Not sure if this should be in the policy forum instead... Anyone here voting for Youngkin because of

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of things that need addressing beyond a few school related matters. It's about the bigger picture which is where Youngkin will destroy VA and send it back to the deep south. Remember, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

It's true, but the 'many' in this case are parents and the 'few' in this case are those without kids who don't gaf about that aspect of the election.

I literally heard a friend say she'd be fine if abortion rights were stripped away in VA if it meant the schools were bettered. Why? Because her kids are too young to be affected by an abortion ban and she can't have anymore kids. It doesn't affect her, so she doesn't care... just like how childfree people don't care about school issues.

What % of VA residents have kids in PK-12?

Some never had any, some do currently, some will in the future. All pay for public prek-12. Qarni math and Qarni 9 11 [put down by sensible AA D's but it is an election cycle ] along with the equity czar - what is this ? Here comes busing and lotteries for school attendance in areas with mega bus fleets? FCPS area is not chock full of privates like MOCO MD.

Abortion- choose 1:
VA current
D progressive Tran failed bill- 1 doctor sign off- full term healthy is a product
R more restrictive than current- ultrasound

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Show me Republican states with good education. There aren’t many.

My second grader is struggling with reading and writing because he missed a full year of school. And don't you dare pretend that online school for 6 year-olds was school. So maybe climb off your "good education" soap box.

I also have a 2nd grader and yes I was furious about the way the FCPS school board handled 2020-2021. It still doesn't mean that a republican governor is going to do anything to help local schools, except to further defund them with "school choice".

One can only hope. And really, a Democrat shouldn't be lecturing anyone on "defunding."
DP

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:OP I’m going to say you’re a troll. There is no way in gods green earth I would elect a republican governor after what our country just went through with the last election. You have lost your marbles if you’re not a troll. Hold the school board’s feet to the fire but don’t vote for the anti-democracy party.

Not the OP, but I'm getting real tired of the left calling anyone who disagrees with them, "trolls." Get over yourself and acknowledge that many people think Democrats are the "anti-democracy party."

Listen, you can believe what we you want. No one who votes D is seriously contemplating Youngkin unless they are incredibly uninformed. Governors are responsible for much more than schools. Virginia is a nice place to live because we have had Democrats at the helm for some time. We did pretty well with the pandemic because we have good health care, and good government compared to the hellscape of red America. And let’s get this straight. Democrats didn’t try to overthrow congress and install a dictator. You did that.

Democrats’ gross mismanagement of the public schools is a real thing, whether you want to acknowledge it or not. Plenty of people are fed up and crossing party lines, since McAuliffe treats the likes of Omeish and Frisch as heroes.

The people that are crossing party lines were republicans in the last presidential election. Maybe some of them are going back to voting for republicans governors. But many are not. Keep dreaming.

I can’t speak for anyone else. But, not true for DH and I.

I’m not sure what part of what I said isn’t true for you. What point are you making because I made several.

Regardless, Virginia dems aren’t voting for Youngkin. Which is why I call troll on this entire thread. Republicans that voted Biden may swing back, but what can you really expect?

There are absolutely Democrats in Virginia, also Biden supporters, who voted or will vote for Youngkin. It’s our way to try to nudge the party back towards the center when other efforts have failed.

My spouse and I are two that will do so. It doesn't matter if posters believe that or not, because the results one way or the other will come out next week.

Then you are both incredibly foolish. You need to step outside of your bubble and look at what living in a red state is like, not just for the wealthy and educated, but those less fortunate than you. It is unconscionable to vote for republicans in light of everything we know about how they race to the bottom on literally everything.

Says someone insisting people vote for the party who would rather have "equity of outcome" than "equality of opportunity." No thanks. You can keep your race to the bottom. I want no part of that.

To be fair, it's not a race to the bottom. It's a slow slog to the bottom, as their bad decisions and the consequences of their inattention pile up over time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you choose to vote for Youngkin because of FCPS then you are letting FOX win as you are buying their soundbites.

Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.

Vote out the schoolboard on the next election, they are our problem, but voting for Youngkin is not going to help the situation.

