Haga clic aquí para ver la versión en español . In the dog days of summer, the Bucknell Bulldogs showed up! Bucknell Elementary is a small Title 1 , community school of 278 students in the Mount Vernon district of Fairfax County. Most students walk to school, and a number of families have seen three generations of children, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews graduate from Bucknell ES. This tight-knit community has a level of loyalty and grit rarely seen in the suburbs with its transient populations and long commutes. In some ways, the Bucknell ES attitude is reminiscent of a small town’s allegiance to their local high school. Appropriately, their mascot is the “Bulldogs”, a pet whose loyalty to family is renowned. If it is not clear, Bucknell is more than a school; it is a family. Bucknell ES is a courageous family that has been fighting for their school for decades. Like bulldogs, Bucknell’s tenaciousness makes them a powerhouse of courage, ready to take on threats and controversy. Bucknell Elementary received Unwelcome News   Recently, this community was tested by some difficult news. Two days before school ended in June 2024 , faculty and families at Bucknell Elementary School were informed of FCPS’s intention  to turn their community school into a magnet Montessori school in the near future using a 5-year $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, with Pre-K and Kindergarten to be phased in beginning in 2025. During and after the phase-in period for the Montessori Magnet, Bucknell ES families were invited to stay in the Montessori environment, or be bused to Stratford Landing elementary; however, the letter was short on details. Teachers were informed that they would need to get recertified on their own time if they wished to remain at Bucknell, or they would be relocated. They were also informed that there were Montessori certified teachers waiting in the wings for positions at Bucknell who were not Virginia certified teachers. The community was up in arms and fearful for the future of their school, teachers, students, and community.  The Bucknell Bulldog PTA and Families Sprang into Action Immediately, the community organized. They worked to inform neighbors, especially those working multiple jobs. They created and signed petitions. Families, teachers, and the PTA advocated to stop the process, which had proceeded without public notification or input. The petitions received hundreds of signatures from teachers and parents.  The Bucknell Bulldogs showed up with strength and resolve. Nearly every seat was full in the Bucknell Elementary School (ES) cafeteria at 5:30 pm on July 16th, the hottest day of the year, to hear what Dr. Reid and her staff had to say about a recent discussion about turning their beloved school into a magnet Montessori school in the near future. Over 100 parents, students, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and teachers sat with baited breath, expecting to fight to keep their school as a center of the community, as it has been for generations. Immediately, the first words from Dr. Reid took some of the air out of the room, as she stated clearly that Bucknell ES was no longer on the list as a Montessori magnet. Instead, if FCPS received the grant , they would try to locate the magnet Montessori in a more central location, at a currently empty school, to ensure that more students had access and to cause less disruption to an active school. Dr. Reid was deeply apologetic for the poor way the proposal was communicated and for the failure to “involve stakeholders the way we should.” She made it clear that she accepted full responsibility for the debacle. She then addressed the problematic language of the grant and while continuing to take ownership of the problem. She then asked the room, “What are your hopes and dreams for the community?” Bucknell Community Concerns To many, it was a breath of fresh air to hear a leader take responsibility and then be open to listening to a crowd of dissatisfied parents and teachers (note: I can count on my fingers the number of times I have heard a leader do that.) It takes guts and grit to take responsibility and then to actively listen to 90 minutes of comments, many of which came from a place of hurt, not only resulting from the Montessori Magnet miscommunication debacle, but from treatment by other schools and parents in the county. The most common themes and comments were as follows (note: Some of Dr. Reid’s responses are in parentheses ): If Bucknell ES is considered “uneconomical” because of its size , what will happen next, and why don’t other families want to join our school? ( Response: In the future, it will be necessary to balance under-enrolled and over-enrolled schools to ensure the best education opportunities for students. ) The Montessori grant was written with derogatory language with the intent to desegregate instead of integrate Bucknell ES –we don’t want gentrification through desegregation; we want integration with more students. ( Response: The grant was written based on a template from the U.S. Department of Education. Without doubt, the language is bad. ) ( Note: There are scholarly articles discussing how desegregation (i.e., legally and/or voluntarily stopping the segregation of groups) is not the same as integration (i.e., thoughtful mixing of different groups so as to ensure that " different racial and ethnic groups experience fair and equal treatment within a desegregated environment.") Or as historian and HBCU professor Dr. Jemar Tisby so eloquently states : "Desegregation is passive. It merely means taking down barriers to let people in. Integration is active. It means taking proactive action to actually incorporate different kinds of people into what you're doing. It’s the difference between leaving a door unlocked, and opening the door, going out into the street, welcoming people in, and then making them feel at home. " Are there nearby schools with overcapacity that can bring up Bucknell’s enrollment numbers?  ( Response: Yes, the School Board is voting on a revised Policy 8130  that will offer a comprehensive look at all Fairfax County data, but this is not a quick process. ) Our community is safe  with kids playing in front yards and at the school. We are a community that looks out for each other. Please don’t change that.  Some people view our school poorly and with negative bias.  This hits us hard and the kids even harder. How can we make sure other schools in our pyramid see the great stuff we do here? How can we encourage others to view our school from an asset versus a deficit mindset ? Watch the video below to better understand this idea and how to change this mindset, which is influenced by historical stereotypes. How can we make sure that there is community input on the future boundary guidelines?  ( Response: There will be a steering committee that will need parents, similar to the Parent Panel from different schools, and we will want those parents to provide feedback back to the community, as well. ) Bucknell ES used to have a lot of programs  (e.g., AAP center and FBI mentor program), but they were eliminated with the previous principal. How can we get those programs back to encourage community interest here? ( Response: What programs you have here are up to you. Please contact the Regional Superintendent to get support. ) ← This was one of the most common comments. Other programs suggested included: immersion, STEAM, AAP center, and financial literacy. Commenters want to “raise up our kids.” There is bias against great schools like Bucknell ES.  A student commented that his dad had wanted him to go to Waynewood ES, which has a better reputation, but he is so happy at Bucknell ES. How can we let others know about our school? Teachers are often overlooked in offering programming  most suited to their school and students. Teachers should have more latitude because they know the community in a way that headquarters does not. Our teachers are amazing and work so hard for our students.  Pay them better, please. Can we have more community conversations on this side of the county?  Maybe even consider hosting School Board meetings in different places because it is hard for parents to drive through rush hour across the county for a 7pm meeting in Falls Church. (Response: Please look out for more regional conversations with Dr. Reid in the Fall and Spring. In the meantime, regional staff can meet more frequently. ) How can we plan for Bucknell ES’s future?  ( Response: If Policy 8130 is approved, it is a golden opportunity for involvement, because the Superintendent will then need to develop a plan for the future. FCPS needs a map and understanding of the entire county looking at bus routes, school boundaries, number of students, and more. If we don’t do this, then we will continue to double-down on the status quo which means more buses, trailers, and renovations that may not target the schools that are growing. ) Parents, join the Bucknell PTA to keep this conversation moving! As a bystander, I was impressed by the level of care and thoughtfulness that each community member brought to the conversation. Although some questions and comments were justifiably pointed, Dr. Reid and the community worked together to find common ground, solve problems, and plan for the future of Bucknell ES. But what really bowled me over was the level of community engagement and care by the Bucknell ES families and staff. In the middle of the summer, during vacations and an abhorrent heat wave, the Bucknell PTA worked to bring as many families to the table as possible. This can be hard in a Title 1 school with families speaking different languages and/or working multiple jobs, but the Bucknell ES community brought over 100 people to the table for a dinner-time meeting. A Small But Mighty Community Defends its School   If it isn’t obvious, the common theme during the meeting is that Bucknell ES is a superior school where kids take advantage of education opportunities. Bucknell ES has a terrific teacher-to-student ratio (1:9) and is a safe community committed to greatness. The amazing principal, creative and skilled staff, and committed teachers set Bucknell ES apart from so many school experiences that have been shared with me. The profound love, commitment, and care that these families and staff have for their school must not be ignored by the rest of the parents in the county or FCPS administration.  And as the parents so eloquently said over and over again: focusing on limitations and stereotypes is hurtful. The entire county needs to think about this in the future when they are allocating resources, programming, and students. We all need to overcome our biases toward each other so that we can avoid chaos and harm to our students.  Bucknell ES deserves a voice at the table–its experiences and needs should not be crowded out by larger, wealthier, and more organized communities. Even though Bucknell ES is small, it is a mighty and courageous community.

