ACPS - Lord of the Flies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12.8.22-Layout.pdf

This is what it is like at our City’s one high school. I care about our kids. I care that they go to a “school” like this. I care that there is no talk of change. I care that the SB epitomizes cowardice. But, for those who want to act like this doesn’t exist or it’s all made-up, you may just care when you can’t sell your house because no reasonable person would send their kids into this environment.

I am disgusted. The radio dispatch sounds horrible. I can’t imagine how scared so many kids are.

It's not just the school board. It's the parents and voters. All cowards. I'm so tired of the pearl clutching from parents who get intimidated by the PTAC crew and then settle down and follow directions from the people they think are their betters. This is a city of followers and cowards.

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Maybe with more numbers the risks of speaking up would lessen but I think the experience with Open ACPS (regardless if you agreed with that group’s position) shows even numbers does not reduce the risk of public shaming from the Alexandria establishment.

And no one can figure out that is a joke of an argument? No one can go to HR at their agency and office and ask, get a letter signing off on advocating for your kids? By this "logic" Wilson and McPike shouldn't be on the council and shouldn't be able to say anything either. No one can go to a Denise Dunbar at the Alex Times and tell her this, show her the texts, tweets and posts?

No, it's an excuse to keep quiet. A kid has been murdered, a kid has been raped and untold beatings are happening everyday. What's it going to take for parents to stop making excuses?

It is not a joke of an argument if you work in a sensitive non political position. McPike is a political hack and Wilson works for Amtrak, not a federal agency.

So you agree with PTAC and Wilson's mom mafia that federal employees can't say anything about schools? Is that correct? If so, what is the exact law or HR rule that prohibits this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12.8.22-Layout.pdf

This is what it is like at our City’s one high school. I care about our kids. I care that they go to a “school” like this. I care that there is no talk of change. I care that the SB epitomizes cowardice. But, for those who want to act like this doesn’t exist or it’s all made-up, you may just care when you can’t sell your house because no reasonable person would send their kids into this environment.

I am disgusted. The radio dispatch sounds horrible. I can’t imagine how scared so many kids are.

It's not just the school board. It's the parents and voters. All cowards. I'm so tired of the pearl clutching from parents who get intimidated by the PTAC crew and then settle down and follow directions from the people they think are their betters. This is a city of followers and cowards.

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Maybe with more numbers the risks of speaking up would lessen but I think the experience with Open ACPS (regardless if you agreed with that group’s position) shows even numbers does not reduce the risk of public shaming from the Alexandria establishment.

And no one can figure out that is a joke of an argument? No one can go to HR at their agency and office and ask, get a letter signing off on advocating for your kids? By this "logic" Wilson and McPike shouldn't be on the council and shouldn't be able to say anything either. No one can go to a Denise Dunbar at the Alex Times and tell her this, show her the texts, tweets and posts?

No, it's an excuse to keep quiet. A kid has been murdered, a kid has been raped and untold beatings are happening everyday. What's it going to take for parents to stop making excuses?

It is not a joke of an argument if you work in a sensitive non political position. McPike is a political hack and Wilson works for Amtrak, not a federal agency.

Westfall ran for school board with her work as a federal employee as one of her campaign points. She hangs out with the president of PTAC. Ask her why her campaign was OK but a parent who is a federal employee saying violence is bad is not.

Silence is violence.

And ask Westfall the threats she and her family received because of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12.8.22-Layout.pdf

This is what it is like at our City’s one high school. I care about our kids. I care that they go to a “school” like this. I care that there is no talk of change. I care that the SB epitomizes cowardice. But, for those who want to act like this doesn’t exist or it’s all made-up, you may just care when you can’t sell your house because no reasonable person would send their kids into this environment.

I am disgusted. The radio dispatch sounds horrible. I can’t imagine how scared so many kids are.