Is there just one liberal troll here who keeps repeating the same talking points? Go away. People who are no doubt far more educated than you prefer Youngkin. I guess you'll have to see your way clear to realizing this.

Pretty sure this is the same poster who said “Youngkin means death to democracy.” He’s been nonstop with the unhinged posts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were McAuliffe (or Youngkin for that matter), I’d be holding prime time town halls for Arlington, W. FFX, E FFX and Loudoun, and PWC, as well as one on SNs and one on gifted education. Livestream them and take questions submitted and chosen by a moderator.

Talk to parents and avoid words like equity.

As the soccer moms of NOVA go, so goes the election. Another rally with Biden really isn’t going to help McAuliffe as much as getting his education ideas out there. Assuming he has any, which I have seen no evidence of.

But what do I know? I’m apparently a MAGA moron.

This. I think we're (the NOVA area) are being missed this election.

It almost feels like they don't WANT to come this way to hold townhalls because parents are so vocal up here.

Both SILs live in southern VA (one in Chesapeake and one in Richmond) and neither one has any school concerns like we do up here. Yet, both candidates have been all over their areas campaigning.

Youngkin has had multiple events in NOVA, including one in Burke this past week that drew over 1000 people.

He has been at Cox Farm, done flash visits to a bunch of restaurants, and met with special ed families. His wife has done events in ffx focused on education.

Youngkin was in McLean for breakfast yesterday, and is going to be in Old Town on Saturday morning before hitting the suburbs.

Visit both Youngkin's and McAulife's social media pages and compare the two.

Youngkin is everywhere, talking to everyone across the state. He is doing 4 to 6 events a day. Today and yesterday were Nova, Richmond and the Norfolk area. Everywhere he goes there are huge crowds, even in the blue areas. According to his website, he will swing through the rural areas, then back to Nova by the weekend. The Rs usually just cede Nova. Youngkin is fighting for every vote and is hitting education hard.

Terry had the Obama and Dave Matthews events. But his social media has been dead and the events on his website are mostly door knocking with various out of state dem celebrities like the Michigan governor and the presidential crowd. He has completely ignored most of the state except for nova and Charlottesville.

Comparing just the social media, Youngkin is disciplined, positive, on message and emergizing. Terry is not.

[Anonymous]

You are right OP-this should have been posted in politics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I voted already for Dems.
But if we ever solved abortion and made headway on guns at the federal level…I would vote for a moderate R at the state level.

+1

I could potentially support a moderate R at the state level - if we had that option. Abortion, guns, and conspiracy theories are all currently obstacles though.

Not to mention a willingness to interfere with voting rights, a lack of concern regarding healthcare for all, insane ideas about public education, and the list goes on. I mean. No. Dems currently on the ballot are the thing you are looking for.

My goodness. So arrogant to tell others what they're looking for. Stay in your own lane.
DP

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:We’ve reached the point that my kid’s AP Psychology exam was cancelled— because it falls on an O Day. If she wants to sit for it, she has to do so during makeup days, which are a week before she graduates mood luck with that.

Once a public school system has decided not to allow any kids in the system to sit for a national exam because some kids from one religion might have to use makeup days as accommodations, it’s gotten out of hand.

I also have a TJ alum and am furious at the new admissions standards— or lack thereof.

Not voting for more of the same. I voted for Youngkin today. And you can do the “you were never a Dem to being with” thing. But, this is my first R vote in a general election (I’ve taken the R ballot a couple of times in primaries, for example to vote against Trump).

I have written members, attended townhall, watched SB meeting, signed petitions and carried signs. And it has made no difference. We can’t keep going like this.

And no. I’m not a moron. I’m pretty clear eyed about who Youngkin is. But, I also know that McAuliffe is in bed with teachers unions, and they are the ones who kept school closed last year.

Sure. We believe you. *eye roll*

DP here.

Granted this is an anonymous board, but telling someone whose beef is that their concerns have fallen on deaf ears that they aren't credible is not going to help the Democrats in this or future elections. The consistent message from local Democrats in recent years has been that they only deign to listen when people say what they already want to hear.

There are only so many conspiracy theories one can tolerate before they all become a big blur.

If you want people to listen to you maybe rejoin us in reality first.

