Tell me more about the School Board election process

[Anonymous]

^^ when I don’t have any wider political aspirations and just actually care about education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax Democrats posted on their website re: the endorsement process: https://www.fairfaxdemocrats.org/2023endorsement/

This is a change from 2019 and I don’t want anyone to forget it. In 2019 they did not have the qualified voter caveat and Omeish got a ton of people who couldn’t vote in the regular election to vote for her in the FCDC sample ballot process. They did change their rules as a result but that doesn’t change the fact that largely based on their endorsement she won.

Since 2019, FCDC has kicked out lifelong Dems, and did not allow anyone to join who was critical of the school board. They are in an echo chamber and further radicalizing. The ones left to sign a petition to endorse candidates are fringe left. Their only hope is to paint opposition as a extreme right wing.

If the opposition doesn’t want to be painted as extreme right wing, maybe they need to express their clear support for safe and secure public schools with adequately funded facilities. Right now it seems many are just looking to say as many negative things about public schools as possible with the goal of replacing funding of public schools with vouchers. That didn’t get anywhere in the divided state legislature this session but it doesn’t mean they won’t stop trying.

I never see anyone really trying to appeal to the middle.

Agree we need the "middle." However, FCPS is adequately funded--it's the way the Supe, Board, and administration choose to use the funds that is the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax Democrats posted on their website re: the endorsement process: https://www.fairfaxdemocrats.org/2023endorsement/

This is a change from 2019 and I don’t want anyone to forget it. In 2019 they did not have the qualified voter caveat and Omeish got a ton of people who couldn’t vote in the regular election to vote for her in the FCDC sample ballot process. They did change their rules as a result but that doesn’t change the fact that largely based on their endorsement she won.

Since 2019, FCDC has kicked out lifelong Dems, and did not allow anyone to join who was critical of the school board. They are in an echo chamber and further radicalizing. The ones left to sign a petition to endorse candidates are fringe left. Their only hope is to paint opposition as a extreme right wing.

If the opposition doesn’t want to be painted as extreme right wing, maybe they need to express their clear support for safe and secure public schools with adequately funded facilities. Right now it seems many are just looking to say as many negative things about public schools as possible with the goal of replacing funding of public schools with vouchers. That didn’t get anywhere in the divided state legislature this session but it doesn’t mean they won’t stop trying.

I never see anyone really trying to appeal to the middle.

Agree we need the "middle." However, FCPS is adequately funded--it's the way the Supe, Board, and administration choose to use the funds that is the problem.

Yet. None of them had said anything about vouchers. One of them disagreed with the notion of vouchers as they are not implementable to scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax Democrats posted on their website re: the endorsement process: https://www.fairfaxdemocrats.org/2023endorsement/

This is a change from 2019 and I don’t want anyone to forget it. In 2019 they did not have the qualified voter caveat and Omeish got a ton of people who couldn’t vote in the regular election to vote for her in the FCDC sample ballot process. They did change their rules as a result but that doesn’t change the fact that largely based on their endorsement she won.

Since 2019, FCDC has kicked out lifelong Dems, and did not allow anyone to join who was critical of the school board. They are in an echo chamber and further radicalizing. The ones left to sign a petition to endorse candidates are fringe left. Their only hope is to paint opposition as a extreme right wing.

What lifelong dems have been kicked out of fcdc? Im a longtime member and question this assertion. There was the woman in the springfield district who wasnt allowed to join, the one who kept going on fox news talking about how the dem led schoolboard was awful and was leading the recall petition effort. Why would she be allowed to join?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax Democrats posted on their website re: the endorsement process: https://www.fairfaxdemocrats.org/2023endorsement/

This is a change from 2019 and I don’t want anyone to forget it. In 2019 they did not have the qualified voter caveat and Omeish got a ton of people who couldn’t vote in the regular election to vote for her in the FCDC sample ballot process. They did change their rules as a result but that doesn’t change the fact that largely based on their endorsement she won.

Since 2019, FCDC has kicked out lifelong Dems, and did not allow anyone to join who was critical of the school board. They are in an echo chamber and further radicalizing. The ones left to sign a petition to endorse candidates are fringe left. Their only hope is to paint opposition as a extreme right wing.

What lifelong dems have been kicked out of fcdc? Im a longtime member and question this assertion. There was the woman in the springfield district who wasnt allowed to join, the one who kept going on fox news talking about how the dem led schoolboard was awful and was leading the recall petition effort. Why would she be allowed to join?