It's not just the school board. It's the parents and voters. All cowards. I'm so tired of the pearl clutching from parents who get intimidated by the PTAC crew and then settle down and follow directions from the people they think are their betters. This is a city of followers and cowards.

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Maybe with more numbers the risks of speaking up would lessen but I think the experience with Open ACPS (regardless if you agreed with that group’s position) shows even numbers does not reduce the risk of public shaming from the Alexandria establishment.

And no one can figure out that is a joke of an argument? No one can go to HR at their agency and office and ask, get a letter signing off on advocating for your kids? By this "logic" Wilson and McPike shouldn't be on the council and shouldn't be able to say anything either. No one can go to a Denise Dunbar at the Alex Times and tell her this, show her the texts, tweets and posts?

No, it's an excuse to keep quiet. A kid has been murdered, a kid has been raped and untold beatings are happening everyday. What's it going to take for parents to stop making excuses?

It is not a joke of an argument if you work in a sensitive non political position. McPike is a political hack and Wilson works for Amtrak, not a federal agency.

Westfall ran for school board with her work as a federal employee as one of her campaign points. She hangs out with the president of PTAC. Ask her why her campaign was OK but a parent who is a federal employee saying violence is bad is not.

Silence is violence.

And ask Westfall the threats she and her family received because of it.

I'm sure she did but it stayed up on her campaign website. So it must be ok. Maybe she's one of the few non-cowards in Alexandria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12.8.22-Layout.pdf

This is what it is like at our City’s one high school. I care about our kids. I care that they go to a “school” like this. I care that there is no talk of change. I care that the SB epitomizes cowardice. But, for those who want to act like this doesn’t exist or it’s all made-up, you may just care when you can’t sell your house because no reasonable person would send their kids into this environment.

I am disgusted. The radio dispatch sounds horrible. I can’t imagine how scared so many kids are.

It's not just the school board. It's the parents and voters. All cowards. I'm so tired of the pearl clutching from parents who get intimidated by the PTAC crew and then settle down and follow directions from the people they think are their betters. This is a city of followers and cowards.

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Maybe with more numbers the risks of speaking up would lessen but I think the experience with Open ACPS (regardless if you agreed with that group’s position) shows even numbers does not reduce the risk of public shaming from the Alexandria establishment.

And no one can figure out that is a joke of an argument? No one can go to HR at their agency and office and ask, get a letter signing off on advocating for your kids? By this "logic" Wilson and McPike shouldn't be on the council and shouldn't be able to say anything either. No one can go to a Denise Dunbar at the Alex Times and tell her this, show her the texts, tweets and posts?

No, it's an excuse to keep quiet. A kid has been murdered, a kid has been raped and untold beatings are happening everyday. What's it going to take for parents to stop making excuses?

It is not a joke of an argument if you work in a sensitive non political position. McPike is a political hack and Wilson works for Amtrak, not a federal agency.

Westfall ran for school board with her work as a federal employee as one of her campaign points. She hangs out with the president of PTAC. Ask her why her campaign was OK but a parent who is a federal employee saying violence is bad is not.

Silence is violence.

And ask Westfall the threats she and her family received because of it.

I'm sure she did but it stayed up on her campaign website. So it must be ok. Maybe she's one of the few non-cowards in Alexandria.

Westfall should be commended but that does not make all other alexandria parents cowards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12.8.22-Layout.pdf

This is what it is like at our City’s one high school. I care about our kids. I care that they go to a “school” like this. I care that there is no talk of change. I care that the SB epitomizes cowardice. But, for those who want to act like this doesn’t exist or it’s all made-up, you may just care when you can’t sell your house because no reasonable person would send their kids into this environment.

I am disgusted. The radio dispatch sounds horrible. I can’t imagine how scared so many kids are.

It's not just the school board. It's the parents and voters. All cowards. I'm so tired of the pearl clutching from parents who get intimidated by the PTAC crew and then settle down and follow directions from the people they think are their betters. This is a city of followers and cowards.

