School board reckoning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Do you realize that parents think different things and have different opinions? Or do you only value the ones who hear about nonsense from Tucker Carlson and scream at school boards about the assigned issues?

You sound like Obama when he deigned to campaign for McAuliffe. Out of touch, willfully blind to what’s been happening in public schools, and ignored by the majority of voters.

Nope, I am a parent of 3 FCPS students who has paid close attention to the issues. I disagree with some actions (tj admissions,calendar) and will vote differently in 2023 but I do not agree with the book banning, anti crt bs, loss of civility, or voting for Governor based on my experience with a school board during a pandemic. It’s highly disturbing that you folks are so radicalized that you cannot understand that opinions differ among FCPS parents.

Try to watch the public comment section of the last school board meeting to see parents who support the school board and try to get out of your openfcps bubble.

Meh. You still want a seat at their table and think you're going to have more influence if you use your indoor voice and ask politely for their help, all as they continue to go about lowering standards, playing favorites, and neglecting their basic statutory duties and responsibilities.

That gets you nowhere with these people, who need to be held accountable or relieved of their positions.

+1

The leftists, especially those that subscribe to CRT, are radicals. We have to communicate with them in a manner that they understand. They will walk all over those who talk to them clamly.

When you call people leftists because they disagree with you—you lose any credibility on communicating calmly and being anti-extremist.

No dumbass. Not everyone who disagrees with me is a leftist. But people who push CRT, or policies rooted in CRT, and make the radical argument that parents should not be involved in the education of their kids, there is no doubt these are leftists.

The quote was parents shouldn't decide what schools teach, do you disagree? If you disagree, what parents get to decide what schools teach? Surely it's not just the majority of parents because they elected the school board which already decides, so which parents get to decide what schools teach?

Legally the most recent PP is right. Voters decide the elections that pick people who set statewide and local school standards and that's the most control we have.

However voters can decide to put into place a governor who will sign off on a bill allowing parents to pick an alternate book for one containing sexually explicit material. McAuliffe was clearly not that governor. Maybe Youngkin is. And maybe Virginia voters think parents should at least be able to do that. I can think of plenty of wonderful, valuable books that I personally think are great to read...but in college or later.

Virginia code has an explicit process on how the state and school districts are supposed to approve curriculum, paper texts and digital texts.

It includes a community review period.

Fcps and other school districts are violating this law by eliminating textbooks and digital textbooks, then replacing these class materials entirely by outside contracts with private companies, internet websites that are not pre vetted, and teacher material sharing sites containing non vetted and non apprpved curriculums.

The school districts are awarding these contracts without following the public bidding process by breaking them intl multi year and multi part small contracts so they do not have to follow procedure for large contracts and textbook contracts. So a 3 million dollar multi year contract that would normally go through an established, required bidding process now becomes dozens of contracts in the thousands or tens of thousands that are all with one ouside company and awarded as an "informal" bidding process, with no oversight, competitive bidding or public review/oversight. For example, the recent Leadership Academy CRT contract is worth millions of dollars over many years. But fcps broke each workshop, each text, each part into small contracts ranging from a few thousand to ten to twenty thousand, and signed the hige contract as an informal bid. Tjis is meant for small things like a speaker. Not for a contract that is millions of dollars.

Then, fcps is granting these outside companies such as Panorama, the school FERPA protections that are not meant for private compankes.

They are giving these companies very private intimate information about our minor children, with no parent notification or permission. The information is shared even if parents opted out.

These private companies are exempt from from FOIA, so there is zero oversight of what they do or how they use out kods information.

Parents cannot view the curriculum or materials used because it is proprietory information of a private company.

Fcps is violatimg every law and prptection written intl the Virginia code by taking advantage of no longer using actual physical textbooks.

Fcps needs to be sued over this.

Hopefully the Youngkin administration will zero in on this violation of Virginia law, parent rights and student privacy.

I hear you on the SEL stuff, but there are comment review periods for new K-6 language arts materials and new K-8 science materials going on right now. I didn't have to sign any NDA to see them. You too can look at the digital stuff and provide feedback - you should, in fact. I certainly have.

https://www.fcps.edu/news/be-partner-education-participate-resource-review#.YYKvFKhZTG8.link

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For all the people saying get rid of equity as an issue…it’s not going to happen. This is a concern across the country and I’m pretty sure school systems have to show how they will address achievement gaps. So what do you suggest FCPS do? I agree we shouldn’t lower standards. But the topic/problem isn’t going away.

If 2022 and 2024 go the same way the 2021 elections did, the topic is going away.