The National Merit Commended Certificate "Crisis" School Districts are Under Fire School districts across the country are under fire. The assaults on our school systems are not just being fought just at school board meetings and by FOIA, but they are also being conducted through politically motivated lawsuits and investigations, many of which lack merit. Here in Northern Virginia, we are in the eye of the storm with near constant politically-motivated news coverage, lawsuits, or investigations–all of which pop up too often for any one citizen or group to monitor. Last December, 4 Public Education promised it would examine the National Merit Commended Certificate “crisis” in order to estimate its impact on the school district. This “crisis” involved an expensive investigation by FCPS and of FCPS by the Youngkin administration, vilification of the school district via significant negative national and local media coverage, and multiple legal attacks on our school system. These investigations and lawsuits racked up substantial legal costs for FCPS and the Commonwealth, and unknown other financial and emotional costs during a nearly year-long attack on FCPS staff. However, in the current case of Miyares v. FCPS, the facts are particularly bewildering. Seemingly, based on exaggerated reporting and the complaint of one non-Asian parent, Attorney General Jason Miyares leveraged the civil rights division of the Commonwealth of Virginia to pursue an investigation of alleged anti-Asian discrimination due to delayed distribution of National Merit Commended Certificates, despite no Asian-American students or families raising an alarm about 2022 delays of the certificates. AG Miyares’ investigation resulted in two legal cases, unnecessary confusion and division in the Fairfax community, more outsized scrutiny attention on Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ), a distraction from the education of students in FCPS, and an untold amount of taxpayer money wasted on a fake crisis. Also, it cost over $1.6 million in outside legal fees to date for two legal cases, per a recent FOIA from FCPS: AG Miyares’s case cost FCPS $1,376,484 and Mark Spooner’s case cost FCPS $266,270 in outside legal fees. We will now fulfill that promise by revealing the full story of the investigations and lawsuits that cost taxpayers millions dollars through: Describing the issue and Governor Youngkin’s involvement in the investigation. Mythbusting the “Commended Certificate Crisis.” Defining a manufactured crisis and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) process. Describing the FCPS investigation and identifying impact on FCPS staff and students. Detailing the legal cases against FCPS by Attorney General Jason Miyares and retired lawyer Mark Spooner. These subjects will all be detailed in drop-downs below. Click on the triangles to read more about any of these discussions. As best as possible, this blog will refer to source documents, news reports, and FOIAs to detail the financial and local impact of the Commended Certificate Crisis. However, as I share the story of the “Commended Certificate Crisis” below, I will share personal observations about the events, because I (accidently) found myself in the eye of the storm. My own high school Junior had received PSAT scores in December 2022, and would be going through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) process during the 2023-24 school year, which made me curious about the news reports, and later confused why some news sources were making a mountain out of a molehill. Even I knew that commended certificates were nice, but no key to the kingdom of college admission and scholarships. Also, as a regular at school board meetings, I was interviewed by Fox 5 about the National Merit “Commended Certificate Crisis” because I mentioned it in my public input to the school board. Specifically, I said “I’m dismayed by recent news about FCPS…that delayed paper certificates are taking priority over critical needs of all of our students and that the loudest voices are using this as yet another opportunity to pit equity against merit as if they are mutually exclusive.” During this interview with Fox 5, I was interrupted, stalked, and videoed by the Coalition for TJ parent responsible for the initial and ongoing local reporting on the manufactured Commended Certificate Crisis. Likely, that intimidation inspired me to attend a number of legal hearings this summer to see how taxpayer money was spent on such ridiculous allegations. So…sit back and enjoy this blog that covers how a manufactured crisis siphoned $1.64 million in outside legal costs from Fairfax County’s budget. Click on the triangles below to expand any section. Fear and Confusion Feed a Manufactured Crisis A manufactured crisis is a controversy created to sway the public and politics, typically to affect social, political, or economic change. Typically, manufactured controversies rely on fear-mongering and confusion combined with regular amplification of cherry-picked information and voices. Across the country, public schools have had to deal with the onslaught of manufactured crises over Critical Race Theory (CRT), inclusion, equity, and diverse books. Manufactured crises have been a critical tool of the culture wars on our schools. As Michael Hinojosa, former Superintendent of Dallas ISD, said about CRT, “This is a manufactured crisis. This is not real. This is a national playbook by some very smart, organized people.” Agreeing with this idea, the National Education Association, which represents 3 million voices, shared that dark money networks are behind these attacks. Nevertheless, school districts across the nation have had to spend money and time defending themselves from lawsuits, resources that could otherwise be spent on educating students and improving their opportunities. This national trend of fear mongering and wasting the time and funding of school systems seems to have reached amazing heights since the pandemic, leveraging the fact that few people understand how public schools work. Locally, TJ has been a political football for the last three years. Nathan Cline notes that “Thomas Jefferson has been at the center of Virginia’s educational culture wars after the school began overhauling its admissions policies in an attempt to add more Black and Latino students to its rolls. “ This “Commended Certificate Crisis” is a manufactured crisis that relies on fears already triggered by 3 years of anti-public school rhetoric and nonstop media onslaught from right-wing media. It also relies on the lack of understanding of how things work and inattention to details by the general public, which includes a failure to review FCPS publications and source documents. While We Weren't Watching, a Manufactured Crisis Unfolds The manufactured crisis over delayed notification of commended certificates in FCPS broke over Winter Break, while staff, parents, and students were on vacation. On December 21, 2022 an inflammatory story was published in a right-wing think tank publication, The City Journal, by Asra Nomani, a senior fellow of the Independent Women’s Network (IWN). The story accused FCPS administrators of intentionally withholding student awards, when in fact, it was merely a minor delivery delay of commended certificates to TJ students. Commended certificates are essentially the honorable mention of the NMSC world, which means that although the students achieved great PSAT scores, they were not semi-finalists and did not have access to National Merit scholarships, thus that recognition means little to most colleges. The City Journal outlined an accusation that this delay was part of a long “war on merit” triggered by an overzealous attempt at equity by FCPS, rather than an accidental oversight by overworked administrators in the school system. Of course, one should take this accusation with a grain of salt, since the City Journal is the same source for Chris Rufo’s fabricated CRT crisis in 2020, and it has fomented anti-transgender culture wars through an unrepentant anti-LGBTQIA stance in 2023. In other words, it can be considered an unreliable source of news and facts. Once the City Journal story broke, it was amplified by other right-leaning publications like the National Review and New York Post. Soon the allegation was reposted all over twitter like a Christmas gift no one wanted or deserved. To fully understand the lack of depth and accuracy of these first “reports” on the “crisis”, none of them managed to spell the name of the complaining parent correctly: her name is “Shawnna Yashar '' with two n’s, not one. Leveraging misunderstandings (and possibly paid troll farms), word of mouth on Twitter misinformed followers that the impact of the delayed notification was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for affected students. This is an outlandish claim, since even the National Merit Finalist and Semi-Finalist awards are frequently less than $2,500 per year. Unforgivable false accusations, threats, and calls for administrators’ resignations spread across social media platforms. Little did we know, at that time, that the delayed commended certificate crisis would dominate the news and social media. It infiltrated social media like a virus leaving truly horrific comments on positive community posts about children, some of which hit several days before the CIty Journal story was published, which is curious. TJ’s principal received threats, false accusations, and demands for her resignation over the winter school break. For example, this celebratory post of TJ staff in adorable costumes received so much hate that it is painful to read the comments. At the time, I didn’t really pay much attention to these stories, because I was recovering from COVID, and my family narrowly avoided the Southwest meltdown of 2022, a delay so bad that it inspired an SNL skit, before celebrating Christmas with family. Nevertheless, I remember feeling bad for TJ’s Principal (Dr. Bonitatibus), FCPS staff, and the newly hired Superintendent Dr. Reid whose much-needed Winter Break was derailed by something so silly and contrived. Governor Youngkin Quickly Intervenes in the "Crisis" Despite other pressing education issues like under-funded schools and problems with teacher retention, this minor delay in notification resulted in an overreaction by Governor Youngkin. (Well…maybe it wasn’t really unexpected, because the Governor’s office has rarely ignored an opportunity to exploit or target public schools, especially those in FCPS which have a 12-member School Board composed entirely of Democrats.) On January 3, 2023, Governor Youngkin officially declared: “We need to get to the bottom of what appears to be an egregious, deliberate attempt to disadvantage high-performing students at one of the best schools in the country. Parents and students deserve answers and Attorney General Miyares will initiate a full investigation. I believe this failure may have caused material harm to those students and their parents, and that this failure may have violated the Virginia Human Rights Act.” Does it seem highly unusual that the Governor’s office would consider a 2-3 week delay in delivery of honorable mention certificates a human rights violation? Yes, and it was surprising at the time considering the facts involved: Only one student’s parent complained out of 261 TJ commended students. There were no complaints from current parents of Asian seniors at TJ. FCPS had already remedied the situation in December by informing all affected TJ parents and the colleges to which the students applied. While most Fairfax and TJ families were dumbfounded by the hype and attention from the Governor and Attorney General Miyares, there were complaints and accusations from a small selection of Coalition for TJ parents, few of whom had kids at TJ or FCPS, and none of whom could define actual impacts of delayed notification on any TJ students. Nevertheless, these three to seven parents held rallies at TJ, Langley, and Gatehouse (FCPS headquarters), sporting signs and t-shirts with the slogan “Save Merit.” This was an obvious attempt to generate media attention. This small number of Coalition for TJ parents demanded the resignation of the TJ principal, Dr. Ann Bonitatibus, something they had been demanding since June 2020 over another manufactured outrage. Thankfully, media outlets like Reston Now recognized these actions early on as an “outcry stoked by conservative activists,” which was substantiated by the outlandish and unverified claims the Coalition for TJ parents made to the media, including calling the delayed notifications: A “criminal act” “Robbing the rights of parents to celebrate these achievements with their children” “Downplay[ing] the significance of these awards to students in the name of equity” “Catastrophic” A “coverup that stole scholarships from students” AG Miyares Platforms the Coalition for TJ On 1/4/23, Attorney General Miyares announced investigations into the delayed commended certificate notifications and changes to TJ admissions for “for unlawful discrimination in violation of the Virginia Human Rights Act.