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Maybe with more numbers the risks of speaking up would lessen but I think the experience with Open ACPS (regardless if you agreed with that group’s position) shows even numbers does not reduce the risk of public shaming from the Alexandria establishment.

And no one can figure out that is a joke of an argument? No one can go to HR at their agency and office and ask, get a letter signing off on advocating for your kids? By this "logic" Wilson and McPike shouldn't be on the council and shouldn't be able to say anything either. No one can go to a Denise Dunbar at the Alex Times and tell her this, show her the texts, tweets and posts?

No, it's an excuse to keep quiet. A kid has been murdered, a kid has been raped and untold beatings are happening everyday. What's it going to take for parents to stop making excuses?

It is not a joke of an argument if you work in a sensitive non political position. McPike is a political hack and Wilson works for Amtrak, not a federal agency.

Westfall ran for school board with her work as a federal employee as one of her campaign points. She hangs out with the president of PTAC. Ask her why her campaign was OK but a parent who is a federal employee saying violence is bad is not.

Silence is violence.

And ask Westfall the threats she and her family received because of it.

I'm sure she did but it stayed up on her campaign website. So it must be ok. Maybe she's one of the few non-cowards in Alexandria.

Westfall should be commended but that does not make all other alexandria parents cowards.

So where were all these brave souls last night?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12.8.22-Layout.pdf

This is what it is like at our City’s one high school. I care about our kids. I care that they go to a “school” like this. I care that there is no talk of change. I care that the SB epitomizes cowardice. But, for those who want to act like this doesn’t exist or it’s all made-up, you may just care when you can’t sell your house because no reasonable person would send their kids into this environment.

I am disgusted. The radio dispatch sounds horrible. I can’t imagine how scared so many kids are.

It's not just the school board. It's the parents and voters. All cowards. I'm so tired of the pearl clutching from parents who get intimidated by the PTAC crew and then settle down and follow directions from the people they think are their betters. This is a city of followers and cowards.

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Maybe with more numbers the risks of speaking up would lessen but I think the experience with Open ACPS (regardless if you agreed with that group’s position) shows even numbers does not reduce the risk of public shaming from the Alexandria establishment.

And no one can figure out that is a joke of an argument? No one can go to HR at their agency and office and ask, get a letter signing off on advocating for your kids? By this "logic" Wilson and McPike shouldn't be on the council and shouldn't be able to say anything either. No one can go to a Denise Dunbar at the Alex Times and tell her this, show her the texts, tweets and posts?

No, it's an excuse to keep quiet. A kid has been murdered, a kid has been raped and untold beatings are happening everyday. What's it going to take for parents to stop making excuses?

I believe PP may be referring to the former city council member who was running for mayor against Wilson and dropped out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12.8.22-Layout.pdf

This is what it is like at our City’s one high school. I care about our kids. I care that they go to a “school” like this. I care that there is no talk of change. I care that the SB epitomizes cowardice. But, for those who want to act like this doesn’t exist or it’s all made-up, you may just care when you can’t sell your house because no reasonable person would send their kids into this environment.

I am disgusted. The radio dispatch sounds horrible. I can’t imagine how scared so many kids are.

It's not just the school board. It's the parents and voters. All cowards. I'm so tired of the pearl clutching from parents who get intimidated by the PTAC crew and then settle down and follow directions from the people they think are their betters. This is a city of followers and cowards.

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Maybe with more numbers the risks of speaking up would lessen but I think the experience with Open ACPS (regardless if you agreed with that group’s position) shows even numbers does not reduce the risk of public shaming from the Alexandria establishment.

And no one can figure out that is a joke of an argument? No one can go to HR at their agency and office and ask, get a letter signing off on advocating for your kids? By this "logic" Wilson and McPike shouldn't be on the council and shouldn't be able to say anything either. No one can go to a Denise Dunbar at the Alex Times and tell her this, show her the texts, tweets and posts?

