de las escuelas públicas, que son educar a todos, un punto que es fundamental para nuestra nación y respaldado por numerosas leyes y regulaciones”. Desde la decisión de la Corte Suprema de 1982 conocida como En el caso Pyler v. Doe , los niños indocumentados tenían derecho a asistir a la escuela pública. Sin embargo, los desafíos a esa decisión están aumentando y los expertos advierten que la Corte Suprema, dominada por los conservadores, podría revocar el precedente. Estrategias para oponerse a la deportación A pesar de una campaña agresiva para reducir la inmigración, existen esfuerzos vigorosos para oponerse a la deportación. Gracias a Jessica Craven de Chop Wood Carry Water, un compendio ha sido compilado sobre las organizaciones estatales que apoyan a los inmigrantes. Movilización por la Justicia (Mobilization for Justice) ha proporcionado información sobre qué hacer si ICE llega a su escuela y una comunidad de educadores K-12 preocupados y partidarios de niños, familias y comunidades inmigrantes produjo y compartió una guía para escuelas con grandes poblaciones de inmigrantes . La Unión Estadounidense por las Libertades Civiles (ACLU, por sus siglas en inglés) está intensamente involucrada en la oposición a la deportación de inmigrantes. La ACLU comparte un apoyo fundamental al proporcionar la historia de las leyes y políticas relacionadas con la inmigración , una advertencia sobre las tácticas engañosas que puede emplear el ICE, detalles de su trabajo en la lucha por el asilo , información sobre demandas contra las deportaciones , el posible uso de la Ley de Enemigos Extranjeros para racionalizar la detención de inmigrantes y una forma en que el presidente Biden puede proteger a los inmigrantes indocumentados antes de dejar el cargo. Además, la ACLU ofrece una hoja de ruta para oponerse a la deportación masiva planeada de inmigrantes. Recursos adicionales ¿Qué esperamos del inicio de Trump 2.0 y cómo podemos prepararnos? Inmigración: Conozca sus derechos y defensa de deportación. Manual de defensa contra la deportación Conozca sus derechos: Derechos de los inmigrantes (en varios idiomas) Solicitantes de asilo: consideren tomar estas medidas antes de enero de 2025 Red Nacional de Visitas Mapa: Ciudades, condados y estados santuario Cómo transformar el miedo electoral en poder de los inmigrantes Recursos adicionales ¿Qué esperamos del inicio de Trump 2.0 y cómo podemos prepararnos? Inmigración: Conozca sus derechos y defensa de deportación. Manual de defensa contra la deportación Conozca sus derechos: Derechos de los inmigrantes (en varios idiomas) Solicitantes de asilo: consideren tomar estas medidas antes de enero de 2025 Red Nacional de Visitas Mapa: Ciudades, condados y estados santuario Cómo transformar el miedo electoral en poder de los inmigrantes

Join the FLE Committee on February 12th from 7-9pm at Gatehouse It is a year with a number in it, so you can be sure that Fairfax Public School (FCPS) volunteers on committees are hard at work. Few committees are as attacked as the Family Life Education (FLE) committee which provides suggestions to modify the sex education curriculum in FCPS to ensure that it is scientifically accurate, age-appropriate, accessible, and relevant for kids in the 21st Century. 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. Of course, in these days of book banning and other culture wars, some are trying to overwhelm the committee with negative comments and attendees at the public meetings. In one particular case, a retired lawyer with no kids in FCPS has written a fallacious blog misrepresenting the FLE curriculum and committee which he published on New Year's Eve. CLICK here to read more The blog was so inflammatory that it triggered an array of people, most of whom want to eliminate sex education, to name-call and make threatening comments about the good volunteers on the FLE committee. Of course, the Fairfax Times, a hate group, and the Fairfax GOP quickly repeated and amplified the blog disinformation to such a point that their members became angry and afraid. Thus, 4 Public Education is asking that you come to the Wednesday, February 12, 2025 from 7-9pm at the Gatehouse Cafeteria (8115 Gatehouse Road--enter through the garage and go to the first floor) to witness and support the brave volunteers on the FLE committee. If you cannot attend in person, please send your support for inclusivity in FLE to your school board member. Or attend a later meeting on March 12th or April 9th. If you would like to learn more about what the FLE committee does, please read the blog entitled What you need to know about the FLE Curriculum which provides links, background, and critical information about the curriculum and committee. Unfortunately, there is much misinformation about the FLE program, so this blog will guide you toward the truth. CLICK to learn more

Although Fairfax County had known that being a world community would make it the target of anti-immigrant policies when the new administration began, local leaders were not sure what either the breadth or the depth of ICE actions would be in our communities.  Though the new administration and Virginia’s governor have waived the protections afforded schools, places of worship, and medical centers, Fairfax County policy leaders have assured local residents that they will retain the Trust Policy and protections at sensitive places which have been in place since 2021.  Superintendent Dr. Reid has worked with the FCPS staff to develop protocols to assure schools have response plans should direct ICE incursions occur. She has also visited community meetings and events to reassure parents that children will be safe at school. She has openly shared the plan  with the FCPS community. In addition there are multiple other community groups working with local residents to help people understand their rights, and to make necessary arrangements should their lives be impacted by ICE actions.  