Just because you want it to go away, doesn’t mean it will. Equity in education has been an issue forever, even under Republican presidents. The GOP is just going to do away with federal law? You can’t be this dense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For all the people saying get rid of equity as an issue…it’s not going to happen. This is a concern across the country and I’m pretty sure school systems have to show how they will address achievement gaps. So what do you suggest FCPS do? I agree we shouldn’t lower standards. But the topic/problem isn’t going away.

If 2022 and 2024 go the same way the 2021 elections did, the topic is going away.

Just because you want it to go away, doesn’t mean it will. Equity in education has been an issue forever, even under Republican presidents. The GOP is just going to do away with federal law? You can’t be this dense.

We used to call it equality - equal opportunity. Not equity - equal outcomes. Making sure all kids learn how to read is not the same thing as insisting the reading test be set so that every racial and ethnic background get the same scores. I'd argue that the former is far superior to the latter, but places like Oregon have demonstrated that some people are giving up on the first in favor of the second.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For all the people saying get rid of equity as an issue…it’s not going to happen. This is a concern across the country and I’m pretty sure school systems have to show how they will address achievement gaps. So what do you suggest FCPS do? I agree we shouldn’t lower standards. But the topic/problem isn’t going away.

If 2022 and 2024 go the same way the 2021 elections did, the topic is going away.

You can only ignore inequalities for so long.

I think you'd be surprised how long you can go.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you realize that parents think different things and have different opinions? Or do you only value the ones who hear about nonsense from Tucker Carlson and scream at school boards about the assigned issues?

You sound like Obama when he deigned to campaign for McAuliffe. Out of touch, willfully blind to what’s been happening in public schools, and ignored by the majority of voters.

Nope, I am a parent of 3 FCPS students who has paid close attention to the issues. I disagree with some actions (tj admissions,calendar) and will vote differently in 2023 but I do not agree with the book banning, anti crt bs, loss of civility, or voting for Governor based on my experience with a school board during a pandemic. It’s highly disturbing that you folks are so radicalized that you cannot understand that opinions differ among FCPS parents.

Try to watch the public comment section of the last school board meeting to see parents who support the school board and try to get out of your openfcps bubble.

Meh. You still want a seat at their table and think you're going to have more influence if you use your indoor voice and ask politely for their help, all as they continue to go about lowering standards, playing favorites, and neglecting their basic statutory duties and responsibilities.

That gets you nowhere with these people, who need to be held accountable or relieved of their positions.

+1

The leftists, especially those that subscribe to CRT, are radicals. We have to communicate with them in a manner that they understand. They will walk all over those who talk to them clamly.

When you call people leftists because they disagree with you—you lose any credibility on communicating calmly and being anti-extremist.

No dumbass. Not everyone who disagrees with me is a leftist. But people who push CRT, or policies rooted in CRT, and make the radical argument that parents should not be involved in the education of their kids, there is no doubt these are leftists.

The quote was parents shouldn't decide what schools teach, do you disagree? If you disagree, what parents get to decide what schools teach? Surely it's not just the majority of parents because they elected the school board which already decides, so which parents get to decide what schools teach?

Legally the most recent PP is right. Voters decide the elections that pick people who set statewide and local school standards and that's the most control we have.

However voters can decide to put into place a governor who will sign off on a bill allowing parents to pick an alternate book for one containing sexually explicit material. McAuliffe was clearly not that governor. Maybe Youngkin is. And maybe Virginia voters think parents should at least be able to do that. I can think of plenty of wonderful, valuable books that I personally think are great to read...but in college or later.

Hopefully. I can't wait for parents to realize that they can make English classes unworkable by rejecting every book and choosing their own. I personally plan on rejecting every book when I get the power because why not? Of course, everyone realizes how insane it would be to give parents that power so it will never happen.

What an asinine example. Parents want to be heard and be able to influence how their kids are taught by schools. They are not asking for mob rule or individual power to veto book choices. The example you gave would be the other extreme of parental control, which no one is asking for. We are simply rejecting the extreme that McAuliffe and the leftists are pushing for: no parental control. We want something in the rational middle, a school board that responds to parents' demands instead of thinking that they know what's best and should therefore disregard what the parents want 100% of the time.

They already are heard through the school board who they elect. The parents whose candidates lost school board election want to impose their views on the rest of the parents. Either parents get to decide and you end up with an asinine system, or the parents vote for representatives who then decide- which is the system that we have now.

DP, but you really know how to double down on the stupid. Small wonder you are now losing hearts and minds, and now elections.

Ok, so how do parents pick? It can't be collectively because we already have that. What is the mechanism for a parent, whose party can't win local elections, to decide what can be taught in schools?