No, it's an excuse to keep quiet. A kid has been murdered, a kid has been raped and untold beatings are happening everyday. What's it going to take for parents to stop making excuses?

I believe PP may be referring to the former city council member who was running for mayor against Wilson and dropped out.

My memory was that former council member took a new federal job and should have known he was barred by law from running in a partisan election.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12.8.22-Layout.pdf

This is what it is like at our City’s one high school. I care about our kids. I care that they go to a “school” like this. I care that there is no talk of change. I care that the SB epitomizes cowardice. But, for those who want to act like this doesn’t exist or it’s all made-up, you may just care when you can’t sell your house because no reasonable person would send their kids into this environment.

I am disgusted. The radio dispatch sounds horrible. I can’t imagine how scared so many kids are.

It's not just the school board. It's the parents and voters. All cowards. I'm so tired of the pearl clutching from parents who get intimidated by the PTAC crew and then settle down and follow directions from the people they think are their betters. This is a city of followers and cowards.

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Maybe with more numbers the risks of speaking up would lessen but I think the experience with Open ACPS (regardless if you agreed with that group’s position) shows even numbers does not reduce the risk of public shaming from the Alexandria establishment.

And no one can figure out that is a joke of an argument? No one can go to HR at their agency and office and ask, get a letter signing off on advocating for your kids? By this "logic" Wilson and McPike shouldn't be on the council and shouldn't be able to say anything either. No one can go to a Denise Dunbar at the Alex Times and tell her this, show her the texts, tweets and posts?

No, it's an excuse to keep quiet. A kid has been murdered, a kid has been raped and untold beatings are happening everyday. What's it going to take for parents to stop making excuses?

It is not a joke of an argument if you work in a sensitive non political position. McPike is a political hack and Wilson works for Amtrak, not a federal agency.

Westfall ran for school board with her work as a federal employee as one of her campaign points. She hangs out with the president of PTAC. Ask her why her campaign was OK but a parent who is a federal employee saying violence is bad is not.

Silence is violence.

And ask Westfall the threats she and her family received because of it.

I'm sure she did but it stayed up on her campaign website. So it must be ok. Maybe she's one of the few non-cowards in Alexandria.

Westfall should be commended but that does not make all other alexandria parents cowards.

So where were all these brave souls last night?

Look I agree with you on that. I am just pointing out a layer of complexity for a subgroup of alexandria parents. Westfall’s experience actually highlights the risk certain parents face being publicly vocal. If you want to call such parents cowards for not risking their jobs (or at least a big hassle if someone did challenge their public statements on school issues), then that is your prerogative.

Todays Alexandria Times’ use of anonymous quotes also demonstrates the concerns about retaliation if you speak out against ACPS.

[Anonymous]

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Just reach out to an ethics attorney at your agency and ask guidance on what you are allowed to say and do. It's a fairly easy process at most places I have worked at. There are rules about what less restricted and further restricted employees are allowed to do, and when. If you follow those rules and seek ethics guidance, who cares what someone says at that point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Just reach out to an ethics attorney at your agency and ask guidance on what you are allowed to say and do. It's a fairly easy process at most places I have worked at. There are rules about what less restricted and further restricted employees are allowed to do, and when. If you follow those rules and seek ethics guidance, who cares what someone says at that point?

There are other positions employers that may prohibit running for any public office. I am an “access person” under the federal code and my employer absolutely would not allow me to run for ANY political office, nor can I have any yard signs, make any political contributions (candidates or otherwise), join or support a PAC. This is even on the local/municipal lever. They would fire me if I did it. I’m in the financial industry, not a fed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Just reach out to an ethics attorney at your agency and ask guidance on what you are allowed to say and do. It's a fairly easy process at most places I have worked at. There are rules about what less restricted and further restricted employees are allowed to do, and when. If you follow those rules and seek ethics guidance, who cares what someone says at that point?