That's a lame cop-out. There are many areas where FCPS has been falling down on the job in the recent years, and the responsibility lies with the Superintendent and the School Board. The buck stops there. Brabrand's response to the challenges he was confronting was to go all-in on embracing the equity agenda ("equity is at the center of everything we do") as if that was going to shore up his position with the School Board, and the School Board itself has been all over the map, with various priorities that took center stage that were not well aligned with what parents care about the most. And, when they get challenged or called out, their response is never to drill down into how they could do fulfill their responsibilities better; rather, as PP alluded to, they get their proxies (many of whom are prominent local Democrats) to lambaste any critics, call us Republicans pretending to be Democrats, complain about "astroturfing," and hurl various other insults like "RWNJ," "POS," etc.

I don't expect you to acknowledge the legitimacy of any of those concerns - you are among those who prefer the one-line put-downs to any serious examination of the problems. We don't think Youngkin has all the answers but at least there is the possibility that he'll install some better people in key positions in state government and start to change the tone towards one where problems are actually acknowledged and not constantly swept under the rug.

What legitimate issues did you post that resulted in insults of “POS” or “RWNJ”?

Which of those issues would be fixed by Youngkin?

Do you deny that there is a GOP astroturfing effort in FCPS?

No response. Shocking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you all care about your kid's chances of getting into TJ more than you care about other people's human rights. Got it.

Do these other people care about the kid's chance to get into TJ?

None of my kids ever went to TJ and I still think the admissions criteria should not be a lottery. There's a reason it's one of the best schools in the country.
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is this thread allowed on a FCPS board and not in politics where it belongs. Why do you wack jobs have to ruin every board. You'll find a way to post this crap in travel next

I know. It's so upsetting when people with views different from mine decide to express them. These wack jobs need to be silenced.
- a liberal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Equity clearly means make everything mediocre. It seems that education policy now is about artificially getting rid of highs and lows so everyone can be in the middle. These policies will prove to be disastrous. I won’t vote for McAuliffe. And yes, state policies absolutely affect schools at the local level.

- A teacher

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you all care about your kid's chances of getting into TJ more than you care about other people's human rights. Got it.

Do these other people care about the kid's chance to get into TJ?

None of my kids ever went to TJ and I still think the admissions criteria should not be a lottery. There's a reason it's one of the best schools in the country.
DP

Same. I went to a very highly ranked high school like TJ and strongly believe in them. We need doctors, scientists and innovative people in society. My former classmates are doing great things. Why should people lose the option to attend gifted schools? (And I also don’t think my kids would make it into TJ)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were McAuliffe (or Youngkin for that matter), I’d be holding prime time town halls for Arlington, W. FFX, E FFX and Loudoun, and PWC, as well as one on SNs and one on gifted education. Livestream them and take questions submitted and chosen by a moderator.

Talk to parents and avoid words like equity.

As the soccer moms of NOVA go, so goes the election. Another rally with Biden really isn’t going to help McAuliffe as much as getting his education ideas out there. Assuming he has any, which I have seen no evidence of.

But what do I know? I’m apparently a MAGA moron.

This. I think we're (the NOVA area) are being missed this election.

It almost feels like they don't WANT to come this way to hold townhalls because parents are so vocal up here.

Both SILs live in southern VA (one in Chesapeake and one in Richmond) and neither one has any school concerns like we do up here. Yet, both candidates have been all over their areas campaigning.

Youngkin had a massive turnout last week in Burke. It was jam-packed and then he stayed to give an additional speech to the 500+ who couldn’t make it inside. He spoke quite a bit about his policies for schools. Youngkin was also in Manassas last week and spoke to a large audience.

McAuliffe was in Arlington a few days ago. Small turnout from the photos. I believe he was right outside Ballston Metro Station.

I thought Jennifer McClellan would have been great. Worked in the state legislature for years; smart and collaborative; and poised to be the first Black woman elected Governor of Virginia.

Then McAuliffe came along and threw her under the bus with all his money and connections. It turns out that a lot of folks aren't that enthusiastic about McAuliffe 2.0 (although McLellan is playing the good solider and campaigning on his behalf). If Youngkin wins, it will be testament to McAuliffe's hubris and failure to recognize that he already had his chance to serve as Governor.