“ This is an odd action, considering that AG MIyares fired the civil rights division of the AG’s office upon taking office in 2022. This announcement involved a press conference where Coalition for TJ members stood on a stage with AG Miyares, while members of the public were summarily ejected from the event. To date, there has been no update on either of these investigations and it is unknown how much staff time was expended on these investigations. Meanwhile, throughout January, the Fairfax Times continued to churn out outrageous pieces that named principals (some of whom received threats) and additional schools to keep up the hype of this manufactured crisis. Somehow, they tried to connect unrelated costs for a consultant for the strategic plan into the mix, likely to reinforce their conviction that merit and equity were being pitted against each other. Honestly, it was silly, but the public ate up this manufactured crisis because of ignorance about the significance of commended certificates, but also because certain media platforms fed peoples’ innermost fears that had been inflamed by constant, negative right-wing media coverage about public schools. I was glad my kids’ school wasn’t on any of the Fairfax Times’ lists because it seemed like a huge distraction to administrators who were trying to manage college applications and educating students. Most parents I knew thought it was as ridiculous as I did. Little did they know what it would cost our district–click on the triangle below to read more. TJ Families Myth-Bust the "Crisis" Narrative Although the first interviews and comments were all from Coalition for TJ members, eventually the rest of the student body and parents of TJ were finally interviewed by the media. Aimee Cho of NBC4 debunked myths promulgated by Coalition for TJ parents about the impact of commended certificates, and interviewed a parent of a commended student who confirmed that it wasn’t a big deal to his daughter and that some were “blowing this out of proportion.” On 1/25/23, Athena Jones of CNN did an amazing interview with Dr. Reid. She also uplifted voices of other parents who said the delay was “not a very big thing” or “My son got noticed a little bit late. It did not impact his applications.” These independent news reports confirmed what most of us already knew: this was a manufactured crisis that was wasting the time and money of our school system and families. At the same time, these news reports highlighted that 393 of the 459 seniors at TJ, were either commended or semi-finalists (132 were semifinalists and 261 were commended). Thus, the sheer number of commended certificates that needed to be physically handed out was a burden on the staff, as it had been for years, particularly when staff were focusing on fulfilling obligations for college application season, which started November 1st. Also, nearly all students and parents compared their score to college board cutoff scores available online as soon as PSATs scores were sent to students. Of course, some of the best reporting came from the students themselves. On 1/7/23, staff at tjTODAY published a hard-hitting editorial that included copies of Ms. Yashar’s initial emails to TJ staff after she found her fson’s commended certificate in his backpack a week after he had received it at TJ. At the time, her son felt, as many local FCPS students do, that the commended certificate “didn’t mean very much because he wasn’t a semifinalist.” The emails also show that Ms. Yashar’s emails seem to become more combative as time progressed, and that she was in communication with Governor Youngkin’s Department of Education (VDOE) within a day of discovering the certificate in her son’s backpack. How was she able to involve the VDOE so quickly, particularly during Thanksgiving week? Why would anyone from VDOE care about a delay in notification with no actual impact? The tjTODAY students also poked holes in Ms. Nomani's City Journal story that “indicated that students lost millions of dollars in scholarship money because commendations were delayed. This is far from the truth. “ In some ways, this editorial identifies that the NMSC process is so convoluted that even a TJ student had trouble understanding it. So, now might be a good time to explain the National Merit scholarship process–click on the triangle below to read more. What is the National Merit Scholarship process? Since controversy is manufactured where there is uncertainty, now seems to be a good time to explain what the National Merit scholarship process is. To be honest, it felt like this manufactured crisis relied heavily on people’s basic misunderstanding of terms, because few understand the National Merit awards process except for college admissions officers, the College Board, high school administrators, and high school junior and senior families. So, here is a quick rundown of the PSAT and National Merit awards process: PSATs are taken by about 1.5 million high school juniors in October, and they receive their scores about 8 weeks later, are informed the following September if they are in the top 1% of PSAT scores and are eligible for National Merit scholarships, and are informed if they are in the top 3% of PSAT scores and receive Commended Certificates sometime in October or November. Few of the National Merit scholarships come with big money attached; however, some schools or businesses offer scholarships based on National Merit status as finalists and semifinalists, with a shorter list of offers for students who receive commended certificates. Also, scholarships are typically not determined until the Spring of Senior year after college acceptance. Most parents I know look up their student’s PSAT score to compare it to previous year semifinalist cutoffs published online. Many TJ juniors immediately check their PSAT scores against these cutoffs. I looked up my own son’s scores last year. To further dispel misunderstandings, there is a handy blog that covers the National Merit awards process and other insights on the manufactured “commended certificate crisis.” Of course commended certificates are essentially the honorable mentions of this whole process. They include the top 3% scoring students who took the PSATs, but they carry little to no weight in college admissions. Thus a slight delay in delivery is unlikely to have an impact on most students in Northern Virginia, much less for TJ students. Unfortunately, after so much hype and disinformation, FCPS was forced to not just investigate and solve the problem, they also had to prepare for litigation. Click on the triangle below to read more about this investigation. FCPS Investigates to Reveal the Truth about the "Crisis" By early January, noting threats of lawsuits raised in various media sources, most by Coalition for TJ leaders and their allies, FCPS had already decided to conduct its own thorough investigation using Sands Anderson, an outside legal firm with whom they initially contracted on 12/29/22. Although preliminary internal reviews showed that this was “a unique situation due to human error,” the media hooplah meant that more needed to be done to reassure FCPS families and Fairfax citizens of the true situation and to ensure it would never happen again. During the Sands Anderson investigation commissioned by FCPS, AG Miyares continued turning up the heat on social media and in the news with aggressive comments and press releases. It became so bad that Sidley Austin, an outside law firm representing FCPS, deemed it necessary to to publish a letter on 3/14/23 outlining concerns about the AG’s behavior: “Since January of this year, your office has sent a number of pre-investigation letters to Fairfax County Public Schools (“FCPS”). These letters have not been used to confidentially seek information from the district. Rather, the Attorney General has publicly released these letters through press releases and social media posts. The language used in these letters and accompanying press releases does not suggest that the Attorney General is conducting legitimate inquiries and investigations, but rather that your office has reached certain conclusions before even gathering the basic facts. More problematically, the Attorney General has used inflammatory language and rhetoric, falsely accusing certain FCPS school-based educators, by name, of racially discriminating against students.” Thankfully, Sands Anderson did a quick and thorough report that was completed in March 2023. Shortly thereafter, FCPS provided key findings from the Sands Anderson external investigation. Essentially, the report found that a few of FCPS high schools had delayed notification of commended certificates due to a lack of comprehensive policy regarding notification which resulted in delays due to lack of administrative oversight, logistics, and lack of awareness of a deadline–all of which was compounded by the fact that the NMSC does not directly notice students or provide guidance for notification. Ultimately, the Sands Anderson report summary written by FCPS directly contradicted accusations the school system faced of deliberate delays and equity. However, the report noted FCPS was impacted by the manufactured crisis with impacts including significant costs to the division, threats to staff, and a distraction from focusing on the education of students: “It is unfortunate that a media report erroneously attributing these issues to intentional conduct triggered this unnecessary controversy. Among other things, this has necessitated that FCPS expend significant division funds on legal counsel to investigate the assertions made, but that is only the beginning. After FCPS retained Sands Anderson to conduct its external investigation, the Virginia Attorney General publicly announced its own investigation into these issues. FCPS has been required to retain separate legal counsel to respond to that investigation, imposing significant additional legal costs on the division.” But the greatest cost of this unfortunate episode has been borne by FCPS staff. The controversy surrounding these issues, fueled by additional press reports and by the Attorney General’s public statements and press releases, has led to FCPS staff members being individually harassed and threatened, including through targeted phone calls and emails using hate-filled and threatening language. The emotional toll on our staff has been substantial, and, in addition, staff have been required to divert significant time and attention away from their education-focused roles to respond to these inquiries. All of this has harmed and undermined our core educational mission, and we do hope that the factual findings of this external investigation can put this entire issue, and the erroneous claims that sparked this controversy, to rest.” As a parent of a high school senior, I concur with the key findings published by FCPS: 1) Colleges are fully aware of PSAT and SAT scores because scores are transmitted with college applications, and 2) most academically aggressive Fairfax County students with high standardized test scores knew that if the National Merit Finalist and Semi-Finalist awards don’t tip the admission scales at elite colleges, why would a commended certificate make a difference? I was upset to find that FCPS staff were harassed and threatened and substantial outside legal costs were borne by FCPS. Based on the news coverage, some of which was vicious and targeted staff by name, I had suspected as much; however, I was wondering about the financial costs, as well. How much were these costs? Through a FOIA, I found out that through March 2023, FCPS invoices for outside counsel related to the AG Miyares’ investigation totaled $767,104.39. This number doesn’t include FCPS staff time, much less time for AG MIyares and his staff to pursue a Human Rights Violation investigation over one current parent’s complaint. It also doesn’t include future cases filed against FCPS–click on the triangle below to read more about the legal cases. Where there is a Will, There is a Costly Lawsuit Before proceeding any further, a reminder is in order: All of this time and expense is related to a minor delay in delivery of paper commended certificates to students in 2022, when all involved students would be reporting their PSAT and, more importantly, SAT scores directly to their schools. The Governor of Virginia declared this delay to be discriminatory, and Human Rights Abuse, despite the fact that only one current parent complained and her child is not Asian. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page before discussing expensive legal challenges to FCPS over the Commended Certificate Crisis. The Attorney General’s Case In total, the AG Miyares investigation against FCPS cost FCPS a total of $1.4 million in legal costs. To understand how, one must look at the case brought against FCPS: Miyares v. FCPS (CL-2023-001005, previously filed as CM-2023-0000285). Piecing together information from press releases, court documents, and hearing attendance (by yours truly), these are the basics of the case: AG Miyares launched a civil rights investigation into the delayed commended certificates (and TJ admissions changes) on 1/4/23. On 1/25 and 3/31 AG Miyares issued demand letters asking for all Sands Anderson findings and documents. In April, FCPS offered underlying non-privileged documents, a list of FCPS employees interviewed, and video recordings of interviews with one current and one former TJ parent (Ms. Yashar and Ms. Nomani). However, citing attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine, FCPS refused to “provide Sands Anderson's report, findings, employee interviews or any related documents.” The AG then invoked VA Code demanding assistance in investigation of “unlawful discriminatory practice[s]”. Va. Code §2.2-521 Subpoena Power to get access to this report. On 6/12/23, FCPS responded that it would not provide the Sands Anderson documents because: Virginia Code requires a "good cause" for subpoena. FCPS is protected by sovereign immunity. The documents are protected Attorney-client privilege & work-product doctrine. Dr. Reid addressed the public directly about status of the legal case, including FCPS actions to date. On 6/14/23 during an interview with WJLA, MIyares claimed that he had not heard that employees had been harassed before Dr. Reid’s video message on 6/12/23, despite the letter sent to him dated 3/14/23. On 6/20/23, FCPS provided a public update regarding its continued cooperation with the AG’s National Merit commendation investigation. Out of concern for the privacy and safety of the 23 employees interviewed and the AG’s continued “disregard [of] such privacy concerns” certain exhibits in the case were removed from the public record. Referencing his 6/14/23 interview, FCPS noted that AG Miyares was continuing to “dismiss the significance of such privacy and safety concerns, claiming that he was entirely unaware of anything supporting concerns that FCPS teachers and staff have received threats over this issue.” On 8/3/23, at the Fairfax Circuit Court, I watched John McGavin (McGavin, Boyce, Bardot, Thorsen, & Katz) and Sean Royall (Sidney Austin LLP) argue on behalf of FCPS claims identified above against Christine Johnson (Senior Assistant AG) and Nathan Moberly (Assistant AG, VA Office of Civil Rights) who represented the Attorney General’s office. The AG’s office claimed that FCPS might be hiding evidence of “race discrimination” in the Sands Anderson report and work papers, despite no evidence (other than articles inspired or written by Ms. Nomani who penned the initial City Journal story) to support such a claim. Repeatedly, FCPS’s lawyers responded that documents under attorney-client privilege would not be given to the AG’s office, and that they already shared evidence and documents needed by the AG to conduct his investigation. Mr. Royall shared that FCPS had even offered to help with an investigation, so he was questioned whether the AG’s office was actually doing an independent investigation. Mr. Royall described the entire episode as “very costly,” indicating that it would be better to “spend money on educating children, and not on legal disputes.” On 8/15/23, the judge decided not to grant AG Miyares subpoena for FCPS’s privileged investigation conducted by attorney’s Sand’s Anderson (see full decision). Attending the hearings led me to more questions than answers, including: How could this entire investigation be caused by one parent’s complaint? How did the AG’s office and Governor get involved in the first place–who contacted them? When and how did they contact them? What happened with the VBOE concerns? Who at the VBOE was concerned? Had the AG’s office conducted an independent investigation or were they just trying to get the Sands Anderson work papers? And, how much did this misguided case cost Virginia taxpayers? I’ve only been able to answer the last question: FCPS Invoices for the AG Investigation totaled $1.38 million in outside legal fees. Mark Spooner’s Lawsuit To date, Mark Spooner’s case, Spooner v. FCSB (GV23007550), cost $266,270 in outside legal fees for FCPS. On 4/27/23, Mr. Spooner (of Fairfax School Monitor), a retired lawyer whose blog is regularly amplified by the Fairfax GOP, filed a petition to force FCPS to produce unredacted copies of Sands Anderson attorney materials and communications pursuant to his FOIA–in other words, he demanded nearly the same documents that the AG had requested. Apparently, Mr. Spooner wanted to answer the question “How could it be that there was “no evidence” that “woke” considerations