McLean to Explore Separating from FC & FCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I think maybe we disagree on what public schools mean in a fundamental way if you believe that the price of the house a child's family can afford should directly determine the quality of their public school education. Maybe you should get a cheaper house and pay for private school.

what is your understanding of it?

DP. Public school is for all people, not just the stellar students, the bright kids, the academically inclined. Or the rich. That's why my kids go to public school.

im trying to understand how PP thinks that people who pay into public schools should not expect decent schools and some semblance of competence ... unless they're poor?

are you saying that McLean residents do not get decent schools and competence? because they do. they also complain a lot.

You consider dilapidated trailers decent?

They are great learning environments and we’re all whiny not to agree. Clearly the rest of the county is better off without us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think maybe we disagree on what public schools mean in a fundamental way if you believe that the price of the house a child's family can afford should directly determine the quality of their public school education. Maybe you should get a cheaper house and pay for private school.

what is your understanding of it?

DP. Public school is for all people, not just the stellar students, the bright kids, the academically inclined. Or the rich. That's why my kids go to public school.

im trying to understand how PP thinks that people who pay into public schools should not expect decent schools and some semblance of competence ... unless they're poor?

are you saying that McLean residents do not get decent schools and competence? because they do. they also complain a lot.

You consider dilapidated trailers decent?

Schools are not buildings. They are teachers and students.

Nice buildings are nice. But old buildings are fine. And they'll be renovated on their schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think maybe we disagree on what public schools mean in a fundamental way if you believe that the price of the house a child's family can afford should directly determine the quality of their public school education. Maybe you should get a cheaper house and pay for private school.

what is your understanding of it?

DP. Public school is for all people, not just the stellar students, the bright kids, the academically inclined. Or the rich. That's why my kids go to public school.

im trying to understand how PP thinks that people who pay into public schools should not expect decent schools and some semblance of competence ... unless they're poor?

are you saying that McLean residents do not get decent schools and competence? because they do. they also complain a lot.

You consider dilapidated trailers decent?

They are great learning environments and we’re all whiny not to agree. Clearly the rest of the county is better off without us.

Reading this thread, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think maybe we disagree on what public schools mean in a fundamental way if you believe that the price of the house a child's family can afford should directly determine the quality of their public school education. Maybe you should get a cheaper house and pay for private school.

what is your understanding of it?

DP. Public school is for all people, not just the stellar students, the bright kids, the academically inclined. Or the rich. That's why my kids go to public school.

im trying to understand how PP thinks that people who pay into public schools should not expect decent schools and some semblance of competence ... unless they're poor?

are you saying that McLean residents do not get decent schools and competence? because they do. they also complain a lot.

You consider dilapidated trailers decent?

Schools are not buildings. They are teachers and students.

Nice buildings are nice. But old buildings are fine. And they'll be renovated on their schedule.

And this is the reason those tax dollars should be kept within McLean's boundaries. You basically just said give over those tax dollars and f*ck off until we decide your children shouldnt be educated in trailers that are falling apart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean resident (and native) here with 3 kids in the public school system. This sounds like an interesting idea, but I want to know a lot more before I support it. 1) How will our taxes change? Will there be additional taxes, ie city sales taxes like in Vienna and FCC? What would the rate of these taxes be? Would there be a McLean city administration and staff and how much would these people be paid? Would they be elected officials? What would their roles be? How much would be allocated to schools vs. other public works? Would we still be paying a portion of taxes to FFX Cty and how much?

I don't expect anyone on this thread to actually answer these questions, I just think everyone jumping on board right away needs to understand what's really at stake.

You could basically be creating another layer of government services here, so a lot needs to be answered before we all truly understand what this proposal really means.

All important questions to work through. but you would not be paying taxes to the county. The jurisdiction would no longer be part of the county, just like FCC is not part of Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think maybe we disagree on what public schools mean in a fundamental way if you believe that the price of the house a child's family can afford should directly determine the quality of their public school education. Maybe you should get a cheaper house and pay for private school.

what is your understanding of it?

DP. Public school is for all people, not just the stellar students, the bright kids, the academically inclined. Or the rich. That's why my kids go to public school.

im trying to understand how PP thinks that people who pay into public schools should not expect decent schools and some semblance of competence ... unless they're poor?

are you saying that McLean residents do not get decent schools and competence? because they do. they also complain a lot.

You consider dilapidated trailers decent?

They are great learning environments and we’re all whiny not to agree. Clearly the rest of the county is better off without us.

Reading this thread, yes.

so then whats the fuss about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im confused. Does McLean want to become a city just like Fairfax City, City of Falls Church, or just break off their own schools? Because this seems to be to be all about schools vs any other municipal services.

I guess my first question would be why you expect Fairfax County to just give you its school buildings/properties/other municipal buildings if you are going to secede from the county? These properties(Ie the land they are built on) are worth millions!

The county has no way to unlock that value without investing many millions more in school facilities elsewhere. That is why such facilities are often ceded to seceding jurisdictions - the county would actually be relieved of the obligations associated with their existing dedicated use. If you think it would be a bad deal for the county, you are acknowledging the county benefits by treating McLean as a cash cow without providing a reciprocal level of services.

Why would Fairfax County give the land away though? Regardless of whats housed there—schools or parks or a warehouse, its land the county owns. Why would it give this land to a seceding jurisdiction?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think maybe we disagree on what public schools mean in a fundamental way if you believe that the price of the house a child's family can afford should directly determine the quality of their public school education. Maybe you should get a cheaper house and pay for private school.

what is your understanding of it?