Absolutely, it would have been much easier for people to be excited about her. Much better for turnout. My older parents voted for her in the primary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve reached the point that my kid’s AP Psychology exam was cancelled— because it falls on an O Day. If she wants to sit for it, she has to do so during makeup days, which are a week before she graduates mood luck with that.

Once a public school system has decided not to allow any kids in the system to sit for a national exam because some kids from one religion might have to use makeup days as accommodations, it’s gotten out of hand.

I also have a TJ alum and am furious at the new admissions standards— or lack thereof.

Not voting for more of the same. I voted for Youngkin today. And you can do the “you were never a Dem to being with” thing. But, this is my first R vote in a general election (I’ve taken the R ballot a couple of times in primaries, for example to vote against Trump).

I have written members, attended townhall, watched SB meeting, signed petitions and carried signs. And it has made no difference. We can’t keep going like this.

And no. I’m not a moron. I’m pretty clear eyed about who Youngkin is. But, I also know that McAuliffe is in bed with teachers unions, and they are the ones who kept school closed last year.

Sure. We believe you. *eye roll*

The beauty is that we'll see next week. All the liberal bravado here will get put to the test.

+1
McAuliffe will probably win, but Youngkin is going to give him a run for his money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were McAuliffe (or Youngkin for that matter), I’d be holding prime time town halls for Arlington, W. FFX, E FFX and Loudoun, and PWC, as well as one on SNs and one on gifted education. Livestream them and take questions submitted and chosen by a moderator.

Talk to parents and avoid words like equity.

As the soccer moms of NOVA go, so goes the election. Another rally with Biden really isn’t going to help McAuliffe as much as getting his education ideas out there. Assuming he has any, which I have seen no evidence of.

But what do I know? I’m apparently a MAGA moron.

This. I think we're (the NOVA area) are being missed this election.

It almost feels like they don't WANT to come this way to hold townhalls because parents are so vocal up here.

Both SILs live in southern VA (one in Chesapeake and one in Richmond) and neither one has any school concerns like we do up here. Yet, both candidates have been all over their areas campaigning.

Youngkin has had multiple events in NOVA, including one in Burke this past week that drew over 1000 people.

He has been at Cox Farm, done flash visits to a bunch of restaurants, and met with special ed families. His wife has done events in ffx focused on education.

Youngkin was in McLean for breakfast yesterday, and is going to be in Old Town on Saturday morning before hitting the suburbs.

Visit both Youngkin's and McAulife's social media pages and compare the two.

Youngkin is everywhere, talking to everyone across the state. He is doing 4 to 6 events a day. Today and yesterday were Nova, Richmond and the Norfolk area. Everywhere he goes there are huge crowds, even in the blue areas. According to his website, he will swing through the rural areas, then back to Nova by the weekend. The Rs usually just cede Nova. Youngkin is fighting for every vote and is hitting education hard.

Terry had the Obama and Dave Matthews events. But his social media has been dead and the events on his website are mostly door knocking with various out of state dem celebrities like the Michigan governor and the presidential crowd. He has completely ignored most of the state except for nova and Charlottesville.

Comparing just the social media, Youngkin is disciplined, positive, on message and emergizing. Terry is not.

Youngkin obviously knows that a Republican from NoVa is well positioned to be competitive because most of the rest of the state will vote Republican and a Republican candidate from NoVa can cut into the Democratic margin there more than, say, a Republican from Richmond or Harrisonburg would be able to (as McDonnell showed in 2009).

I assume both candidates are working their tails off at this point, but you're right that Youngkin's events seem to be about Youngkin interacting with a crowd, whereas McAuliffe's events seem to be more about high-profile politicians jetting in to lecture audiences about why they should vote for McAuliffe. That may not be the best strategy, even with the star power, because this election is largely about ordinary people wanting to have more of a voice and the message that gets conveyed when McAuliffe brings in all the stars is that the political class thinks the elites who travel in the same circles should continue to call all the shots.

Many of the latest polls seem to be saying the race is now a dead heat, and the momentum is clearly with Youngkin. Will be interesting to see what happens over the next week.