Show me the law that says school boards cannot change boundaries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Years ago, I went to a boundary meeting held by SB members when a new school was being built in Western Fairfax. People were heated--no one wanted to be moved. Many people on this forum when be surprised to know that even people whose kids went to lower performing schools did not want to be redistricted. It was enlightening.

The friend who went with me commented later that it was good to see that no matter where the kids went to school, the parents wanted their neighborhoods to stay put.

I suspect the same is true of most people today. I'd bet that the people in the lower SES part of the McLean boundary also don't wish to be redistricted to Langley. It is ironic that all these people who accuse others of being racist are happy to think that the lower income people don't care where they go to school.

When posters ask where are all the FARMs parents who want their children moved, crickets. Every time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Confused - honest question...
Why would people be sent out of Langley if it is under capacity? Or does Langley not want people from mcclean coming to their school? I am not understanding what the issue is.

Langley parents don't care if anyone gets redistricted to Langley. Langley parents do care if their kids get redistricted to a lower-performing school, in part because of the academics and in part because of property values.

I was at the work session earlier this week and heard Langley parents sitting behind me complaining about the possibility that some McLean kids might get moved to Langley. They’ve convinced themselves FCPS might then move them from Langley to Herndon.

If you think this concern is silly or makes Langley families come across as selfish, you should talk to the other parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Time to resurrect this thread. Remind me again why Great Falls residents seem to think they are entitled to never experience a school boundary change?

Because they are currently in a school with excess capacity? And, the school to which you wish to move them is full?

People are really angry at Langley and Great Falls for existing.

Not all of them. But some of them are so freaking ugly. Men yelling at School Board members to wrap up a discussion. And like when staff refers to growth in the county and some shrill from Great Falls yells out “that’s because you let in all the illegals.”

It seems like a toxic group of people, so I assume their kids have serious issues, too.

Best keep them away from everyone else then.

Have you ever gone through a redistricting? My neighborhood has. When you have a kid in high school and another in middle school, it is quite upsetting. And, FWIW, the SB members don't always level with you. It is extremely disruptive for neighborhoods because you are being pulled out of your "community" because that is what a high school is.

Remember when Kathy Smith was running for Supervisor and was attacked by a constituent in her district? The woman was still angry because of the boundary adjustment. (Kathy Smith was the worst about being honest with people.) And, for those of you who think this is about race and money--the mom was upset because her kids were moved from Chantilly to Oakton. That neighborhood had been assigned to Chantilly since the houses were built. And, it was only about two miles (at most) from Chantilly. But, to justify the South Lakes redistricting, they had to move kids from Chantilly. (Oakton was losing kids to South Lakes.) Of the Chantilly neighborhoods, it was the closest to Oakton--but still miles and miles away. Kind of like Great Falls and Herndon, Langley. Closer to one school but sent to another because it was the most logical one to go there because the school would be too small otherwise.

I am merely agreeing that Langley parents are terrible people whose children are terrible as well, and drawing the logical conclusion that the terribleness needs to be confined within current boundaries .

That person who yelled does not represent all of Langley. I am a Langley parent and I am very conflicted over this issue. On the one hand, I support increasing diversity in the schools; on the other, I am concerned about my property values. Redistricting is probably not going to have the desired effect the school board wants. In my hometown, most of the white families across the school district sent their kids to private to avoid integration and were no longer supportive of the schools. Support for taxes decreased and eventually the entire school system was at risk. It was pathetic. I am white and was a minority in my schools growing up. While I greatly value the social aspect of my schooling, the academics were abysmal and I was completely unprepared for college (I failed my first year). I chose the Langley school pyramid specifically because I want my own kids to have a solid academic foundation going into college. I don't know what the right answer is. In an ideal world, there would be more neighborhood elementary schools with smaller classes with enough staff to give more individual attention to kids so that by the time our children get to high school (maybe have fewer, but larger high schools), it shouldn't matter where they go - they would excel regardless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Years ago, I went to a boundary meeting held by SB members when a new school was being built in Western Fairfax. People were heated--no one wanted to be moved. Many people on this forum when be surprised to know that even people whose kids went to lower performing schools did not want to be redistricted. It was enlightening.