Yes, this is true. The concern is having to deal with defending yourself afterwards to your agency even if you are comfortable that your involvement / comments are allowed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12.8.22-Layout.pdf

This is what it is like at our City’s one high school. I care about our kids. I care that they go to a “school” like this. I care that there is no talk of change. I care that the SB epitomizes cowardice. But, for those who want to act like this doesn’t exist or it’s all made-up, you may just care when you can’t sell your house because no reasonable person would send their kids into this environment.

I am disgusted. The radio dispatch sounds horrible. I can’t imagine how scared so many kids are.

It's not just the school board. It's the parents and voters. All cowards. I'm so tired of the pearl clutching from parents who get intimidated by the PTAC crew and then settle down and follow directions from the people they think are their betters. This is a city of followers and cowards.

It is true but to be fair, it can be hard if you are a federal government employee to speak up because the PTAC mob will attack you personally if you speak up and may even highlight your federal employment and suggest you are misusing your position by trying to advocate for your child and your child’s peers.

Maybe with more numbers the risks of speaking up would lessen but I think the experience with Open ACPS (regardless if you agreed with that group’s position) shows even numbers does not reduce the risk of public shaming from the Alexandria establishment.

And no one can figure out that is a joke of an argument? No one can go to HR at their agency and office and ask, get a letter signing off on advocating for your kids? By this "logic" Wilson and McPike shouldn't be on the council and shouldn't be able to say anything either. No one can go to a Denise Dunbar at the Alex Times and tell her this, show her the texts, tweets and posts?

No, it's an excuse to keep quiet. A kid has been murdered, a kid has been raped and untold beatings are happening everyday. What's it going to take for parents to stop making excuses?

It is not a joke of an argument if you work in a sensitive non political position. McPike is a political hack and Wilson works for Amtrak, not a federal agency.

Westfall ran for school board with her work as a federal employee as one of her campaign points. She hangs out with the president of PTAC. Ask her why her campaign was OK but a parent who is a federal employee saying violence is bad is not.

Silence is violence.

Bridget Westfall is not friends with the president of PTAC. They both live in the same neighborhood and their kids attend/attended the same school. Bridget has gone to the board meetings and spoke about the violence. You are insane if you think she is not okay. Bridget is also a very ethical person. She got everything cleared with her agency. People attacked her family, doxxed her kids. They literally posted photos of her husband and children biking, on the playground at Maury, at George Mason. She did not like when people started threatening her family. She also has a busy job and she couldn't really campaign. Her husband is a fed too and he is further prohibited. Her husband is on the Maury PTA, not her.

[Anonymous]

Westfall was deployed to Texas and Michigan for four months for her job. She worked in law enforcement. Her husband is in law enforcement. Her sister and dad are in law enforcement. If you think Westfall is anti-law enforcement, you don't know her or didn't bother to get to know her. Bridget worked with gangs in St. Louis. She was a juvenile officer. Her sister is a former gang task force member in NoVA and Chicago.

[Anonymous]

Bridget Westfall became a fed because of her work with children of incarcerated parents. She worked as a deputy juvenile officer in the family court in a Midwest state. She worked for years on a federal program for at-risk kids. On her website, she said she worked on federal grant programs. That is no different than any other federal employee. Also the School Board is supposed to be nonpartisan. Bridget ran as an independent. Because she had support from Republicans and she and her husband are viewed as conservative by the Maury and PTAC crowd, people tried to paint her as a fringe candidate, an outlier. Bridget fully admits she was in over her head and thought that school board was grassroots. People gave her bad advice because when they ran you didn't need a lot of funding. It was also a pandemic and it is hard to make a name for yourself in a pandemic door knocking. She didn't have the name recongition or resources. It was just her campaigning. I don't think Westfall will ever run for SB again. She felt the experience was very negative.

[Anonymous]

Westfall's husband is further prohibited. And Westfall was prohibited from major fundraising. The government is strict about how you fundraise.