slur during last nights FCPS Board mtg

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean it wasn't a mistake. It's just who she is.

"Rachna Sizemore Heizer said "I'm glad to see that she's issued an apology, but I don't think it was appropriate for her to say she was frustrated. There's no excuses for using that word."

She claims it's not the first time Keys-Gamarra has used the word.

"That is actually the third time she's used it," said Sizemore Heizer. "The first my understanding, was in a conversation with another board member and she was told it was inappropriate. The second was actually in a conversation with me and I told her it was highly inappropriate and offensive and asked her not to use it."

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/education/fairfax-county-school-board-member-apologizes-saying-ableist-slur-during-meeting/65-670e61df-390b-49cc-9f6d-f31dda234c0c

Rachna did not come to play on this one.

True, but why are we only hearing about the previous two times now? She should have been kicked off the board the first time, or certainly the second. You can bet a teacher would not get three chances if they used that word.

[Anonymous]

Whatever the history is it’s clear that Keys Gamarra needs to resign or be removed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean it wasn't a mistake. It's just who she is.

"Rachna Sizemore Heizer said "I'm glad to see that she's issued an apology, but I don't think it was appropriate for her to say she was frustrated. There's no excuses for using that word."

She claims it's not the first time Keys-Gamarra has used the word.

"That is actually the third time she's used it," said Sizemore Heizer. "The first my understanding, was in a conversation with another board member and she was told it was inappropriate. The second was actually in a conversation with me and I told her it was highly inappropriate and offensive and asked her not to use it."

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/education/fairfax-county-school-board-member-apologizes-saying-ableist-slur-during-meeting/65-670e61df-390b-49cc-9f6d-f31dda234c0c

Rachna did not come to play on this one.

True, but why are we only hearing about the previous two times now? She should have been kicked off the board the first time, or certainly the second. You can bet a teacher would not get three chances if they used that word.

Srsly? Y think a teacher would get fired for that? Or should?

I agree that the knives are out for KG. But the previous times were private, unlike this time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Threads like this one make me believe that we're coming undone at the seams.

Growing up in New England, the word in questions was used as a pejorative through the 80s and 90s. I'm sure it was widely used elsewhere.

Did the board member make a good choice? No. Was the word used in poor taste? Yes. Did the board member acknowledge her mistake and apologize? Yes. Should she be thrown off the school board, campaigned against, or canceled because of this particular mistake? No.

This whole name calling business has gotten completely out of hand. Toughen your skin, people, and remember that we're all human.

It is rare and refreshing to find someone reasonable here. Totally agree.

I agree too - as long as that philosophy is applied across the board, not just to excuse those on the left who make mistakes. Maybe when *everyone* is shown grace for misspeaking, then we can move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Threads like this one make me believe that we're coming undone at the seams.

Growing up in New England, the word in questions was used as a pejorative through the 80s and 90s. I'm sure it was widely used elsewhere.

Did the board member make a good choice? No. Was the word used in poor taste? Yes. Did the board member acknowledge her mistake and apologize? Yes. Should she be thrown off the school board, campaigned against, or canceled because of this particular mistake? No.

This whole name calling business has gotten completely out of hand. Toughen your skin, people, and remember that we're all human.

It is rare and refreshing to find someone reasonable here. Totally agree.

Now substitute the n-word or the f-word for the r-word and see if you’d reach the same conclusion. PP’s was a typical ableist take.

I do. Uttering one word in one instance does not shed light on someone's core persona or belief systems. Unfortunately, as a society, we've developed very thin skin and overly hyped sensitivities, which oftentimes drive us to make wild assumptions and draw ridiculous conclusions about a fellow human being based on, at best, a paucity of data. This is not to the benefit of our society.

I think most would agree and the issue here is the hypocrisy. Some people on this school board are the first to call for someone’s head and not care about someone’s core persona or belief system. But then if one of them makes a misstep all of a sudden it’s oh I am a nuanced person and everyone makes mistakes sometimes. We tend to view ourselves and those in our “group” as complex and nuanced and people on other groups as more one dimensional. That’s how we end up making sweeping judgements of this or that group. I agree it’s bad for society but let’s not act like this school board doesn’t engage in that to some extent.

Applause. Well said. The issue is indeed the hypocrisy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean it wasn't a mistake. It's just who she is.

"Rachna Sizemore Heizer said "I'm glad to see that she's issued an apology, but I don't think it was appropriate for her to say she was frustrated. There's no excuses for using that word."

She claims it's not the first time Keys-Gamarra has used the word.

"That is actually the third time she's used it," said Sizemore Heizer. "The first my understanding, was in a conversation with another board member and she was told it was inappropriate. The second was actually in a conversation with me and I told her it was highly inappropriate and offensive and asked her not to use it."