The friend who went with me commented later that it was good to see that no matter where the kids went to school, the parents wanted their neighborhoods to stay put.

I suspect the same is true of most people today. I'd bet that the people in the lower SES part of the McLean boundary also don't wish to be redistricted to Langley. It is ironic that all these people who accuse others of being racist are happy to think that the lower income people don't care where they go to school.

On the other hand, in recent years, there were people zoned for Lee who lobbied successfully to move to West Springfield; people zoned for Jackson who asked for years to get moved to Thoreau; and people zoned for Ravensworth and Wakefield Forest who were happy to get reassigned to Lake Braddock and Woodson.

People may not like it if they sense that others have decided they are the ones who should be redistricted, and usually then only if the other school is ranked lower. The School Board knows that, which is why they’ve been so reluctant over the past decade to move kids to lower ranked schools. But that’s the exact pattern that has aggravated the demographic imbalances in some parts of the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Time to resurrect this thread. Remind me again why Great Falls residents seem to think they are entitled to never experience a school boundary change?

Because they are currently in a school with excess capacity? And, the school to which you wish to move them is full?

People are really angry at Langley and Great Falls for existing.

Not all of them. But some of them are so freaking ugly. Men yelling at School Board members to wrap up a discussion. And like when staff refers to growth in the county and some shrill from Great Falls yells out “that’s because you let in all the illegals.”

It seems like a toxic group of people, so I assume their kids have serious issues, too.

Best keep them away from everyone else then.

Have you ever gone through a redistricting? My neighborhood has. When you have a kid in high school and another in middle school, it is quite upsetting. And, FWIW, the SB members don't always level with you. It is extremely disruptive for neighborhoods because you are being pulled out of your "community" because that is what a high school is.

Remember when Kathy Smith was running for Supervisor and was attacked by a constituent in her district? The woman was still angry because of the boundary adjustment. (Kathy Smith was the worst about being honest with people.) And, for those of you who think this is about race and money--the mom was upset because her kids were moved from Chantilly to Oakton. That neighborhood had been assigned to Chantilly since the houses were built. And, it was only about two miles (at most) from Chantilly. But, to justify the South Lakes redistricting, they had to move kids from Chantilly. (Oakton was losing kids to South Lakes.) Of the Chantilly neighborhoods, it was the closest to Oakton--but still miles and miles away. Kind of like Great Falls and Herndon, Langley. Closer to one school but sent to another because it was the most logical one to go there because the school would be too small otherwise.

I am merely agreeing that Langley parents are terrible people whose children are terrible as well, and drawing the logical conclusion that the terribleness needs to be confined within current boundaries .

That person who yelled does not represent all of Langley. I am a Langley parent and I am very conflicted over this issue. On the one hand, I support increasing diversity in the schools; on the other, I am concerned about my property values. Redistricting is probably not going to have the desired effect the school board wants. In my hometown, most of the white families across the school district sent their kids to private to avoid integration and were no longer supportive of the schools. Support for taxes decreased and eventually the entire school system was at risk. It was pathetic. I am white and was a minority in my schools growing up. While I greatly value the social aspect of my schooling, the academics were abysmal and I was completely unprepared for college (I failed my first year). I chose the Langley school pyramid specifically because I want my own kids to have a solid academic foundation going into college. I don't know what the right answer is. In an ideal world, there would be more neighborhood elementary schools with smaller classes with enough staff to give more individual attention to kids so that by the time our children get to high school (maybe have fewer, but larger high schools), it shouldn't matter where they go - they would excel regardless.

You do realize that you were responding to a Langley poster who was facetiously making an argument for why Langley’s boundaries should remain untouched, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Confused - honest question...
Why would people be sent out of Langley if it is under capacity? Or does Langley not want people from mcclean coming to their school? I am not understanding what the issue is.

Langley parents don't care if anyone gets redistricted to Langley. Langley parents do care if their kids get redistricted to a lower-performing school, in part because of the academics and in part because of property values.