played a role in the high schools’ decisions, given that a mother of a TJ student had quoted school administrators of admitting otherwise?” Mr. Spooner’s “petition contend[ed] that the claim of “attorney-client privilege” has no merit,” presuming that the 3/31/23 FCPS update was produced by Sands Anderson, which would waive privilege.” This set off a series of hearings in 2023 held on 5/8, 5/17, 7/19, 8/23, and 10/4. On 10/4 both John Foster (FCPS Counsel) and Mr. John McGavin (FCPS’s outside attorney) were present during an all-day hearing and were quite solicitous of Mr. Spooner. In contrast, the consideration shown Mr. Spooner during his questioning was not returned when the FCPS General Counsel, Mr. Foster was cross-examined. Instead, Mr. Spooner’s cross-examination of Mr. Foster appeared to have more sustained objections than actual answers. It was so painful that at one point the judge said to Mr. Spooner, “I can’t tell you how to ask your questions. You have a burden of proof.” It was quite painful to watch. Over the course of several hours, Mr. Spooner was proved to be wrong, since Mr. Foster had penned the summary of the Sands Anderson report. Also, FCPS counsel reaffirmed that the Sands Anderson report and work product was protected by attorney-client privilege, something that was not really under doubt, as attorney-client privilege has significant precedent. On 11/01, Mr. Spooner appealed with an unknown outcome During the 10/4 hearing, FCPS’s lawyers noted a number of times that the AG’s office seemed to have an interest in his case because they sent two of their lawyers: Mr. Moberly and Joel Taubman (Assistant AG, Virginia Office of Civil Rights, Fairfax). This begs the question: how much did that cost taxpayers and what was their relationship with Mr. Spooner? Were these two cases and parties connected? While writing this blog, I also learned that Mr. Spooner, a grandfather whose children have never attended FCPS, has sued FCPS at least four other times! How much have those cases cost Fairfax County taxpayers? How much did they distract FCPS staff from their purpose of running a school system and educating our schoolchildren? I spent about two working days attending these hearings, which made me realize the costs associated with both the Miyares and Spooner cases must be immense. For every hour that attorneys and staff are in the courtroom, 10-200 hours of work goes into preparing materials. But even I was surprised to find via FOIA that outside legal counsel for FCPS for these two cases totaled $1,642,383, neither of which includes the cost of Mr. Foster’s time and other internal costs borne by FCPS. Financial, Emotional, and Education Costs of a Manufactured Crisis We will never know the full impact of the manufactured Commended Certificate Crisis on FCPS and its employees, much less Fairfax families, particularly those at TJ who were at the heart of the manufactured controversy. We will also never know how much time, energy, and money the governor’s, attorney general’s, and VBOE’s offices spent on this effort. Nor will we ever know what motivated the amplification of this story across social and news media. But we do know that this affected our schools where time and money was taken from needed education of students and support of teachers, a number of FCPS employees were threatened and harassed directly and on social media, and great harm was done to the safety and reputation of leaders like Superintendent Dr. Reid, TJ Principal Dr. Ann Bonitatibus, and Mr. Brandon Kosatka, TJ's longtime director of student services. We also know that this manufactured crisis caused division in the community, as people argued over the merits of the case on social media. I felt this division intimately when I was stalked and harassed during an interview with Fox 5 in January 2023 and on social media in 2023. Ultimately, this was an expensive distraction from the goals of our school system to support and educate children. This manufactured crisis cost $1,642,383 in outside legal fees for two cases that seemed to lack merit and were based on a City Journal opinion piece and a series of Fairfax Times stories. That is quite a lot of money that, as Mr. Royall said, would be better spent “on educating children, and not on legal disputes.” Additionally, Superintendent Dr. Reid shared that delays “had nothing to do with race or any effort to downplay students’ achievements” and the investigation found no evidence “suggesting that any later-than-usual notification impaired students’ academic, professional, or financial interests, including college admissions or scholarships.” She indicated that FCPS would create policies to prevent such a situation in future. As an observer and parent whose child had just received his PSAT scores when this story came out in December 2022, this whole thing seemed bizarre and the timing of the story was suspect–who releases a story over winter break, much less a month after the facts were available? To me, it seemed that not only was there nothing to this story but all of the parties involved in the reporting seemed to be the same ones who were involved in the costly Coalition for TJ lawsuit against FCPS. Regarding the impact of delayed notification, all should heed the words of the Nick Anderson in Washington Post when he said: “Yet the matter at the core of this drama — a delay in delivery of letters of commendation for standardized test scores at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and elsewhere in Northern Virginia — in all likelihood will have zero effect on the college admission prospects of any high school student or access to financial aid, according to experts in the field.” What matters far more than awards and honors, experts say, is the rigor of an applicant’s courses. So do grades, extracurricular activities and obstacles that might have been overcome. If applicants submit test scores, colleges will take into account the SAT or ACT, and often Advanced Placement scores. But experts say admission officers don’t pay much attention to performance on the PSAT/NMSQT.” Basically, everyone received their kids' PSATs in December 2021, so by September 2022, they had likely done their due diligence to know whether their student was a semi-finalist or commended student. Thus parents of 2023 and 2024 seniors knew that this story was garbage from the get-go. FCPS described the impact of this case perfectly when it said: “It is regrettable that the AG is continuing to devote public resources and funds to this issue. The AG has all the information it needs to conduct its own investigation. Nonetheless, it has gone to court to try to breach FCPS’s attorney-client privilege. As a matter of principle and in order to protect our valued teachers and staff, we are opposing this unreasonable legal action. “ At the end of the day, this was a costly manufactured crisis to staff and the school district. Of course much of this is truly about money, power, and control: if school districts’ reputations suffer and/or they and school boards look like they are breaking the law or violating civil rights, it is that much easier to defund and dismantle public education. This is part of a game plan to make schools look like they are corrupt, dysfunctional, and inept rather than underfunded and overworked. Legal means are often necessary to right wrongs, protect students, and ensure that school boards are not flagrantly violating the law. However, lately, legal methods are being used unscrupulously to extract time, money and attention away from our students, teachers, and school systems for culture war debates and click-bait. In this case, for FCPS, the price tag was $1.6 million in outside legal costs. In a world where local ethical journalists are far and few between, it behooves us to follow the threads to see where it leads us. If you have questions, look at the source documents. Be sure to keep in the loop. Go to the courthouse, if you must and watch the proceedings, and then share your findings. You never know, you too may just find the price tag of these unfounded attacks to be too high.

My most recent blog, Essential Boundary Policy for a New Century , identified some “interesting” school boundaries in our area. Any rational person would look at those boundaries and wonder how they came to be. Of course, those non-contiguous, gerrymandered boundaries are a developer’s dime a dozen in Fairfax County. Nevertheless, I did a little research (shared below), but first I want to discuss the recent history of Policy 8130. I was surprised by recent history and previous efforts to prevent updates to the Boundary Policy.  Revisions to Boundary Policy 8130 Although Policy 8130 has not been updated since 2013, which was largely in response to the One Fairfax policy , it was not for trying. In fact in 2019, there was a concerted effort by the School Board to make minor changes, but of course these changes were fought by the loudest and most organized voices . They stormed the July 2019 school board work meeting with 102 people so that there was standing room only, carrying photo-copied, inflammatory, emotional signs like “We are watching you.”   2019 was the year of a Fairfax County School Board (FCSB) race, thus there was a hard push by a local republican PAC, Voices of Fairfax, and Fairfax GOP candidates to frame the election as a boundary election . Basically, their rhetoric was that “radical social justice warriors want to bus your kids to failing schools because of equity.”  In retrospect, it was disingenuous and divisive framing using a (then) ill-defined term (“equity”) to spur people to action in an election year. This disinformation campaign used the usual scare tactics  to rile up citizens by leveraging their honest interest in protecting their children’s future by protecting their children’s education. I wouldn’t have noticed it at all, except that they held a supposed “non-partisan” 2019 candidate forum at my elementary school that included inflammatory framing in terms of boundaries, equity, and busing (note the correct spelling is “busing” not bussing as was used in their alarmist video , because “bussing” is something completely different). I was confused at the time, but others were not, per local social media flame wars. It was u-g-l-y and neighbors were fighting neighbors. Watching this unfold on social media clued me into the less savory political undercurrents of Fairfax County. As a result, the 2019 event at Mantua ES was solely a republican candidate campaign forum. All of those candidates failed at the ballot box in November, mostly because of their reliance on culture war issues and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. The ugliness of this race spurred me to donate to a school board candidate for the first time–in reaction to at-large candidate Vinson Palathingal referring to Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) as a “silly thing.” Thus, I donated special education advocate Rachna Sizemore-Heizer running against him. Why? Because there was no way in heck that I was going to vote for someone who discounted my child’s learning disability. But, I digress…. In the middle of all of this chaos, the FCSB was trying to complete the work that they begin in 2018 when they initiated discussions based in part by the Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC) annual report ( see page 10, recommendation 23 ) when FPAC requested an updated charge for 2018-19 to include, “FPAC work with staff to recommend changes to the boundary policies and processes.”  The FCSB held four work sessions  to discuss and review boundary policy from 2018-2019 for a variety of reasons, including: overcrowding, over-reliance on trailers, continued growth, inadequate bond funding for renovations, planned growth, demand for pre-K classrooms, and a failure in more than thirty years to have a comprehensive review of policy 8130. Additionally, it was felt that the expedited process added to the regulation in 2015 was a “ less than transparent approach .” The 7/22/2019 work session  involved the organized protest described above and an associated disinformation campaign , which likely forced the creation of this fact sheet . Of course, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and FCSB continued their work even after the election of a new school board, including holding three community meetings  in 2019, facilitated by MGT Consulting Group (MGT), an education consulting firm who shared information and a boundary policy presentation  while collecting community input.  On December 4, 2021, MGT provided the FCSB a series of reports at a school board work session , including Boundary Policy Best Practices Review Report , Boundary Study Report , Boundary Study Supplemental Materials . Likely, these are materials that have influenced current boundary policy discussions. On February 13, 2024, the FCSB held a public forum  to update and align the boundary policy with the new strategic goals of safety, support, and equitable opportunity.  All in all, I’m glad that the current FCSB is trying to avoid piecemeal, disruptive boundary changes through financial, capacity, and growth lenses. One of the biggest suggested changes in Policy 8130  is to do boundary reviews for the county, on a 5-year interval which means that the FCSB would get a better picture of all communities and communities like Glasgow MS wouldn’t have to beg for and be denied a boundary study. Since boundary changes are often called the “third rail” of education policy, it is not surprising that it has taken this long. Speaking of “long” here is a “brief” history of FCPS boundary changes in the last 20 years. Attendance Zone Changes in the last 20 Years I know of seven significant boundary changes in the last 20 years; however, I’m sure there have been others. When reading these summaries, be aware that there are real families, students, and schools behind these events–there is no way to capture their stories in such a brief format. Because this is my blog, I will start with my own kids’ school, Woodson High School (HS), to explain the “barbell.” By starting with my kids’ school, I am also making a point about boundary change discussions: we care the most about our own kids and typically know the most about our zoned schools.  The idea that people mostly care about their kids and only know their own school is the primary theme that has run through every attendance zone change in history and will likely continue in the future. This commonality can build strength in advocacy, but it can also be a trap leading one to only think of one’s own child (i.e., the “not my kid” phenomenon), if one: Fails to understand other communities or schools outside of one’s own school zone. Fears or has distaste for another school or community. Does not look to original sources for information. Refuses to understand that change is inevitable, and it will affect each of us. I will do my best to cover the last 20 years, but I’m sure that I will have missed some boundary changes. Also, I’ve found some older Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) ( 2016 , 2017 , 2019 ), which may reveal more information about boundaries, but there are not enough hours in the day for me to read several hundred more pages of capital improvement data, but some of you may be interested. Woodson HS “Barbell” This strange “barbell” attendance zone actually occurred during two boundary changes: 2011 and 2015. I knew of the 2011 change because we had just moved into our house when suddenly all of the single-family homes west of the beltway moved from Annandale HS to Woodson HS. Having studied land use policy in graduate school I was concerned, because it seemed like they were simply moving single-family homes from a school dominated by apartment buildings; however, it turns out that the boundary change was more nuanced than that.  