Why should she not be allowed to join? There are several Dems that think the schoolboard was awful? Most in Fairfax are left of center. Why should the fringe left be in control when they driving the school system into the ground?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax Democrats posted on their website re: the endorsement process: https://www.fairfaxdemocrats.org/2023endorsement/

This is a change from 2019 and I don’t want anyone to forget it. In 2019 they did not have the qualified voter caveat and Omeish got a ton of people who couldn’t vote in the regular election to vote for her in the FCDC sample ballot process. They did change their rules as a result but that doesn’t change the fact that largely based on their endorsement she won.

Since 2019, FCDC has kicked out lifelong Dems, and did not allow anyone to join who was critical of the school board. They are in an echo chamber and further radicalizing. The ones left to sign a petition to endorse candidates are fringe left. Their only hope is to paint opposition as a extreme right wing.

If the opposition doesn’t want to be painted as extreme right wing, maybe they need to express their clear support for safe and secure public schools with adequately funded facilities. Right now it seems many are just looking to say as many negative things about public schools as possible with the goal of replacing funding of public schools with vouchers. That didn’t get anywhere in the divided state legislature this session but it doesn’t mean they won’t stop trying.



I never see anyone really trying to appeal to the middle.

Agree we need the "middle." However, FCPS is adequately funded--it's the way the Supe, Board, and administration choose to use the funds that is the problem.

Yet. None of them had said anything about vouchers. One of them disagreed with the notion of vouchers as they are not implementable to scale.

Not sure why you’d expect any of the current superintendent, Gatehouse employees, or School Board members to say much publicly about the proposals for vouchers. It’s clearly inconsistent with their legislative agenda and they knew the Democrats in the state legislature wouldn’t let the proposal advance.

If you want vouchers, you should elect state legislators who’ll support them but to me it almost seems inconsistent with the idea of a public school board member having a fiduciary duty for a SB member to publicly support efforts to defund the public schools in favor of vouchers that can be spent on private and religious schools. Though I do get that the threat might be useful if it would prompt school officials to spend the available money more wisely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax Democrats posted on their website re: the endorsement process: https://www.fairfaxdemocrats.org/2023endorsement/

This is a change from 2019 and I don’t want anyone to forget it. In 2019 they did not have the qualified voter caveat and Omeish got a ton of people who couldn’t vote in the regular election to vote for her in the FCDC sample ballot process. They did change their rules as a result but that doesn’t change the fact that largely based on their endorsement she won.

Since 2019, FCDC has kicked out lifelong Dems, and did not allow anyone to join who was critical of the school board. They are in an echo chamber and further radicalizing. The ones left to sign a petition to endorse candidates are fringe left. Their only hope is to paint opposition as a extreme right wing.

What lifelong dems have been kicked out of fcdc? Im a longtime member and question this assertion. There was the woman in the springfield district who wasnt allowed to join, the one who kept going on fox news talking about how the dem led schoolboard was awful and was leading the recall petition effort. Why would she be allowed to join?

DP. I have heard anyone who complained about the school closures was kicked out.

I think they should allow people who didnt support school closure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax Democrats posted on their website re: the endorsement process: https://www.fairfaxdemocrats.org/2023endorsement/

This is a change from 2019 and I don’t want anyone to forget it. In 2019 they did not have the qualified voter caveat and Omeish got a ton of people who couldn’t vote in the regular election to vote for her in the FCDC sample ballot process. They did change their rules as a result but that doesn’t change the fact that largely based on their endorsement she won.

Since 2019, FCDC has kicked out lifelong Dems, and did not allow anyone to join who was critical of the school board. They are in an echo chamber and further radicalizing. The ones left to sign a petition to endorse candidates are fringe left. Their only hope is to paint opposition as a extreme right wing.

What lifelong dems have been kicked out of fcdc? Im a longtime member and question this assertion. There was the woman in the springfield district who wasnt allowed to join, the one who kept going on fox news talking about how the dem led schoolboard was awful and was leading the recall petition effort. Why would she be allowed to join?