You teach your own kid critical thinking and that they will encounter people in the world who believe different things that them. Use it as a teaching moment. That's why I am against censorship on both side (right and left).

So there is no mechanism? Youngkin ran on parental control of education, now that he won asking how that control will work in practice is reasonable, but it seems like none of his supports actually has an answer

I'm not a supporter of his. But I'm telling you what I would do about what is being taught in schools.

OK, if as a parent I don't like something, how do I change it? This isn't a trick question, it's literally what he ran on.

I would run for school board myself if I didn't hate people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For all the people saying get rid of equity as an issue…it’s not going to happen. This is a concern across the country and I’m pretty sure school systems have to show how they will address achievement gaps. So what do you suggest FCPS do? I agree we shouldn’t lower standards. But the topic/problem isn’t going away.

Well my first suggestion was if we have achievement gaps - closing schools for a year is only going to exacerbate so you MUST give families who want to send their kid in hybrid that option. And when they didn't do that I am going to say - don't come crying to me about acheivement gaps IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For all the people saying get rid of equity as an issue…it’s not going to happen. This is a concern across the country and I’m pretty sure school systems have to show how they will address achievement gaps. So what do you suggest FCPS do? I agree we shouldn’t lower standards. But the topic/problem isn’t going away.

If 2022 and 2024 go the same way the 2021 elections did, the topic is going away.

Just because you want it to go away, doesn’t mean it will. Equity in education has been an issue forever, even under Republican presidents. The GOP is just going to do away with federal law? You can’t be this dense.

The blueprint from this election is to run hard against CRT. If you don't think this eventually finds its way into federal legislation and regulation you are naive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McAuliffe won Fairfax County by a whopping 65 - 35, so there's no reason for them to not double down.

The state DoE, however, may tread a bit more cautiously.

I believe Youngkin plans to change leadership at the DoE.

I agree that in Fairfax County the SB doesn't need to be too concerned. I wish it would send FCDC a lesson to pick better candidates next time, but I don't see how that's going to happen.

I am excited about changing leadership at the DOE. These people need to be more transparent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Search on syllabus book substitute if you want to look now.

What does this mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you realize that parents think different things and have different opinions? Or do you only value the ones who hear about nonsense from Tucker Carlson and scream at school boards about the assigned issues?

You sound like Obama when he deigned to campaign for McAuliffe. Out of touch, willfully blind to what’s been happening in public schools, and ignored by the majority of voters.

Nope, I am a parent of 3 FCPS students who has paid close attention to the issues. I disagree with some actions (tj admissions,calendar) and will vote differently in 2023 but I do not agree with the book banning, anti crt bs, loss of civility, or voting for Governor based on my experience with a school board during a pandemic. It’s highly disturbing that you folks are so radicalized that you cannot understand that opinions differ among FCPS parents.

Try to watch the public comment section of the last school board meeting to see parents who support the school board and try to get out of your openfcps bubble.

Meh. You still want a seat at their table and think you're going to have more influence if you use your indoor voice and ask politely for their help, all as they continue to go about lowering standards, playing favorites, and neglecting their basic statutory duties and responsibilities.

That gets you nowhere with these people, who need to be held accountable or relieved of their positions.

+1

The leftists, especially those that subscribe to CRT, are radicals. We have to communicate with them in a manner that they understand. They will walk all over those who talk to them clamly.

When you call people leftists because they disagree with you—you lose any credibility on communicating calmly and being anti-extremist.

No dumbass. Not everyone who disagrees with me is a leftist. But people who push CRT, or policies rooted in CRT, and make the radical argument that parents should not be involved in the education of their kids, there is no doubt these are leftists.

The quote was parents shouldn't decide what schools teach, do you disagree? If you disagree, what parents get to decide what schools teach? Surely it's not just the majority of parents because they elected the school board which already decides, so which parents get to decide what schools teach?

Legally the most recent PP is right. Voters decide the elections that pick people who set statewide and local school standards and that's the most control we have.

However voters can decide to put into place a governor who will sign off on a bill allowing parents to pick an alternate book for one containing sexually explicit material. McAuliffe was clearly not that governor. Maybe Youngkin is. And maybe Virginia voters think parents should at least be able to do that. I can think of plenty of wonderful, valuable books that I personally think are great to read...but in college or later.

Virginia code has an explicit process on how the state and school districts are supposed to approve curriculum, paper texts and digital texts.

It includes a community review period.