The 2011 change was spurred by overcrowding at Annandale HS combined with Wakefield Forest Elementary being a “split feeder,” which is a school that feeds two different upper level schools, in this case half of Wakefield Forest ES went on to the Annandale HS pyramid, while the other moved to the Woodson HS pyramid. Also it turned out that many residents in those homes west of the beltway wanted to stay at Annandale, rather than move to the “higher performing” Woodson HS. This is key to understanding boundary discussions: those attending a school, even a school considered “low performing” by outsiders, want to stay at their school, because they love their school community. Although testing may show that one school is higher performing than another, there is more to a school than test scores: students, teachers, and families who make a community that is a great place for an education. Thus, there is always rivalry among schools, but perceptions are not the truth about a school community, and are often grounded in an “us versus them” mentality and fear of change.  In 2011, almost 90 speakers  gave four hours of testimony at the boundary hearing. Many gave passionate speeches about why the neighborhoods west of the beltway should remain in the Annandale HS pyramid, and others spoke about wanting to remain in the Stuart HS pyramid. As per usual, the student speeches were the most convincing , like 2011 Annandale HS graduate Emma Barker who said “it took 513 students to make a difference in her life and that she would not be where she is today without her AHS family. ‘For years, Wakefield Chapel has been a part of Annandale. For me, they come hand-in-hand,’ said Barker. ” The 2015 western “barbell” was formed to accommodate overcrowding at Fairfax HS and Katherine Johnson Middle School (MS), then known as Lanier MS. At the time, the City of Fairfax identified that Fairfax HS and Lanier MS would be overcrowded  in the next 3-5 years, so they asked FCPS for help. In response, the FCSB asked for a study of the issue that included several adjoining high school boundaries in the study (e.g., Chantilly HS, Falls Church HS, Oakton HS, Robinson HS, and Woodson HS). The end result of the study and hearings held at the time determined that the affected Fairfax City elementary schools would remain in the Fairfax Pyramid, but the students would then move on to a number of middle and high schools, including Frost/Woodson, Lake Braddock Secondary School (SS), and Robinson SS . Specific changes can be found on this 2016-17 High School boundary map . McLean HS Decades of Overcrowding McLean HS has a long history of overcrowding due to rapid development in the Tysons area. A comprehensive 2019 Tyson’s Reporter article  highlighted the extent and source of overcrowding, noting that nearly all schools in the McLean HS pyramid would be over capacity in the next school year. Of course, that was five years ago! In 2020, McLean HS had 2,350 students in a building built to accommodate 1,993 students. The Highlander, a McLean HS student publication, covered a December 7, 2020 virtual discussion  of the overcrowding issues and solutions, including former school board member Elaine Tholen making the point that holds true for all overcrowded schools: “If the school is overcrowded, it might prevent us from introducing new programs or different things that we might want to do if we had classroom space ... .As the school becomes over capacity, you don’t have those basic spaces for people to go to the restroom [or] eat their lunch. Even those basic things become an issue.” –Dranesville district representative Elaine Tholen During the meeting, parents had distinct ideas about where their own child should go, including picking out “acceptable” middle schools. Some questioned why McLean HS wasn’t given an addition to accommodate the students (likely answer: too expensive) and some added that the solutions offered were only temporary solutions, as one-off attendance adjustments cannot accommodate long-term growth or change. On February 4, 2021 , a boundary adjustment (informed by the boundary study ) was adopted by the FCSB for Cooper and Longfellow MS and Langley and McLean HS to provide “capacity relief to McLean HS by using available capacity at Langley HS.” To avoid split feeders, Cooper and Longfellow MS were added to the boundary study and adjustment to “slowly shift” students over the 2021-22 school year “with as little disruption as possible” (i.e., starting with rising 7th graders). The plan also slowly shifted students from McLean HS to Langley HS until SY 25-26 when complete by giving options to students in the 2021-22 school year to remain or move the next year. None of this would have happened without organization and advocacy. In 2019, boundary review  was demanded by the McLean Citizens Association. 27 speakers  addressed the FCSB during the McLean Boundary Change hearing on 1/21/21  and a number provided input to the December 7, 2020 Feedback session . To be clear, some community organizations are more organized and have more power than others, which can mean that their demands are met before less powerful communities. Of course, McLean continued to grow. On December 4, 2023, the FCSB approved another McLean area boundary adjustment , this time at the elementary level. New boundaries for six elementary schools would begin in the 2024-25 school year with a “phasing plan…approved to allow students the option to remain at their existing schools for certain grades.” See map  to the right. By the way, I have yet to figure out the non-contiguous attendance zones of McLean HS. Please contact me if you have any information. Justice Pyramid Elementary Boundary Changes On June 17, 2021, the FCSB approved a boundary change  for the elementary schools in the Justice HS pyramid to reassign an estimated 497 students with new boundaries starting the 2021-22 school year. The adjustment immediately moved rising kindergarten and 1st grader students into six elementary schools immediately, with choice and phasing for students in grades 2-5. Only the elementary boundaries changed in order to keep enrollment below 1,000 students at each elementary–the middle and high school boundaries remained the same.  Most of the students (389)  were moved from Glen Forest ES which was relying on 12 temporary and 17 modular classrooms. A few in the community voiced dissatisfaction  with the speed of the changes; however, the boundary scoping meetings began in June 2019  and community meetings in April 2021.  In all honesty, it is hard to keep track of expected boundary changes, and many ignore the happenings at the local government until it feels like a crisis. For example, I was completely ignorant of those in the Woodson community until after they happened. I strongly suggest that people subscribe to and read the FCPS bulletins, because the bulletins give timely information about such happenings. Southwestern Fairfax Adjustments and the Closure of Clifton ES The closure of Clifton ES in 2011 was an interesting one to look at, because I have seen former Springfield District School Board Member Elizabeth Schultz and other former school board candidates complain about the closure at school board meetings in the last three years, but never knew the real story.  Clifton ES was closed because of the excessive cost of renovation  and projected enrollment declines. The source documents  tell the story that renovation at Clifton would cost about 50% more per student ( $35,287 versus $22,805 per student) than similar renovations at FCPS combined with a projected student population of less than 300 students in 2015-16. Thus on February 24, 2011, the FCSB approved phased adjustments  to school attendance areas in the southwestern part of the county for 21 elementary schools, and to close Clifton ES in June 2011. Clifton ES principal informed the school of the closure in a heartbreaking letter:  "This decision will have a profound impact on our students, staff, and families," the principal said in the letter.  "Clifton Elementary School has played a significant role in the lives of Clifton families.  Closing the school is comparable to losing a dear friend, and many of us have already recognized that we have been passing through the five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.” These emotions are part of learning to live with loss and serve as tools to help us frame and identify what we may be feeling.  Acknowledging the sense of loss we all feel, allowing ourselves to grieve, and accepting the reality of our loss will enable us to move forward and embrace change.  Our students need to see that the adults in their lives have hope for their future." School closures are truly sad–I can attest to this personally–but they can also be a necessary part of life. When schools become too small and too old to function for the students who attend, difficult decisions must be made. These decisions are both financial and logistic–there are economies of scale in education which are reflected in both cost and available opportunities for students. Eagle View ES Opens School openings are celebrated, but they also involve attendance zone changes, as happened with the opening of Eagle View ES on September 5, 2006 . In 2005, FCPS held town halls  to discuss the change and solicit input, which resulted in six elementary schools phasing students into Eagle View ES beginning in the 2006-07 school year. Existing school attendance areas related to West Springfield and Lewis High Schools remained the same. West Springfield and Lewis HS Boundary Discussions There is a long, uncomfortable history between West Springfield and Lewis high schools, much of which goes back to the last century. Much of this “history” seems to be based on perception and misperception with some West Springfield families declaring Lewis as “problematic” while Lewis HS families loudly defend their school.  These debates underpinned the early 2005 boundary hearings  that had 86 speakers signed up and and also during town halls held in late 2005  to deal with overcrowding at Lewis HS (then known as Lee HS) by adding a nearby neighborhood zoned for Lewis to West Springfield. In January 2006, during this process, there were 126 pages of input  from students, teachers, and families. Mostly students asked to remain with their friends, celebrated their allegiance to their high school, and for the FCSB to put an end to split feeders, while adults posed “what ifs” and sometimes verged into “us versus them” territory. Others vigorously defended Lewis High School as the best place for their children. Honestly, I can’t quite tell how this was resolved, which makes me suspect that the attendance zone adjustment didn’t happen. Change is Constant so Why would Boundaries be Different One thing I’ve learned in my five decades is that change is constant. Nothing highlights that as much as a large suburban school district like Fairfax County.  In the 1980s, I played in creeks that are now filled with McMansions instead of water. The Shakey’s pizza that we went to in high school after football games is now a karaoke bar. The movie theater at Heritage shopping center where I saw The Breakfast Club is long gone. Although I may mourn these memories, they remind me that change is inevitable and important.  Developments are built. Companies move in. Remaining open space is infilled. Older developments become filled with older people, until younger people with children move in. In some ways, this change is the cycle of life, but in others, it is a sign of a healthy county with an ever-expanding economy and millions of opportunities. Boundary changes in the last 20 years have amended the failures of the previous decades where little thought was given to the impact on families and students when schools were closed or reassigned. Ask me how I know…or better yet, ask my parents because they are still mad nearly four decades later. In this century, FCPS tries to give options that recognize the needs of different communities and work to slowly phase change to prevent harm and disruption, as much as possible. They try to minimize disruption and calculate exactly how many students will be affected during each year of phasing. This is an uncomfortable and often contentious process, but it must happen in a county with hundreds of buildings, 180,000 students, and limited funds for capital improvement. However, one thing our county has failed to do is update policy 8130 to reduce the number of “one-off” boundary changes. This current FCSB recognizes that and has expounded on the need for comprehensive policy change to solve that problem. The FCSB is not  advocating for comprehensive boundary changes, just policy changes to ensure that we have school boundaries that best serve the community in this century. Another thing I’ve learned as both a former kid and current adult is that kids are resilient, particularly if their families show them the way. Every year, Fairfax is filled with newly relocated immigrants and military families, along with others who come for great opportunities and a stellar public school district. Joining our school system is a change for each of them, but their families, teachers, and communities show them the way. They make memories of the change, but if we work together, we can avoid long term disappointment or trauma.  Decades later, I still remember kindergarten orientation. I remember the teacher showing us where we could nap in a comfy, dark, quiet space. I remember the rocking horses, book nooks, and free play areas. I also remember being completely shocked on the my day of elementary school when I arrived in a first grade classroom filled with desks, with no toys or rocking horses, because I had tested out of kindergarten. I remember my feelings that first day of school seeing uninviting desks, but as an adult, I know that it was a sliding doors moment for me where I met lifelong friends in that first grade class, once my shock wore off. Being moved ahead a year placed me with people who have been my friends for life. Change can be scary, but it can also be filled with opportunity. I would love to know what each of the students experienced or learned through their change over the years in FCPS. Please consider approaching an updated boundary policy 8130 with an open mind. Choose to look at primary sources for information, instead of listening to pundits or closed social groups with an agenda. Doing so can help you understand why change may be necessary and how to guide your family and community while living in this vibrant ever-changing community of Fairfax County. Please consider signing up to speak at the next school board meeting (on July 18th) to share your views on this subject (or any subject because the Summer can be slow) by signing up here between Friday and Tuesday before the meeting.