Included here is an Indivisible Tool Kit , a Basic Know Your Rights card that can be downloaded and printed or placed on your phone.  Should you encounter an ICE action, engagement is not advised, but a few observations can help you be most effective when reporting what you encountered. Think of the acronym SALUTE S - Size–the number of people involved A - Activity–what are they doing L - Location - as precisely as possible U - Uniform–what kind and what insignia T - Time  E - Equipment (Vans? weapons? other?) Fairfax County and other school districts are doing the best they can in these chaotic times to keep students safe and educated. We all should do our part to support our schools as they do this work, and our immigrant neighbors as they are under attack.  4 Public Education has developed a list of resources (below). Please consider reading more about the issue here: Is Cruelty the Point? Deportation Threatens Our Public School Communities. When Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Seeps into Public School Discussions Additional Resources What Do We Expect At The Beginning of Trump 2.0 and How You Can Get Prepared Immigration: Know your rights and deportation defense.  Deportation defense manual Know your rights: Immigrant Rights (in many languages) Asylum seekers: Consider taking these steps before January 2025 National Visitation Network Map: Sanctuary Cities, Counties, States  Turning election fear into immigrant power

Contact Congress about Two Anti-Public School Executive Orders Two recent federal Executive Orders (EOs) on public education have been taken directly from Project 2025, Mandate for Leadership  and are attempts by the Trump administration to usurp Congress’s authority and the state and local authority. It is time for public school advocates to tell their members of Congress to insist these orders be rescinded.  1. Public Education Funds SHOULD NOT be used for Scholarships for Private Schools Federal funding of education is legislated by Congress, not by the Executive branch, and the U.S. Department of Education is mandated to carry out policies set by Congress. Allowing the Executive Order (EO) Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunities for Families   to stand diminishes the authority of Congress by directing how federal funds are to be spent, ultimately attempting to usurp power from Congress. Adding authority in the federal budget to allow states to divert federal funds to private schools, as recommended in both this EO and Project 2025, will be detrimental to the education and future opportunities of American youth. However, that appears to be the plan in the federal budget being developed at this time.  There are many downsides to diverting federal funds to private education:  Private schools are not subject to the strict accountability  that is required of public schools. Private schools are permitted to discriminate against students before or after matriculation, and can reject students who are considered “too expensive to educate” (e.g., students with disabilities). On the other hand, public schools must accept all students and provide for their education.  Also, the failure rate is high in private schools. Almost half of all new “school choice” schools close within five years, leaving students and families to return to increasingly underfunded local public schools, because public funding has been removed from the system to pay for vouchers and other “school choice” schemes.  In fact, In every state where school choice initiatives have been implemented, choice has been a monumental failure: blowing up state budgets  beyond educational spending, eliminating quality controls for student learning with less qualified teachers , predominantly benefit wealthy families , and reducing monies available to public schools by as much as a third.  This EO will negatively impact public schools by directing states to prioritize the privatization of funds allocated by Congress for public education. Using these funds for “scholarships” or vouchers to  private schools destabilizes and undermines the quality of the education of the very students it claims to champion. Rather than expanding “education freedom” as the order suggests, this order will starve public schools of needed funding.  The Commonwealth Institute  reports that “Diverting public funding to private schools will exacerbate financial challenges for public schools. Using [public] dollars – whether in the form of tax credits or opportunity scholarships — for private schools leaves fewer resources available for public school students. And research shows that private school vouchers do not improve – and often harm – student outcomes.“  Diverting federal funds meant for public education tends to benefit the wealthy, not lower income families. This redirection of federal funding is being billed as freedom and an opportunity for families which can be a lucrative tax shelter  for wealthy families and a gift to the private sector. Seldom do “scholarships” or vouchers cover the cost of private school tuition so only those who can pay the difference between the scholarship and the tuition can actually afford to use the funds for private school tuition.  Please ask your Congressperson and Senators to insist that this executive order be rescinded and that no direction to divert public funding to private schools be included in the federal budget. You can do this easily by using this one-click call to action.  