Fcps and other school districts are violating this law by eliminating textbooks and digital textbooks, then replacing these class materials entirely by outside contracts with private companies, internet websites that are not pre vetted, and teacher material sharing sites containing non vetted and non apprpved curriculums.

The school districts are awarding these contracts without following the public bidding process by breaking them intl multi year and multi part small contracts so they do not have to follow procedure for large contracts and textbook contracts. So a 3 million dollar multi year contract that would normally go through an established, required bidding process now becomes dozens of contracts in the thousands or tens of thousands that are all with one ouside company and awarded as an "informal" bidding process, with no oversight, competitive bidding or public review/oversight. For example, the recent Leadership Academy CRT contract is worth millions of dollars over many years. But fcps broke each workshop, each text, each part into small contracts ranging from a few thousand to ten to twenty thousand, and signed the hige contract as an informal bid. Tjis is meant for small things like a speaker. Not for a contract that is millions of dollars.

Then, fcps is granting these outside companies such as Panorama, the school FERPA protections that are not meant for private compankes.

They are giving these companies very private intimate information about our minor children, with no parent notification or permission. The information is shared even if parents opted out.

These private companies are exempt from from FOIA, so there is zero oversight of what they do or how they use out kods information.

Parents cannot view the curriculum or materials used because it is proprietory information of a private company.

Fcps is violatimg every law and prptection written intl the Virginia code by taking advantage of no longer using actual physical textbooks.

Fcps needs to be sued over this.

Hopefully the Youngkin administration will zero in on this violation of Virginia law, parent rights and student privacy.

I hear you on the SEL stuff, but there are comment review periods for new K-6 language arts materials and new K-8 science materials going on right now. I didn't have to sign any NDA to see them. You too can look at the digital stuff and provide feedback - you should, in fact. I certainly have.

https://www.fcps.edu/news/be-partner-education-participate-resource-review#.YYKvFKhZTG8.link

I am speaking specifically to three things:

Multi million dollar, multi year contracts with outside CRT and SEL companies that cannot be reviewed and which gives private companies unprecedented and unfettered access to student information and intimate mental health and political information with zero oversight,, while removing protections granted though FERPA and FOIA.

Websites used on classrooms that are jot preapproved or vetted. Bailey's crossroads accidentally made public a list of CRT resources they were using in their classrooms. It was a very extreme list, including age inappropriate social media star influencer pages.

Teacher sharing sites. Sometimes teachers pull unvetted material that is wholly inappropriate for the age of the students, or which might sound okay on paler but are terrible in practice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So nothing. Nowhere in VA but tris bogeyman was enough for people to vote. Sheesh.

Anyway, I have always had a right to pick substitute books for my kids. Every high school English syllabus my kids had listed the possible books and explained parents could ask for a substitute book. Another non-issue that may low-info voters vote R.

Prove it or it didn't happen. I believe you may have made the same assertion before the election and then couldn't back it up.

NP. Do you even have a HS kid? My kid’s AP Lang syllabus, in relevant part:

[Anonymous]

^^^^ sorry. AP Lit syllabus. Long day.

This language has been on every English syllabus for both my kids since 7th grade.

[Anonymous]

We used to call it equality - equal opportunity. Not equity - equal outcomes. Making sure all kids learn how to read is not the same thing as insisting the reading test be set so that every racial and ethnic background get the same scores. I'd argue that the former is far superior to the latter, but places like Oregon have demonstrated that some people are giving up on the first in favor of the second.

I've said this for years: there are two ways to close the Achievement Gap--you can close it from the top or from the bottom. It is clear what FCPS has decided to do.

It is hard, hard work to close it from the bottom. And, it won't happen overnight. But, it is the only way to make things better. Otherwise, all kids will suffer.

I have two kids. One a stellar student and the other could care less except for me hounding him. Smart enough. So, I'm supposed to tell super achiever to stop? Sounds stupid, but that appears to be in the works here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McAuliffe won Fairfax County by a whopping 65 - 35, so there's no reason for them to not double down.

The state DoE, however, may tread a bit more cautiously.

I believe Youngkin plans to change leadership at the DoE.

I agree that in Fairfax County the SB doesn't need to be too concerned. I wish it would send FCDC a lesson to pick better candidates next time, but I don't see how that's going to happen.

I am excited about changing leadership at the DOE. These people need to be more transparent.

Why don't we start a rumor. How about Schultz?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why county-controlled systems without any sort of oversight are so problematic. No inspectors general, no oversight = they do whatever the hell they want until somebody exposes them

The school board has state controls and local controls. Not sure what you are talking about. We the people voted them in. If we don't like them we need to vote for other people. Stop pretending it isn't our own problem we made.