It Is Time For Some Real Change After months of debate, the Fairfax County School Board is finalizing a comprehensive overhaul of the county’s current boundary policy  which was originally adopted in 1986 and last revised in May of 2013, despite 5-year review requirements. This all followed a February school board meeting  on Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) amendments, when most of the school board members expressed strong concerns that one-off boundary adjustments at individual schools ignore the overcrowding across the county and directly impact school boundaries at nearby schools, a sentiment echoed in a 2023 Annual report  from the FCPS Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC). The school board universally agrees that change is necessary, but they have different approaches and concerns regarding a new boundary policy. I find that I agree with their expressed positions, even when they are seemingly at odds. For example Mr. Kyle McDaniel told Fairfax Now  that he wanted ”data-driven decision making, and [wanted] our expert boundary and facilities staff out doing this….Because … if you remove the politics from it, it means that every school gets treated fairly through the same process.” In this same article , Dr. Ricardy Anderson said, “I don’t think we should tie our hands…. We have to realize that while we want to have comprehensive structures in place, we still need to give ourselves the opportunity to be nimble. We have to be responsive to what’s going on in front of us.” Of course, Dr. Anderson was referring to immediate needs to address overcrowding at Glasgow Middle School, which has overwhelming community support. So let’s hope that the new boundary policy developed by this school board, the first new one in nearly four decades, will address both of their concerns. Hopefully, it will be nimble, non-political, fair, and data-driven by experts while including community feedback.  Of course, in the past 38 years of boundary changes, it has often been the loudest, angriest, and most organized voices who have steered school boundaries that affect the majority of the community. Looking at a side-by-side comparison of the old versus new boundary policy , I see improvement that protects families, supports students, and removes politics and strong-arm tactics. It also involves community participation, which is critical.  The school board is trying to ensure that current and future families in this century have the boundary policy that they need. At the same time, I hope that schools that critically need boundary reviews and adjustments like Glasgow Middle in Mason districts will be prioritized for future boundary changes to alleviate the burdens on families and students. A Look at School Boundaries Honestly, if one looks at any one of the current maps  of elementary, middle, and high schools across the county, it is blindingly obvious that many school boundaries do not make sense. Boundaries are influenced by decades of population growth, new construction, and carve outs by developers and more influential communities who successfully lobbied to remain at “preferred schools” which often involve miles of commuting and a removal of students from their home community.  These “preferred schools” often tend to be less demographically diverse, particularly in terms of economic diversity. For example, “preferred schools” are rarely Title 1 schools , which receive grant funding to upgrade educational programs, in part to close achievement gaps. Additionally, it is easy to see that historical placement of schools make boundaries difficult. For example, 9 of 26 regional high schools in Fairfax County (Annandale, Fairfax, Falls Church, Lake Braddock, Oakton, Robinson, Thomas Jefferson, W. Springfield, and Woodson) are located at the center of the county in a three-mile radius, and very few high schools located at the outer boundaries of the county. Whitman MS is an island middle school located within Sandburg MS boundaries in the middle of the West Potomac High School boundary, yet Whitman MS students continue onto Mt. Vernon HS. “Unfortunately, segregation of schools today is at the same level as it was when the Brown v Board of Education decision was made…. Gerrymandering that worsens school segregation has increased since 1991.” -- Sophia Marjanovic , Union of Concerned Scientists  There is evidence that suggests that school boundaries can be (or have been) “ highly gerrymandered into irregular shapes. ” Briefly below, I will provide a couple of examples of this gerrymandering in Fairfax County at each school level; however, it is important to note that just looking at school boundaries is not enough, because boundaries include current and projected data (e.g., CIP data ), families, communities, and an understanding of historical demographic and development changes. Elementary School Boundaries Recently, Mr. McDaniel stated , “We have an elementary school like Coates that’s pushing 176% projected capacity, and you have other elementary schools nearby that are under 100% capacity; that defies logic.” To understand what Mr. McDaniel meant, I looked at Coates Elementary (see 15-4 and environs on this map ) and found that its boundaries defy logic, requiring miles of commute for some students when they live much closer to four other elementary schools. Additionally, Coates currently has 131% capacity utilization  versus 83-99% at other nearby elementaries (see below).  Many Elementary Schools have non-contiguous attendance islands where students must pass through other elementary school boundaries on the way to their elementary schools. Examples of this in Mount Vernon District include : Fort Hunt ES (111-1 on the map) and Groveton ES (92-2 map). Walkable schools that have usable sidewalks should also be a consideration. When you overlay the Advanced Academic Program (AAP) maps over the local schools, you see a picture that is equally complicated as AAP elementary centers  take students out of their high school pyramids. For example, my kids’ elementary, Mantua ES, takes kids for AAP from at least three different high school pyramids, which is disruptive for the students and families in those pyramids, and has resulted in overcrowding for the last 10 years. Mantua has a decades-old system of trailers where the entire 6th grade has been located, and closets and small storage rooms were repurposed for music rooms and offices when my kids were there. I’ve heard that the trailers are now used for the 5th grade, as well. Middle School Boundaries Middle school boundaries mostly seem to follow the high school boundaries, thus they seem pretty gerrymandered and make little logical sense. However, it is the AAP middle school  boundaries that are particularly unusual, because these schools draw from multiple high schools.  For example, Luther Jackson Middle School (see this map ) pulls from four different high schools: Falls Church, Oakton, Madison, and Marshall. Presumably for two years, students from at least five different AAP elementaries (Mantua, Mosaic, Sunrise Valley, Hunters Woods, and Louise Archer) would go to Luther Jackson and then return to their four different high schools? In fact, Ms. Rachna Sizemore Heizer mentioned the impact of this on student mental health at a recent meeting  and Ms. Melanie Meren mentioned this in terms of effects on families , as well. Honestly, this issue seems as chaotic and disruptive as any boundary change could be but the boundary change could simplify the chaos and would last into the future so that future families do not suffer the same level of chaos as exists in the current situation.  High School Boundaries High School boundaries are equally gerrymandered For example, Langley High School (see 21-4 and environs on this map ) includes communities that are over 11 miles away (as the crow flies) from Langley and are within one mile of Herndon. Nearby McLean High school (see 30-4 and environs on this map ) has two communities that are not even contiguous to it. Why are those communities not part of the Langley or Marshall high school communities? I bet there is an interesting story behind it. My own kids’ high school, Carter G. Woodson, has surreal boundaries that extend all the way west past West Ox Road and into Clifton and all the way east to 495. This unnatural barbell shape (see 58-3 and environs on this map ) makes little sense, particularly when 1) those communities are easily a 20 minute commute from Woodson in the morning, and 2) some are less than a mile from Robinson or are much closer to Centreville and Fairfax high schools. As a parent, I don’t want any one of my kids’ friends (or my friends!) to be at a different high school, but as a taxpayer and parent, I can't help but question the value of all of those daily bus miles for these kids. School Board Boundary Policy Review It seems that the issues that I highlighted above are pretty much what the school board wants to avoid in the future. During the FCPS Policy Review  this spring, they have identified the following intended benefits: Improving instructional quality  by reducing class sizes, improving student-to-teacher ratios, decreasing overcrowding, and reducing student travel time.  Improve financial sustainability  by providing “more timely and cost-effective results,” better prioritize funding, reduce renovation project waits, and best “maximize transportation routes” resulting in lower costs. Improve student well-being and experience  by shortening commutes, increase time for sleep, reduce “split feeders”, living closer to their school community, better engagement with community and school.  It has been reported by FFX Now  that the “The biggest difference between the current policy and the new policy is this “may”/”shall” language…. The old policy just had 14 criteria that had no priority or no ranking or no real intentional guidance to staff in terms of what the board would prioritize over other items,” per Mr. McDaniel. This can be seen in the side-by-side of the old and new boundary policy . The policy changes so far have also given the Superintendent greater authority for emergencies or catastrophic events to temporarily adjust boundaries. We are 24 years into a new century, and our families deserve thoughtful change. Nevertheless, even with a new policy, it will take time for necessary boundary changes. The school board has the goal of implementation of the new boundary policy by the 2025-26 school year. Although there is community interest in updating some boundaries as soon as possible, it will likely take time to do this right and include community input. Or, as Mr. McDaniel told FFX Now  "that the committee’s recommendations would be implemented collectively and within a “reasonable timeframe” to prevent sudden disruptions to students and their families;" however, Mr. McDaniel reminded everyone that, "If the superintendent comes back and says, ‘Well guys, it’s actually going to take more like 18 months to recommend lines,’ then obviously, we have to wait and that’s fine.” Our student and county population continues to change and dozens of schools are facing or projected to face “ moderate to severe overcrowding ” while our schools are now on a 42 year renovation cycle, so now is the time for change.  Please consider signing up to speak at either of the next couple of school board meetings (on July 11th and 18th) to share your views on this subject (or any subject because the Summer can be slow) by signing up here between Friday and Tuesday before the meeting. Helpful Resources about School Boundaries FCPS. Boundary Policy Review - Spring 2024 . https://www.fcps.edu/departments-and-offices/office-chief-facilities-services-and-capital-programs/facilities-planning FCPS. Capital Improvement Program (CIP) . https://www.fcps.edu/capital-improvement-program FCPS. Maps: View Advanced Academic, Boundary, Region and Magisterial District Maps . https://www.fcps.edu/facilities-planning-future/maps FCPS. School Boundary Adjustments: Everything you need to know about school boundary information, including the boundary locator.   https://www.fcps.edu/facilities-planning-future/school-boundary-adjustments FCPS. School Profiles.   https://schoolprofiles.fcps.edu/schlprfl/f?p=108%3A8 FCPS, Facilities Planning Advisory Council. FPAC Annual Report (School Year 2022-2023) . https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/CSBJAD4AC36A/$file/FPAC%20SY%202022-2023%20Annual%20Report.pdf Fairfax County School Board. FCPS School Board Work Session - 6/25/24 . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yER9RNMCzBc  (Note: Boundary Policy discussion is at 23:53 ) Fairfax County School Board. Local School Boundaries, Program Assignments, and School Closings.   https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/97KJK54D54F8/$file/P8130.pdf Jarvis, James. FCPS hopes to alleviate school overcrowding with new boundary adjustment policy.  FFX Now. 14 April 2024. https://www.ffxnow.com/2024/04/15/fairfax-school-board-tackles-overcrowding-with-boundary-policy-overhaul/ Richards, Meredith P. The Gerrymandering of School Attendance Zones and the Segregation of Public Schools: A Geospatial Analysis . American Educational Research Journal. December 2014, Vol. 51, No. 6, pp. 1119–1157. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1045657.pdf

Historically, school board elections have received little attention from voters, but recently extremists have begun trying to take over public school boards. Now we realize the importance of electing quality school board members who prioritize the students and support public schools rather than furthering extreme agendas. Because extreme right-wing groups continue to foment culture wars and support extremist candidates, we must have a concrete plan to combat disinformation and help elect good candidates. Until recently, most of Virginia’s public school boards had a principled and relatively nonpartisan approach to overseeing public schools, irrespective of who was in control of the Commonwealth’s government. Virginia’s public education system operated to advance a common purpose that made decisions based on what was best for all the children. They made decisions irrespective of politics in order to support success in education and had a goal of fostering community environments where all voices in the community were heard, respected and represented by local school board members. The role of School Boards includes the development of the school district’s budget, setting school policies, and hiring and evaluating the superintendent–all while complying with Commonwealth of Virginia laws and regulations. School boards are also heavily involved in academic, legal, financial and personnel issues and policies for that school district, and represent the residents and educators in their community. Sadly, heightened political polarization across the nation has unleashed culture wars at school board meetings and mobilized extremist groups to infiltrate school boards. Even in small districts the replacement of only one or two board members can create a highly polarized and often destructive dynamic for the community. In fact, a former Virginia school board member and current president of the Virginia School Boards Association recently opined that: "Once pillars of local community engagement, school boards have become battlegrounds for political ideologies.” We can no longer assume that those elected to the school board have the best interest of our children and families in mind, because extreme political agendas have become paramount to some candidates. We no longer have the luxury of letting others choose our school board members. Instead we must be proactive: researching candidates, their priorities and plans for our school systems. Furthermore, we must share that information with voters so they can make informed decisions when they vote. 4 Public Education and their partners (listed below) will assist activists who are advocating for good school board candidates in 2024 by sharing resources that can help them collect information about candidates and inform voters about the candidates. Some of these resources were used successfully in a county school board election in 2023. 4 Public Education is partnering with the following organizations: ACLU People Power Fairfax, COVA Coalition, Fairfax Indivisible, Virginia Grassroots Coalition, Network NOVA, Red Wine and Blue The 21 cities that are holding school board elections this November are shown on the map just below. For advice and access to resources to help with city school board elections please add your name to this form and we will put you on our mailing list for sharing information and resources.