DP. I wasn’t expelled from the FCDC but I quit because I was tired of getting spammed with messages to show up at School Board meetings to demonstrate my support for Board members. I support the position of Democrats on issues like gun control, women’s health, and tax policy, but I also think the current School Board - which in theory is supposed to be non-partisan - has been negligent and in some instances deeply hypocritical. But if I were to voice those opinions publicly, they’d likely bar me from rejoining the FCDC. So now, after decades of being a Democrat, I just think of myself as an Independent and am less likely to lend my time and support to Democratic causes. I’d say it’s their loss, not mine, except that I would like to have a voice when they tap the next set of School Board candidates, and I probably won’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax Democrats posted on their website re: the endorsement process: https://www.fairfaxdemocrats.org/2023endorsement/

This is a change from 2019 and I don’t want anyone to forget it. In 2019 they did not have the qualified voter caveat and Omeish got a ton of people who couldn’t vote in the regular election to vote for her in the FCDC sample ballot process. They did change their rules as a result but that doesn’t change the fact that largely based on their endorsement she won.

Since 2019, FCDC has kicked out lifelong Dems, and did not allow anyone to join who was critical of the school board. They are in an echo chamber and further radicalizing. The ones left to sign a petition to endorse candidates are fringe left. Their only hope is to paint opposition as a extreme right wing.

What lifelong dems have been kicked out of fcdc? Im a longtime member and question this assertion. There was the woman in the springfield district who wasnt allowed to join, the one who kept going on fox news talking about how the dem led schoolboard was awful and was leading the recall petition effort. Why would she be allowed to join?

DP. I wasn’t expelled from the FCDC but I quit because I was tired of getting spammed with messages to show up at School Board meetings to demonstrate my support for Board members. I support the position of Democrats on issues like gun control, women’s health, and tax policy, but I also think the current School Board - which in theory is supposed to be non-partisan - has been negligent and in some instances deeply hypocritical. But if I were to voice those opinions publicly, they’d likely bar me from rejoining the FCDC. So now, after decades of being a Democrat, I just think of myself as an Independent and am less likely to lend my time and support to Democratic causes. I’d say it’s their loss, not mine, except that I would like to have a voice when they tap the next set of School Board candidates, and I probably won’t.

I am also now independent as a result of the school closures, after having identified as a D from 1999-2021. I may continue to vote in D primaries in VA for the same reason but I really want nothing to do with FCDC anymore.

I support gun control and I’m pro choice and I think it’s their loss. Lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So in multiple threads, people bring up the current SB and the upcoming 2023 elections. Based on what I've read on DCUM, there are no actual primary elections--the parties hand pick who they want to run? Is this correct? I am not happy with the current state of things in a lot of areas but I also do not want to vote for book banning/right wing funded/undermine public education folks. What are the chances that moderates will actually be on the ballot? Is it usually 2 people running for a specific district? And several for the at large positions? I feel bad that I honestly never paid attention to the SB before.

Anyone can run. Historically, successful candidates go to and receive the endorsement of one of the political parties. Sometimes several candidates seek the same endorsement and they need to convince the voting members of their preferred party to endorse them over the others. The endorsed names appear on each party’s sample ballot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So in multiple threads, people bring up the current SB and the upcoming 2023 elections. Based on what I've read on DCUM, there are no actual primary elections--the parties hand pick who they want to run? Is this correct? I am not happy with the current state of things in a lot of areas but I also do not want to vote for book banning/right wing funded/undermine public education folks. What are the chances that moderates will actually be on the ballot? Is it usually 2 people running for a specific district? And several for the at large positions? I feel bad that I honestly never paid attention to the SB before.

Anyone can run. Historically, successful candidates go to and receive the endorsement of one of the political parties. Sometimes several candidates seek the same endorsement and they need to convince the voting members of their preferred party to endorse them over the others. The endorsed names appear on each party’s sample ballot.

Such a charade - we’d get more moderate candidates more attuned to what most people care about if there were just open primaries.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s fairly new that there’s even so much interest. I still remember Elizabeth Schultz running unopposed in springfield district in 2015.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s fairly new that there’s even so much interest. I still remember Elizabeth Schultz running unopposed in springfield district in 2015.

How do we capitalize the interest to get what we want, which is a board that is not extreme in either direction?

[Anonymous]

Anyone can run. Historically, successful candidates go to and receive the endorsement of one of the political parties. Sometimes several candidates seek the same endorsement and they need to convince the voting members of their preferred party to endorse them over the others. The endorsed names appear on each party’s sample ballot.

Don't forget the current SB member who gamed the system by bringing in a bunch of high school students who were allowed to join FCDC--but, not y et allowed to vote in the general election. Managed to beat out a longtime SB member at the FCDC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s fairly new that there’s even so much interest. I still remember Elizabeth Schultz running unopposed in springfield district in 2015.

How do we capitalize the interest to get what we want, which is a board that is not extreme in either direction?

I guess we have to do work to support the independents and moderates but I don’t have time for that. Open to other ideas.