I was at the work session earlier this week and heard Langley parents sitting behind me complaining about the possibility that some McLean kids might get moved to Langley. They’ve convinced themselves FCPS might then move them from Langley to Herndon.

If you think this concern is silly or makes Langley families come across as selfish, you should talk to the other parents.

Well I have talked to other parents and there are a few concerned about that possibility.

I haven't spoken to or heard of anyone opposed to a tweak in the boundary that scoops up some McLean students. Most of us think that is the ideal solution for McLean's overcrowding. Despite school rivalries many of us have friends and coworkers whose children go there or will in the future. It would get kids out of the trailers. I for one was glad when my child no longer had to go back and forth between the trailers and the school building. Whether those neighborhoods close to Langley want that or would rather wait for renovations to be completed at McLean is up to them. They have a right to their own opinion on the options.

If the school board does want to reconstitute schools based largely on socioeconomic integration, then the idea of them doing some domino redistricting (even if it is in the future) is entirely feasible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Confused - honest question...
Why would people be sent out of Langley if it is under capacity? Or does Langley not want people from mcclean coming to their school? I am not understanding what the issue is.

Langley parents don't care if anyone gets redistricted to Langley. Langley parents do care if their kids get redistricted to a lower-performing school, in part because of the academics and in part because of property values.

I was at the work session earlier this week and heard Langley parents sitting behind me complaining about the possibility that some McLean kids might get moved to Langley. They’ve convinced themselves FCPS might then move them from Langley to Herndon.

If you think this concern is silly or makes Langley families come across as selfish, you should talk to the other parents.

Well I have talked to other parents and there are a few concerned about that possibility.

I haven't spoken to or heard of anyone opposed to a tweak in the boundary that scoops up some McLean students. Most of us think that is the ideal solution for McLean's overcrowding. Despite school rivalries many of us have friends and coworkers whose children go there or will in the future. It would get kids out of the trailers. I for one was glad when my child no longer had to go back and forth between the trailers and the school building. Whether those neighborhoods close to Langley want that or would rather wait for renovations to be completed at McLean is up to them. They have a right to their own opinion on the options.

If the school board does want to reconstitute schools based largely on socioeconomic integration, then the idea of them doing some domino redistricting (even if it is in the future) is entirely feasible.

I would bet the majority of Langley families feel the same way. Let’s just hope common sense is allowed to prevail.

[Anonymous]

No one in McLean/Great Falls has a problem sending current McLean kids to Langley as a result of redrawing boundaries. The two school bases have largely similar student types, and the kids would likely fit in fine after an adjustment period.

The concern I hear is current Great Falls families that currently send their kids to Langley having to send their kids to Herndon after a boundary adjustment.

[Anonymous]

It is past time for a new western HS. This would help all kids stay closer to home. Sadly, though, this probably won't happen because the closer to home option isn't desirable to some parents in $$$ areas. They don't mind 45 minute commutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one in McLean/Great Falls has a problem sending current McLean kids to Langley as a result of redrawing boundaries. The two school bases have largely similar student types, and the kids would likely fit in fine after an adjustment period.

The concern I hear is current Great Falls families that currently send their kids to Langley having to send their kids to Herndon after a boundary adjustment.

Yes, and some of those Great Falls families are objecting to moving any McLean kids to Langley for precisely that reason. They see the empty seats at Langley as their insurance policy against ever getting moved to Herndon.

Oink, oink, oink.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one in McLean/Great Falls has a problem sending current McLean kids to Langley as a result of redrawing boundaries. The two school bases have largely similar student types, and the kids would likely fit in fine after an adjustment period.

The concern I hear is current Great Falls families that currently send their kids to Langley having to send their kids to Herndon after a boundary adjustment.

Yes, and some of those Great Falls families are objecting to moving any McLean kids to Langley for precisely that reason. They see the empty seats at Langley as their insurance policy against ever getting moved to Herndon.

Oink, oink, oink.

That's exactly what it sounds like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Confused - honest question...
Why would people be sent out of Langley if it is under capacity? Or does Langley not want people from mcclean coming to their school? I am not understanding what the issue is.