Imagine a world where the Moms for Liberty and like-minded individuals were elected to the school board, state legislature, and governorship in your state. Imagine a world where our schools were plundered for funding, teachers abandoned the profession, and our kids were left to pay the price. This is a semi-fictional tale taken from real world events in schools and school districts from across the country where people failed to vote in support of their teachers, students, and schools. Check the links to see real-life examples from around the country--you might see your own school district. There is an important election in Virginia on November 7th. Do your research and vote wisely, or this could be your school, your teachers, your family. In January 2024, new school boards, legislators, and governors were installed across the country. They were swept in because of voter apathy, fear, and resignation, combined with a 3-year long Ed Scare campaign and dark money donors that fomented fear, anger, and action over manufactured panics about education. Some of these newly elected Ed Scare candidates were vocally endorsed by far right groups like Moms for Liberty or Moms for America, while others were sneakier: they wore lavender, pretended to be “moderate,” and their campaign literature contained great swaths of blue to confuse voters into thinking they were democrats or independents. Some Ed Scare candidates carried book bags holding frequently challenged books to scare parents into voting against their public schools. Many candidates, particularly in suburban areas, eliminated the obvious right-wing rhetoric from their platforms because they found that full-throated bigotry and exclusion of LGBTQIA kids didn’t play well with voters in 2022. Not only that, but some training by right-wing suburban candidates included directions to AVOID culture wars or book banning to hide their true agendas. Often, it was more about what they didn’t say, than what they said. They spoke of accountability, but never students. They spoke of indoctrination, but never history. They spoke of bathrooms, but never LGBTQIA student rights. They spoke of CRT, but not inclusion. As soon as these Ed Scare candidates were installed in office, they started checking things off their right-wing to-do list: undermine faith in public schools, weaken the education system, remove the rights of the majority of parents, defund programs and schools, target students and teachers, and replace curricula with indoctrination. First they eliminated Accountability to the Community For school districts inundated by these Ed Scare candidates, things went bad fast. Even for those school districts with just one or two Ed Scare electeds, everything on the School Board came to a standstill, due to incompatible priorities and deadlocked voting. No votes could be cast, no policy could be made, and no budgets were passed. These Ed Scare candidates ran on accountability, but that was a smokescreen because once in office, they refused to respond to constituents, be held accountable to the public, or follow local and state regulations and policies. “Accountability for thee, but not for me” was their mantra. At first it was small things, like reducing public comment to once a month or silencing critical comments from the public, but then it extended to installing kill switches to cut off any public input at school board meetings that ran counter to their views. It was ironic that the free speech absolutists limited and eliminated free speech, but no one could complain and few media outlets were brave enough to cover the outrage. But very soon, they started messing with the budget, playing chicken with teacher salaries and school funding, thus infuriating the Board of Supervisors that oversees the school district budget. The once complicated, but transparent, process became cloaked in mystery, often violating board policies that transparency and prevent fraud and abuse. In fact, budget discussions went dark with no opportunity for public review or input. They fired well-regarded, competent Superintendents in order to hire Superintendents who agreed with their Ed Scare agenda but had no training and experience in K-12 education, and it showed. Those superintendents knew nothing about evidence-based education practices, much less how to manage an entire district. Superintendents were chosen for loyalty to the Ed Scare candidates, rather than expertise in managing schools, students, teachers, and a multi-million dollar budget. One such Superintendent collaborated with his Ed Scare School Board to pull stunt after stunt, messing with money, salaries, and students’ lives. Teacher fled and classroom sizes ballooned. Even school boards with some of the old guard, elected officials appeared to be powerless against these moves. In some districts, the school board chair silenced public input and other school board members with kill switches. School Board chairs quashed discussion and hid agenda items so that they could not be discussed to prevent anyone from being able to raise the alarm on items like funding new charter schools, many of which close in the first 3-10 years. Thus school board members who actually wanted to do the work of the people were silenced, as well. Citizens were ill-equipped to fight this onslaught of opacity and authoritarianism, but they pulled together their finances to sue. It was expensive and time consuming for parents and other citizens, especially when the School Board’s legal expenses for violating policy, and sometimes the law, were covered by their insurance policies. Taxpayers were the ones who had to foot the bill for incompetence, greed, and ignorance. But it is the students and teachers who really paid the price. Then They Came for the Teachers Teachers were restricted from mentioning certain topics and tip lines were made available for parents to report teachers who did. Teachers were forced to publish their full curriculum online for parents to see, and lacked the flexibility to respond to student questions or tailor classes to respect student needs, which meant both they and their students were bored. Civics teachers were bribed to attend state-run civics training that were more like re-education camps where they learned how to teach a radically religious and conservative version of history. Their classroom libraries were purged of any book that dared speak of multiculturalism, social justice, civil rights; or people and experiences that deviated from white, cisgender, heterosexual, and Christian. Teacher’s classrooms were sanitized of any declarations or symbols of inclusion and only American flags were allowed–rainbows were forbidden. Gone were the signs that said “you are safe here” in high school. Elementary school crayola crayon boxes that contained crayons to color the full skin tones of kids were raided, because peach would “do fine” for all people, as it always had…. Classroom records were subject to FOIAs so regularly by some paid agitators that some administrators just left the profession, while teacher harassment and conflicting messaging sent teachers fleeing for states and districts that respected them and their profession. Teachers didn’t just fear being fired, they feared being incarcerated because their very profession had been weaponized against them. Then They Came for the Librarians Class libraries had already been decimated in the classroom purges, so school libraries were next. Instead of following district policies covering procedures to challenge books, some superintendents chose to remove books based on a trumped up question, “Will you allow your child to access sexually explicit books?” A month later, 23 books, mostly with LGBTQIA or non-white main characters, were removed from the shelf. Some Ed Scare school board members wanted to burn the books. In some states, books were removed from the libraries so that the space could be turned into holding cells for disciplining students. Librarians lost their jobs, students lost their books, and the community lost literacy. Then They Came for the Students Teachers leaving the profession and public funds stolen from public schools created the perfect storm to destroy public schools in districts across the nation. Some districts had to move to 4-day school weeks because of teacher scarcity and funding. Ultimately, it was the students who paid the price. Responding to the Ed Scare battle cry “Return to the basics: reading, writing, and arithmetic” only core classes were funded, thus the arts and any non-core classes that gave kids (and teachers!) joy were eliminated because budget cuts had to come from somewhere. Advanced Placement classes were eliminated because they were too “controversial.” They cut the budgets for Title 1 schools that support low income families. Any mental health services were eliminated, particularly if they had the initials “SEL” (a.k.a., Social Emotional Learning) which Moms for Liberty and Parents Defending Education had called a “trojan horse for CRT.” No one understood how mental health programs were a “trojan horse” for anything but improved health and education outcomes, but Ed Scare officials attacked mental health programs in public schools and managed to eliminate successful, beneficial programs. Student affinity groups were decimated after Parents Defending Education was emboldened by its earlier efforts to interfere in how affinity groups were run, they were able to eliminate all race and religion-based affinity groups, except inexplicably “Good News” and bible study groups that thrived based on religious freedom redefined by the Supreme Court. Students felt “abandoned” by their school board when pride flags and Black Lives Matter symbols were removed. Students grew weary of nonstop protests to fight for their rights, which fell on the deaf ears of Ed Scare school board members. In some districts, families chose to move away rather than deal with the anti-transgender restrictions on health care and parental rights implemented in their state. Along the Way, They Destroyed Public Education as we Know It All of the chaos described above hid more complicated privatization schemes going on local and state levels which involve voucher scams and scandal-ridden charter schools, both of which suck public money away from the students who need it while giving the money to institutions that lack accountability and transparency while rejecting students who don’t fit their criteria. This means that public schools were further underfunded, thus buildings fell into disarray, educators fled the profession, and students’ education suffered. Some schools went bankrupt, while others were hobbled by defunding as “the money follows the child” out of the taxpayers’ hands into private and religious schools. These were more than temporary issues that could be fixed by the next election. The Ed Scare agenda jeopardized student education and success. It created a level of divisiveness and fear that ran counter to an inclusive environment that is open to all students no matter their race, ethnicity, country of origin, language, disability, ability, gender, gender identity, sexuality, or income level. The Ed Scare agenda managed to remove accountability, transparency, teachers, and students from education, and our entire nation paid the price. What can Voters Do? Each citizen must be ever-vigilant or freedom and rights will be abridged while children’s education will be stolen by those who want to sell it to the highest bidder. Vote. Vote wisely. Vote for public schools. Likely the future depends on it.