2. Public School Curriculum Control SHOULD Remain at the Local Level, Not the Federal Level Although the law  is clear that the federal government can not “exercise any direction, supervision, or control over the curriculum, program of instruction, administration, or personnel of any educational institution, school, or school system, or over the selection of library resources, textbooks, or other printed or published instructional materials by any educational institution or school system” a recent Executive Order (EO) attempts to exert control over public schools’ curricula.  The EO “ Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling ” attempts to limit classroom lessons about race, gender, and American history by punishing public schools  that teach these topics. This EO is consistent with Project 2025, the Mandate for Leadership  which suggests on pg 358 that “The next President should issue a series of executive orders requiring: An accounting of how federal programs/grants spread DEI/CRT/ gender ideology”.  Not only is this EO unlawful, its direction is not in the best interest of K-12 students. Historically, students have been limited to Eurocentric historical content and perspectives in public schools. Only recently have public schools made an effort to provide inclusive and factually accurate historical information that reflected all facets of U.S. History in an age-appropriate manner.  The recent EO reinstates the 1776 Commission that President Trump created during his first term in office to promote “patriotic” education and counter lessons that he says divides Americans on race and slavery. But lessons on factual history of the African American experience are important. Sometimes Black history is hard to talk about, but the teaching of true history is essential so that students know how our country was formed and the challenges faced by American who came before us.  In addition, this order discounts statements by the  American Academy of Pediatricians  that found that many “ systematic reviews  of  the literature  have  indicated  that comprehensive sex education promotes healthy sexual behaviors” and access to comprehensive sex education is known to have many benefits. Sex education has long been a focus of culture wars, with flash points  caused by different viewpoints on what should be taught, and when it should be taught. But regardless, it is each state’s and local school system’s responsibility and NOT the Executive Branch of the federal government to decide what is taught in public schools.  Please ask your Congressperson and Senators to insist that  this Executive Order  be rescinded and the decision to develop course components of school curriculum be left to the states. Please contact your members of Congress ( find them here ) and tell them you do not want them to allow the federal government to prescribe curriculum content.

Our Students, Staff, and Families need the Equity Office If you’ve been reading the news in the last two weeks, it is pretty clear that political rhetoric pertaining to “DEI hires” has become code for efforts to roll back qualified women, Black, Hispanic, disabled, and Veteran hires. On social media, anti-DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) rhetoric is frequently unleashed against non-white, non-male, disabled, non-straight, non-cis, and/or non-Christian people in leadership positions or high-skilled jobs, thereby intimating that all who do not fit a narrow racial, religious, gender, sexuality, and gender identity are “diversity hires” and are therefore unqualified for the job. It is astonishingly bigoted rhetoric that has somehow overtaken our country…in the 21st Century! Many of us find this anti-DEI rhetoric disturbing and understand the historical significance of it. It is reminiscent of Jim Crow era reactionary language and discriminatory actions against formerly enslaved people. Nevertheless, Trump has taken steps to fire those in DEI offices across the federal government, while eliminating DEI positions and efforts in private business and at all levels of state and local government. Unfortunately, there is now an effort by his supporters to question or attack equity and DEI at all levels of government and the private sector, as well. Retired lawyer Mark Spooner of the Fairfax Monitor, Independent Women's Forum (IWF) Senior Fellow Asra Nomani of the Fairfax Times, and Independent Women's Network (IWN) Chapter leader Stephanie Lundquist-Arora of Washington Times wrote recycled talking points and carelessly questioned whether DEI or Equity offices deserve to exist. However, their lack of attention to crucial details–like “What is DEI, or What do equity offices do?”–undermines their credibility and weakens their argument. It is not helped by the amplification of the Fairfax Monitor’s blog by both the Fairfax GOP and known Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) defined hate group, Parents Defending Education (PDE), which highlights the political nature of these blogs and articles. It is important to note that all three have sued Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) or its school board multiple times. Their three hit pieces on the employees of the Equity Office in FCPS seem long on right-wing dog whistles, and short on information, except in the case of Nomani who provides people’s names and salaries! Now, that is doxxing! Key points they fail to address or accurately analyze are: What is DEI? What is the purpose of the FCPS Equity Office? What critical roles do the employees in the Equity Office play in our school system? What the heck is “equity” anyway? First, DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Fortunately, for you, 4 Public Education explains DEI thoroughly in Anjy Cramer’s blog, DEI is Civil Rights. However, if you don’t have time to read her great piece, here is a simple definition of why DEI is necessary in schools: Acknowledges that every person within its community is entitled to dignity and space to exist. Within public schools, DEI