DP. Public school is for all people, not just the stellar students, the bright kids, the academically inclined. Or the rich. That's why my kids go to public school.

im trying to understand how PP thinks that people who pay into public schools should not expect decent schools and some semblance of competence ... unless they're poor?

are you saying that McLean residents do not get decent schools and competence? because they do. they also complain a lot.

You consider dilapidated trailers decent?

Schools are not buildings. They are teachers and students.

Nice buildings are nice. But old buildings are fine. And they'll be renovated on their schedule.

And this is the reason those tax dollars should be kept within McLean's boundaries. You basically just said give over those tax dollars and f*ck off until we decide your children shouldnt be educated in trailers that are falling apart.

I didn't say that. I said that I believe in public schools. And my kids go to public school.

A lot of parents choose McLean for the public schools and send their kids there. Others live in McLean and send their kids to private school, so they do not believe in public school.

I don't think the reasons put forward for this are great ones, but I do not live in McLean. They may think differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think maybe we disagree on what public schools mean in a fundamental way if you believe that the price of the house a child's family can afford should directly determine the quality of their public school education. Maybe you should get a cheaper house and pay for private school.

Or maybe you should acknowledge that FCPS short-changes the public schools in McLean and then takes credit for the high achievement of their students that is a result of the additional resources that the parents there have to fork over on their own.

+1

No one wants McLean schools to get more than other schools in FCPS. They want to be treated equally. I’m not sure you understand what goes on. FCPS regularly puts money into schools in poorer areas and then expects McLean schools to do without. For example, fields at poorer schools are regularly funded by FCPS. If McLean needs money for fields, they are required to fundraise for them. The county will not pay for them. That is just one example.

Citizens of mclean just want to be treated equally, not better than. But they are constantly being treated less than all others in the county because they assume the citizens will just fund it themselves.

But then FCPS is perfectly ready to take credit for the high test scores that come out of the underfunded schools. Even though it is the parents and students that actually are responsible for those phenomenal test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think maybe we disagree on what public schools mean in a fundamental way if you believe that the price of the house a child's family can afford should directly determine the quality of their public school education. Maybe you should get a cheaper house and pay for private school.

what is your understanding of it?

DP. Public school is for all people, not just the stellar students, the bright kids, the academically inclined. Or the rich. That's why my kids go to public school.

im trying to understand how PP thinks that people who pay into public schools should not expect decent schools and some semblance of competence ... unless they're poor?

are you saying that McLean residents do not get decent schools and competence? because they do. they also complain a lot.

You consider dilapidated trailers decent?

Schools are not buildings. They are teachers and students.

Nice buildings are nice. But old buildings are fine. And they'll be renovated on their schedule.

FCPS is literally favoring other schools that were built later and are less overcrowded than McLean HS with millions for additions outside the normal renovation schedule, and has otherwise created a mess with respect to the ES/MS/HS feeding patterns in that area. So your little homily doesn’t quite work.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if fairfax water could charge McLean residents a high enough rate to make up for all of the lost tax revenue. I also wonder where they’ll locate their landfill - I doubt fairfax will continue to offer up theirs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if fairfax water could charge McLean residents a high enough rate to make up for all of the lost tax revenue. I also wonder where they’ll locate their landfill - I doubt fairfax will continue to offer up theirs

Of course they will.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im confused. Does McLean want to become a city just like Fairfax City, City of Falls Church, or just break off their own schools? Because this seems to be to be all about schools vs any other municipal services.

I guess my first question would be why you expect Fairfax County to just give you its school buildings/properties/other municipal buildings if you are going to secede from the county? These properties(Ie the land they are built on) are worth millions!

The county has no way to unlock that value without investing many millions more in school facilities elsewhere. That is why such facilities are often ceded to seceding jurisdictions - the county would actually be relieved of the obligations associated with their existing dedicated use. If you think it would be a bad deal for the county, you are acknowledging the county benefits by treating McLean as a cash cow without providing a reciprocal level of services.

Why would Fairfax County give the land away though? Regardless of whats housed there—schools or parks or a warehouse, its land the county owns. Why would it give this land to a seceding jurisdiction?

Because the net worth associated with the land isn't what you think it is - there are liabilities (in terms of future obligations) inextricably linked to those properties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if fairfax water could charge McLean residents a high enough rate to make up for all of the lost tax revenue. I also wonder where they’ll locate their landfill - I doubt fairfax will continue to offer up theirs

Of course they will.

Why would Fairfax County offer municipal services to residents of a different municipality? Falls Church/Fairfax City have their own water, sewer, trash, etc. McLean would have to as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think maybe we disagree on what public schools mean in a fundamental way if you believe that the price of the house a child's family can afford should directly determine the quality of their public school education. Maybe you should get a cheaper house and pay for private school.

Or maybe you should acknowledge that FCPS short-changes the public schools in McLean and then takes credit for the high achievement of their students that is a result of the additional resources that the parents there have to fork over on their own.

+1

No one wants McLean schools to get more than other schools in FCPS. They want to be treated equally. I’m not sure you understand what goes on. FCPS regularly puts money into schools in poorer areas and then expects McLean schools to do without. For example, fields at poorer schools are regularly funded by FCPS. If McLean needs money for fields, they are required to fundraise for them. The county will not pay for them. That is just one example.

Citizens of mclean just want to be treated equally, not better than. But they are constantly being treated less than all others in the county because they assume the citizens will just fund it themselves.

But then FCPS is perfectly ready to take credit for the high test scores that come out of the underfunded schools. Even though it is the parents and students that actually are responsible for those phenomenal test scores.

Ummm... maybe the teachers helped also. But they don't live in McLean, I guess.