Public Input at 6/13/24 Fairfax County School Board Meeting My name is Vanessa Hall. I am the proud parent of two FCPS students, one of whom just graduated! Thank you for attending our students' graduation ceremonies--it means so much to many of us. I am also co-leader of FCPS Pride, and I would like to thank you for your support for our LGBTQIA staff, families, and students by today’s Pride Proclamation. We held a small rally to celebrate the pride proclamation and other successes this year, like FCPS: Reaffirming transgender and non-binary student rights by loudly rejecting Youngkin’s anti-trans policies and implementing Policy 2603. Updating the Family Life Education (FLE) curriculum on consent, safety, and health. Working to make FLE more inclusive of all students, including our LGBTQIA community. And, the updated Title IX from the U.S. Department of Education that protects students from harassment and provides consequences for assault. However, we all know that there is still work to be done. For example: Our FLE curriculum is about three decades old. Interim changes to have been beneficial, but can not address deficiencies at the core of a curriculum developed in a previous century when gay marriage was illegal and our students and staff were still in the closet. Virginia laws exist that prevent FLE from providing medically accurate and inclusive education to students. Students and staff are still targeted or bullied for their actual or perceived sexuality or gender identity. Obviously, schools can only do so much, so I beg parents and guardians to think about their words and actions, since students model what they hear and see. We should try our best to treat others in our community with kindness and respect. Yet, we must remain vigilant to prevent bullying, harassment, and harm to the FCPS community. Our work may never be done, but we appreciate working with you, the School Board, to make our schools a safe and welcoming space for students and staff to have access to a great education and amazing opportunities. Both Robert Rigby (4 Public Education board member) and Christine McCormick, of FCPS Pride gave powerful, meaningful speeches on similar subjects. Please consider listening to them to learn more about what we can work on together in the future to make our schools and FLE curriculum more inclusive.

I don’t know about you, but this has been an incredible school year. One of my kids began high school this year while the other just graduated last week. Like so many parents, I cannot believe that 13 years have passed so quickly for my high school graduate. I remember him fondly as a sweet 35-pound kindergartner holding my hand; even though he is now almost six feet tall and ready to fly off to a college far from Virginia. Just this week, my son’s third grade teacher, Mrs. K, mailed him a letter that he wrote to his future self along with a class photo of him as an 8 year old. It tugged at my heart to see the same determination in his eyes as the shortest boy in the class that he has now as a long-legged teenager who can drive. Ms. K described his letter as filled with “the hopes and dreams of a 9 year old you.” His hopes and dreams were pretty simple, filled with baseball, soccer, and dive team–such a contrast to his actual achievements in secondary school and scouts. As any parent, I am proud of his successes and a little fearful about what the future will bring, but I have seen a strong-minded, smart boy who is ready for his next steps, which are almost as important as his first. Although my family has been under strain due to things outside of our control, my kids have received amazing educations, participated in terrific opportunities, and been supported and educated by deeply caring and knowledgeable teachers. The teacher’s letter reminded me of all of the teachers who supported our kids’ journeys in and out of school. They spent time making interesting lessons, preventing in-class bullying, and offering solace when times were rough. I could speak for hours about his incredible teachers, but I won’t bore you with that...today. “I Lived” by OneRepublic was sung by the Woodson High School Chorus at graduation last week. Never were there more appropriate and beautiful words for the future of our FCPS graduates: Hope when you take that jump, you don't fear the fall Hope when the water rises, you built a wall Hope when the crowd screams out, it's screaming your name Hope if everybody runs, you choose to stay Hope that you fall in love and it hurts so bad, hey The only way you can know, you give it all you have And I hope that you don't suffer, but take the pain Hope when the moment comes, you'll say I, I did it all I, I did it all I owned every second that this world could give I saw so many places, the things that I did Yeah, with every broken bone I swear I lived A final aside: Teachers and school staff make or break a student’s experience. We need to pay them accordingly and treat them with respect for their education, experience, and intentions. That is not to say that everyone is perfect and that parents shouldn’t question teachers, but those parents who go out of their way to make teachers miserable or use them as political punching bags are doing harm to the education of all of our kids by encouraging good teachers and staff to leave the profession for greener pastures (a.k.a., more money and security, and less grief). As your kids graduate elementary, middle, and high school, take a moment to think about those who made a difference. Reach out to them to say thank you. That could be the difference between a future student having that same supportive teacher.

The Financial and Emotional Costs of anti-LGBTQ+ Rhetoric In the first two weeks of Pride month, I have been struck by increased hate, fear, and anger against the LGBTQ+ community, specifically against our schools. As a mom and active school volunteer, I find this concerning because I know how harmful it is to students, educators, and families. Not only are these wild accusations and misinformation scary, but they also make parents and guardians feel threatened for the safety of their children in and out of schools. Additionally, there is also a financial burden to the schools, as the actions triggered by such rhetoric requires additional safety personnel in schools and at meetings, while school staff and leaders need to take valuable time away from education to create safety plans to protect students and educators in schools, and their families at events. I have seen this with my own two eyes that over the past three years, there is an increased security presence at school board meetings after threatening words and behavior from participants in anti-LGBTQ+ rallies. More recently, I witnessed this at a recent musical production of Kinky Boots, where the Superintendent and security kept a watchful eye on the entrance door of West Potomac High School to ensure the safety of the families, students, and staff running and watching the family friendly drag show brunch before the matinee of Kinky Boots. Security was also out front of West Potomac to ensure that the 30 or so protestors, most of whom came from at least three known SPLC-defined hate groups, did not overly impede access to the school with their air horns, shouts, and ugly slogans. How much did this cost our school system? I have no idea, but the emotional cost was also high, as West Potomac moms and dads stood watch on the street, at the entrance, and around the theaters to ensure that no harm came to their children from these hell-bent on disruption hate-groups. Such hateful rhetoric drives lawsuits that suck money from our students’ education, including the recent American First Legal lawsuit, a legal group formed by former Trump administration official Stephen Miller, which seems to be more focused on raising a ruckus (i.e., publicity) than actually accomplishing any change. FCPS Pride described the lawsuit to be “abhorrent.” Hopefully, it will be found that the plaintiff lacks standing. Likely, the lawsuit would violate Biden revised Title IX regulations that bar transgender bathroom bans while strengthening harassment and assault protections. However, the lawsuit is being argued by Ian Prior (American First Legal and Fight for Schools) in court right now, so we do not know the outcome, but like the 2023 National Merit case brought by Attorney General Jason Miyares, it will likely cost our school district a lot of money. If it is not clear, much of this hate is politically motivated from the far right and is amplified and accepted by members of only one party. However, to me, this is not a political issue, but an issue of human and civil rights, so I am confused why one party repeatedly calls LGBTQ+ parents and their children such horrid names while endangering them with abominable legislation and actions. Why does the party that purportedly pushes “parents’ rights” call parents alphabet people, mutilators, and angry "Karens" while accusing them of being in a cult? We are parents and guardians! We know best for our children! Parent your own child and leave us and our kids alone! All of that being said, the emotional damage of this hateful rhetoric to families and children is immense. We, the parents, and our children see the name-calling, bomb threats, and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, and we know they are true threats to the health and safety of our families and children. Thus, we need to spend time and money protecting our families and ensuring their physical and emotional safety. In some cases this hateful rhetoric causes people to be afraid to wear rainbows in public, to be hyper-vigilant at June Pride events, and fearful about sharing pronouns. The proliferation of such hateful rhetoric means that we need to see our “friends” reposting hateful local opinion pieces or anti-trans memes. To them it is political, but to us, it is our heart. Each of us knows that when hate comes for our children, it is like a knife in our own heart, because we feel what they feel and cry when they cry. So, I beg of each and every one of you to continue to wear your pride and “be kind” shirts. Speak up in your school and to the school board. Protect and support all students, because you never know who may need that extra love and support. How do I know? Well, my husband and I wore pride shirts to a graduation after Reston Pride two weeks ago. As we were leaving the party, a parent ran up to us to say “thank you” for wearing our rainbow shirts because she knew we were supporting her and her LGBTQ+ child. In this world, sometimes kindness and support from strangers can mean a lot. So wear your love on your chest, hat, and car. Let the world know that human rights should always come before politics. If we show our love for our children, families, and community, we can defeat the hate, because love always trumps hate. The intent of the hate is to silence us and push all of the rainbows (and those who wear them) back into the closet. Resist. Together. With Love and Pride.

One in six kids aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year, and half of all mental health conditions begin by age 14 with up to one-half of those untreated. Unfortunately, suicide is second only to gun violence as the leading cause of death for young people (aged 10-34), so thank you, Fairfax County School Board members, for using ESSR III funds for counselors, psychologists, social workers, and family liaisons to support students’ social emotional needs. Your choice to put social emotional and mental health first will literally save lives. Even before 2020, schools were facing a surge in demand for mental health care that far outpaced capacity, since only 15% of students have access to mental health care outside of school due to the limited number of youth psychologists, significant cost, and other access issues. Across the nation, faculty are often relied upon as first responders due to the limited availability of counseling in and out of school, thus I appreciate your efforts to train more Mental Health First Aiders . This 8-hour training has been instrumental to me being the best student-focused volunteer I can be whether it is in school, in scouts, or with youth groups at my church. I wish more adults were student-focused and understood how their behavior affects student mental health, safety, and academic excellence. Many witnessed an adult tell a student at a recent FCPS meeting that their safety was not her concern; however, student safety is required for student success, so it should always be an adult’s concern. Our adult words and behavior trickles into our schools. I’ve heard the f-slur is commonly used against LGBTQIA students–shouted in the halls at individuals or outside after school GSAs–which is threatening. How can students learn, much less thrive, in and out of school if they feel unsafe? Last Fall, our Student Representative on the School Board, Ms. Michele Togbe said: students are watching. They are listening to what we say and do. We need to set a good example: be kind, speak truth, support students and teachers, and identify issues and solutions. Merely, complaining offers nothing. But coming up with workable solutions means the world to our county. We adults need to be thoughtful and kind problem solvers to set an example for our children and all students in Fairfax County. Thank you. If you are a parent of a high school student who would like to know more about the free online teletherapy services offered through FCPS, please check this link . Additional mental health resources in Fairfax County and in public schools can be found here . Vanessa Hall's input to the School Board on April 27, 2023 can be viewed below.