departments work to maintain a civilized school and organizational culture celebrating differences among students and staff. This enables students to access learning and makes them more likely to succeed; enabling teachers to best support students while encouraging staff retention at the same time. - Anjy Cramer Second, Spooner and Nomani fail to do the most basic of research on their targets. If they had, they would know the FCPS Equity Office is: “committed to fostering a responsive, caring, and inclusive culture where all feel valued, supported, and inspired to thrive within FCPS.” I’m unsure why the three authors and the political groups they represent have a problem with that since there is proof that students learn better and that a responsive, caring, and inclusive culture ensures better education outcomes for students and their families. Third, if Spooner and Nomani are going to question the entire Equity Office, they need to evaluate the actual jobs of those they are targeting, or in Nomani’s case doxxing. For example, they question the need for the following positions in a 180,000 student and 25,000 staff school district without even looking at the FCPS website! Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) admission staff who oversee the TJHSST application process. Title IX investigators who are “responsible for the divisionwide responses to reports of Sexual Harassment affecting students so every reported incident is fully addressed and resolved.” Hearings office conducts discipline hearings, makes discipline recommendations to the School Board, maintains records and statistics of discipline data, provides school-based assistance, and conducts employee grievance hearings. Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion office is “committed to serving every student by name and by need” by ensuring appropriate policies and practices, advocating for those who are marginalized, and providing staff training. They work “to improve how everyone at FCPS works with students, families, and colleagues in ways that are empowering and responsive to all.” How could anyone be against those roles in such a large and diverse school system? Why would anyone want to stall the education of children who are neurodiverse, disabled, multi-lingual, lower income, LGBTIQA+, and/or advanced in STEM? Fourth, there is a legitimate definition of “equity” and it is not simply “equal outcomes” as all three authors claim. Equity in a classroom involves “taking student opportunities and infusing them with support and resources personalized to each student.” Why? Because not all students start from the same place–additional resources can bring students up. To help students achieve their goals, equity comes into play, giving each student the support, challenges, and resources they need, whether it is reading support for dyslexics, team taught classes or extra testing time, or advanced math classes. In far right circles, “equity” and “DEI” have become dirty words (a.k.a., dog whistles) that are part of some coded nefarious plan to destroy merit. Whether or not they know it, each of these authors has fallen into the trap of pushing this far right, coded definition of equity and DEI. Unfortunately, anti-DEI efforts are “the latest attack on racial equity and free speech” per the ACLU: “First, Donald Trump and right-wing extremists attacked government trainings on racism and sexism. Then the far right tried to censor classroom instruction on racism and sexism. Next, they banned books about [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] and LGBTQ lives. Today, the extreme right’s latest attack is aimed at dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.” This holds true today with President Trump attacking DEI and equity in several 2025 Executive Orders and firing federal employees whose titles included the word “equity.” However, he did not get in real trouble, even with his base, until Trump blamed DEI for the plane and helicopter crash that rocked DC National Airport this past Wednesday. His assertions went beyond merely blaming diversity hiring for the crash into eugenics territory where he refers to needing hires that are “psychologically superior.” While Spooner, Nomani, Lundquist-Arora, the Fairfax GOP, and PDE question the “price tag of equity in Fairfax County,” we should all remember the value of a public education that educates and includes all students and their families. No one should be excluded from our schools and all should be made to feel welcome. Please join me to support our FCPS staff who work in the Equity Office whose very livelihoods and critical jobs in our FCPS community are under attack, even while many of them work hard every day to ensure students are included and can achieve success in our public schools. Especially now, as they support students and communities that have have lost friends and neighbors on the American Airlines plane that crashed into a helicopter on January 29th. Our hopes and hearts are with the families and friends of all of the victims of the crash. Author's Note: I woke up with the realization last night that not only do these hit pieces by Spooner, Nomani, and Lundquist-Arora lack research and critical thinking, but I suspect that they serve another purpose: to distract from the authoritarian, unconstitutional, dehumanizing, cruel, and ignorant Executive Orders and actions by the current Presidential Administration. They are red herrings to distract Fairfax County, which is filled with federal workers, contractors, and their families from the absolute horror of the federal scene. Rather than question the constitutionality of the President's actions, these three writers chose to target hard-working FCPS employees who improve educational outcomes for our students. It's just a thought.