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/education/fairfax-county-school-board-member-apologizes-saying-ableist-slur-during-meeting/65-670e61df-390b-49cc-9f6d-f31dda234c0c

Rachna did not come to play on this one.

True, but why are we only hearing about the previous two times now? She should have been kicked off the board the first time, or certainly the second. You can bet a teacher would not get three chances if they used that word.

Srsly? Y think a teacher would get fired for that? Or should?

I agree that the knives are out for KG. But the previous times were private, unlike this time.

Yes, I think a teacher would get fired for that, especially if it were said multiple times and whoever overheard took offense and told the teacher not to use the word. And yes, I think the teacher would deserve it. I'm a Special Education teacher and grew up when that word was common vernacular. Nowadays I have no tolerance for it. We all know better. If you're on the School Board and don't know better, and can't figure it out after two other people have told you it's offensive, get off the School Board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean it wasn't a mistake. It's just who she is.

"Rachna Sizemore Heizer said "I'm glad to see that she's issued an apology, but I don't think it was appropriate for her to say she was frustrated. There's no excuses for using that word."

She claims it's not the first time Keys-Gamarra has used the word.

"That is actually the third time she's used it," said Sizemore Heizer. "The first my understanding, was in a conversation with another board member and she was told it was inappropriate. The second was actually in a conversation with me and I told her it was highly inappropriate and offensive and asked her not to use it."

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/education/fairfax-county-school-board-member-apologizes-saying-ableist-slur-during-meeting/65-670e61df-390b-49cc-9f6d-f31dda234c0c

Rachna did not come to play on this one.

True, but why are we only hearing about the previous two times now? She should have been kicked off the board the first time, or certainly the second. You can bet a teacher would not get three chances if they used that word.

Srsly? Y think a teacher would get fired for that? Or should?

I agree that the knives are out for KG. But the previous times were private, unlike this time.

Yes, I think a teacher would get fired for that, especially if it were said multiple times and whoever overheard took offense and told the teacher not to use the word. And yes, I think the teacher would deserve it. I'm a Special Education teacher and grew up when that word was common vernacular. Nowadays I have no tolerance for it. We all know better. If you're on the School Board and don't know better, and can't figure it out after two other people have told you it's offensive, get off the School Board.

I agree. I normally am not into just getting rid of people for every mistake but this in unbelievable. She runs a school system and she said the r word like it’s a normal thing. It’s terrible.

[Anonymous]

She’s low class and low intelligence. Hope she resigns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She’s low class and low intelligence. Hope she resigns.

New immigrant here.
Are these school board members elected or appointed?
If elected, when do I get to vote? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

If she goes around using the r-word when she disagrees with her Democratic colleagues, which she’s apparently done at least three times according to the chair of the school board, you can only imagine the lack of civility she displays towards those who aren’t also other party loyalists. She needs to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She’s low class and low intelligence. Hope she resigns.

This is just another version of the same thing.

Using low intelligence as an insult is the problem, not the specific word she chose to use.

[Anonymous]

DP. She is often poorly informed and shoots from the hip.

People shouldn’t serve as at-large members unless they can make some effort to familiarize themselves with the different schools in the county. In my experience, Keys Gamarra doesn’t make that effort and often ends up confusing different schools in ways that have consequences. It would not be a loss if she steps aside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a child of the 80s and even though I understand why the word is problematic I still catch myself using it on occasion out of old habit. It just wasn't broadly considered offensive in the same way back then, and I never realized it was based on a reference to a specific group of people until ~10 years ago. I've since tried to remove it from my vocabulary, but occasionally it still slips out before I can consciously catch it.

So you’re in your late 40s and struggle to regulate yourself from using a word that is a put-down because you’ve used it so much. That’s beyond sad.

No, it's just a normal human subconscious process. Not all thought/speech is done with intention, especially emotional/reactive thought and speech, and patterns from our youth are often particularly ingrained in our subconscious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She’s low class and low intelligence. Hope she resigns.

New immigrant here.
Are these school board members elected or appointed?
If elected, when do I get to vote? Thanks!

November 2023

[Anonymous]

I believe that we should try to fall on the side of grace and redemption whenever possible.

however

This is the same school board who over the summer tried to sneak through a new policy while parents were not paying attention the would suspend students for 5 days, starting in 3rd through 12th grade, placing a Title IX violation in their permanent records, for using the wrong pronoun when addressing or talking about anyone elese, even if it was accidental.

Let that sink in.

So when they find themselves making these slurs such as her use of the R word, or the other school board rep who droned on and on about how she identifies closely with asian people because she liked to eat at fake Japanese hibachi chain restaurants on her birthday as a child, one can only hope that these left wing partisans start to extend the same grace they expect for themselves to students who might make a verbal mistake, so a childhood or teenage error does not result in a kids life being ruined so some partisan, power tripping adults can make an example out of the kids over a bogus suspension and title IX violation.

I