Langley parents don't care if anyone gets redistricted to Langley. Langley parents do care if their kids get redistricted to a lower-performing school, in part because of the academics and in part because of property values.

I was at the work session earlier this week and heard Langley parents sitting behind me complaining about the possibility that some McLean kids might get moved to Langley. They’ve convinced themselves FCPS might then move them from Langley to Herndon.

If you think this concern is silly or makes Langley families come across as selfish, you should talk to the other parents.

Well I have talked to other parents and there are a few concerned about that possibility.

I haven't spoken to or heard of anyone opposed to a tweak in the boundary that scoops up some McLean students. Most of us think that is the ideal solution for McLean's overcrowding. Despite school rivalries many of us have friends and coworkers whose children go there or will in the future. It would get kids out of the trailers. I for one was glad when my child no longer had to go back and forth between the trailers and the school building. Whether those neighborhoods close to Langley want that or would rather wait for renovations to be completed at McLean is up to them. They have a right to their own opinion on the options.

If the school board does want to reconstitute schools based largely on socioeconomic integration, then the idea of them doing some domino redistricting (even if it is in the future) is entirely feasible.

I would bet the majority of Langley families feel the same way. Let’s just hope common sense is allowed to prevail.

We'll see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one in McLean/Great Falls has a problem sending current McLean kids to Langley as a result of redrawing boundaries. The two school bases have largely similar student types, and the kids would likely fit in fine after an adjustment period.

The concern I hear is current Great Falls families that currently send their kids to Langley having to send their kids to Herndon after a boundary adjustment.

Yes, and some of those Great Falls families are objecting to moving any McLean kids to Langley for precisely that reason. They see the empty seats at Langley as their insurance policy against ever getting moved to Herndon.

Oink, oink, oink.

I don't think you read the prior post correctly. It flat out says Great Falls families do not object to moving McLean kids to Langley. That is not a problem for Great Falls or Langley HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one in McLean/Great Falls has a problem sending current McLean kids to Langley as a result of redrawing boundaries. The two school bases have largely similar student types, and the kids would likely fit in fine after an adjustment period.

The concern I hear is current Great Falls families that currently send their kids to Langley having to send their kids to Herndon after a boundary adjustment.

Yes, and some of those Great Falls families are objecting to moving any McLean kids to Langley for precisely that reason. They see the empty seats at Langley as their insurance policy against ever getting moved to Herndon.

Oink, oink, oink.

I don't think you read the prior post correctly. It flat out says Great Falls families do not object to moving McLean kids to Langley. That is not a problem for Great Falls or Langley HS.

Some of these people just want GF moved to Langley by any means necessary and for whatever reason. They call Langley racist even as they want to offload some of these "brown children" elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one in McLean/Great Falls has a problem sending current McLean kids to Langley as a result of redrawing boundaries. The two school bases have largely similar student types, and the kids would likely fit in fine after an adjustment period.

The concern I hear is current Great Falls families that currently send their kids to Langley having to send their kids to Herndon after a boundary adjustment.

Yes, and some of those Great Falls families are objecting to moving any McLean kids to Langley for precisely that reason. They see the empty seats at Langley as their insurance policy against ever getting moved to Herndon.

Oink, oink, oink.

I don't think you read the prior post correctly. It flat out says Great Falls families do not object to moving McLean kids to Langley. That is not a problem for Great Falls or Langley HS.

I read the PP correctly. I simply disagreed with it because I know for a fact some Great Falls parents don’t want any McLean kids moved into Langley for fear Langley kids will get moved to Herndon. I’ve heard them say it and I’ve read their comments on other social media platforms. These people want Langley’s boundaries preserved as they are now, with no changes at all. Relatedly, I’ve also seen campaign materials for one of the School Board candidates from Great Falls that say Langley should have veto rights over any proposal to adjust the school’s boundaries.

I understand that may not be the view of most Langley families, but it is the view of some. I also understand why other Langley parents might not want to acknowledge that some in their pyramid feel that way because “resource hoarding” isn’t a great look for the community.