DEmyst-I-fied from a K-12 Perspective Author's Forward: (January 31, 2025): Earlier this week, 4PE approached me about republishing my post on DEI written last year. Just in one week... one day, not only has DEI become a dirty word, but now it's executive ordered out of our lexicon, soon to be out of all levels of government. You can Google all of the anti-DEI EOs and corporate capitulation to know that we're in dangerous times where only dominant culture is valued and centered. Of particular note, the January 29th E.O., “Executive Order Ending Radical Indoctrination in K–12 Schooling” threatens to defund schools federally that the president claims promote "radical gender ideology" or "discriminatory equity ideology." However, each locality/school system has full authority over its curriculum; and by law, the government cannot unilaterally take away federal funding from individual school districts. (See more here). Furthermore, I want everybody to see what DEI actually stands for: DIVERSITY. EQUITY. INCLUSION. We ARE a diverse nation. Not only by race, ethnicity, religion and gender... but also in thought. Engaging in good faith with diverse opinions and critical thinking is how we grow as people and as a society. Public schools at its best teach children how to think, not what to think. Don't we want to include and welcome everyone who participates in our public education system? Don't we want to ensure that every student and staff have the same opportunities to succeed so that they can participate fully in our schools and society? Not all is lost though. From our leaders to activists on the ground, it is our turn to fight for our values. Let's move forward, not backward. - Anjy Because DEI is Civil Rights. Centering marginalized children and staff within your systems will only buoy the rest of us. In light of right wing and monied actors using DEI as a wedge issue to destroy K-12 public schools and higher education in general, it may be helpful to engage with what DEI exactly is, and why it has been implemented in educational settings across the nation.   Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is a paradigm that acknowledges that every person within its community is entitled to dignity and space to exist. Within public schools, DEI departments work to maintain a civilized school and organizational culture celebrating differences among students and staff. This enables students to access learning and makes them more likely to succeed; enabling teachers to best support students while encouraging staff retention at the same time. It is more than just implementing policies to center marginalized communities; DEI creates the capacity and opportunity where all can thrive and succeed in an increasingly intellectually interconnected global world. For a global society that is empathetic and can think critically about issues from different viewpoints and understandings will only benefit the greater good. What exactly is “DEI” though? In the simplest terms... Why Do We Need a DEI Department? But why do school systems need whole departments and staff to address issues of marginalization? DEI synergizes efforts between departments to foster achievement for all, not just for the majority, normative students. It would be difficult for even one person to manage all these efforts holistically. Amongst other roles, DEI departments work with (click on the arrow to expand for more information): Human Resources and Recruitment DEI starts not just with diverse students, but also with hiring diverse staff who marginalized students can see themselves in. Representation matters and having role models that embody their own realities can foster student aspirations for their own futures. And in school, they can have a shared voice in advocacy for their communities But marginalized peoples not only benefit: Exposure to diverse educators of all backgrounds helps EVERY student develop interpersonal skills, emotional maturity, and empathy towards others. Challenging preconceptions about others based on prejudices and thinking deeply about the actual communities they live in, and all people that encompass it builds crucial critical thinking skills as they engage with diverse peoples and perspectives. Professional Development One role of DEI departments is to conduct staff training to help them reflect on their own implicit biases. Many teachers/staff do not feel comfortable talking about large systemic issues such as race and feel unequipped when they must address it in the moment to students. And it should not be incumbent on marginalized staff to always have to explain their own oppression to others. By evaluating and implementing culturally responsive trainings, DEI departments educate staff on how to discuss marginalization with students leads to having hard conversations that can lead to societal change that benefits all social groups. Edit: 1/31/25: This journal article made me change my mind on focusing extensively on individual approaches to addressing inclusive workforces and learning cultures for students and staff. Changing individual mindsets has its place, but where DEI is successful is when structural change occurs. Also read this Medium article, written in 2018. DEI programs focusing on diversity (rather than the intersectionality of this diversity); at the expense of equity does not promote or further equal opportunity or outcomes. Academic Support (particularly for lower performing students) Why do mostly Black, Brown, and/or the disAbled/neurodivergent underperform in standardized testing scores relative to other students?  Traditionally called the “achievement gap,” (but it’s really a failure of opportunity), systems need to understand why their schools consistently fail these children and measure how these scores change over time. Many divisions have now implemented online “dashboards” to show accountability to their constituencies. These students often need further academic support. Some examples include Special Education or EL programs that target specific students for additional individualized services. Curricula/Program of Studies DEI departments work together with instructional departments to make sure the system procures and maintains culturally responsive, unbiased curricula that reflect all lived experiences that students can see themselves in. Information Technology also interplays with curricula development, as school systems makes sure that all students have access to the same technology in and out of schools so that everyone can learn the same platforms and complete homework outside of class. Pen and paper are important, but resource-poor schools do not have access to printers, paper, and pencils consistently. School Climate School climate is a wide-ranging term, which refers not only to the physical attributes of a classroom (e.g., is the classroom space inviting and uncluttered; is the ratio of children to teachers appropriate for learning), but also the emotional space (i.e., are teachers and staff able to build relationships with students, do students “feel safe” with their adults and peers in the school setting); all of which intersect with the high quality of academic rigor each system expects the children in their care to partake. The school climate informs why trauma-informed care and socio-emotional learning must be implemented in classrooms too, as “students can’t learn if they don’t feel safe….” (Minahan, 2014) Emotional regulation, the ability to make and sustain peer-based friendships within the school setting and feeling confident in oneself enough to learn all traverse in resulting successful academic outcomes. This reality applies to all students, not just marginalized ones. Community-Based Learning Many school-based DEI departments develop public seminars related to marginalized people's experiences within the system; and in response to current history and events. It creates spaces for sustained discussions within and among the larger community. Other School-Based Department Coordination/Considerations Schools, for better or for worse, are institutions that must go beyond just mere learning instruction. Everything that impacts communities finds its way into schools: substance abuse, violence, poverty, amongst other societal issues. Indeed, for many families, their local public school is their primary source of food, health and mental care. DEI works hand in hand with specialized student support staff, such as counselors, school psychologists, community outreach groups, mental health specialists and specialized Special Education Teams (e.g., physical/occupational/speech therapists) to provide appropriate, culturally and family based wrap-around services. Restorative justice practices also play a role in schools, and not just in law enforcement. For example, chronic absenteeism is a real issue within school systems, mostly borne by students of color, marginalized genders and those with disAbilities. Disciplinary policies that actively promote school suspensions/expulsions often results in students falling further behind academically before dropping out of school altogether. Students who do not feel that they belong to their school community do not have successful outcomes in school and often, in life. The school-to-prison pipeline is a reality for many marginalized populations. DEI Supports Each and Every Student to Succeed For the naysayers that promote DEI programs as “bloat,” divisive and unnecessary… you just cannot ignore issues away. Differentiation between groups of students is not only academic; no student is alike and there will always be variation between and amongst them due to race, class or other marginalization. And reverting to the same (privileged) lens to solve structural issues… where has it left us? The same groups of children who have always fallen behind (even before the COVID-19 pandemic) will continue to fail. And why is race (and merit) brought up when people of color ascend to leadership positions, while for the truly privileged, even with low test scores, it’s just assumed they are qualified... and it does not stop them from reaching the top. I am not convinced those who want to eliminate DEI programs want all children to succeed. They only want theirs to hoard all the limited resources public schools possess. Eventually going to Ivy league schools will always and forever be reserved for the most privileged of our society. And as for school systems who embrace DEI, it must be more than just words. Can your system unequivocally say that their DEI policies and implementation of them is truly having the effect of lifting up marginalized children you work with every day? If not, it’s just a performative exercise without action. Your students deserve better. Anjy Cramer has a child in Arlington Public Schools.