ACPS Secret Clique

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are we talking about the PTAC people who got certain people elected?

And did they keep certain people from being elected? To me, I didn’t understand how District B turned out they way it did with Ignacio winning and Johnson almost winning.

PTAC couldn't figure out that they aren't in Fairfax (check out their bylaws - they aren't even in Alexandria), I doubt they could figure out how to throw an election.

I agree but for some reason the change agent candidate in District B did not receive many more votes then the guy who was run out of DC public schools and screams during public comment at school board meetings.

Who was the change candidate in B?

Maybe I overstated her positions but I was referring to Westfall. Hutchings attacked her (not by name but by inference) in a school board meeting (I am forgetting what the issue(.

Nah. She pals around with that toxic PTAC president. The reality is that her website was a rambling mess, most of her facebook posts were promoting her family's photographer and she just didn't have the support like Baird.

Maybe she should have courted the private school parents like Baird apparently did.

I understand all that but she was willing to speak against Hutchings / status quo administration (although she may have been tainted by being so active in openacps). But you are right that she campaigned as a public school advocate which does not really focus on the private school parent vote.

But there is no way that her friends at PTAC tried to damage her candidacy. Why she lost isn't that difficult to figure out if you can look at it objectively.

She just wasn't a good candidate with the rambling website, constant promotion of her family and vendors. She also wasn't a good loser either. No update of the website, no thank you to supporters, no call to action after she lost. She posted something completely out of touch when that ACHS student was stabbed at Bradlee and also didn't care about how parents were kept in the dark about the apparent gang rape (so Alderton described it) in the Minnie Howard bathroom.

Baird's website (before she scrubbed it) was professional and to the point. Clearly she was right to court the private school vote, support, donations. She was articulate.

Ignacio had a base from her time in ACPS and she hustled. She had a new endorsement every day.

But a vote for Ignacio (or PreAnn Johnson) was a vote for continued ACPS failure. Maybe the comment up thread is right - Alexandria voters just don’t care. I can concede that may be the real explanation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Nah. She pals around with that toxic PTAC president.

She's not a good friend of mine, and my child was never in a class with hers at Maury/Brooks. However, she did drive my son home from soccer practice once when I couldn't get there on time, and she seemed nice enough at the games. What's the issue? I'm genuinely asking, not arguing. I don't know her well enough to have a strong opinion, but she was pleasant in passing.

She is a legitimately lovely person, who I don’t think was savvy enough to predict all the dynamics of running for SB here. I am not friends with her, but my interactions with her make it so I think being in the SB morass would have really upset her. L

I agree Bridget is a kind and caring person. I don’t think she was savvy enough for the Alexandria political landscape and also somewhat hampered by her status as a fed (even though the SB race is considered apolitical, the Dem candidates were known and supported by the local Alexandria party, which has a lot of influence).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are we talking about the PTAC people who got certain people elected?

And did they keep certain people from being elected? To me, I didn’t understand how District B turned out they way it did with Ignacio winning and Johnson almost winning.

PTAC couldn't figure out that they aren't in Fairfax (check out their bylaws - they aren't even in Alexandria), I doubt they could figure out how to throw an election.

I agree but for some reason the change agent candidate in District B did not receive many more votes then the guy who was run out of DC public schools and screams during public comment at school board meetings.

Who was the change candidate in B?

Maybe I overstated her positions but I was referring to Westfall. Hutchings attacked her (not by name but by inference) in a school board meeting (I am forgetting what the issue(.

Career federal bureaucrats don't tend to be change makers. It's just not in their nature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are we talking about the PTAC people who got certain people elected?

And did they keep certain people from being elected? To me, I didn’t understand how District B turned out they way it did with Ignacio winning and Johnson almost winning.

PTAC couldn't figure out that they aren't in Fairfax (check out their bylaws - they aren't even in Alexandria), I doubt they could figure out how to throw an election.

I agree but for some reason the change agent candidate in District B did not receive many more votes then the guy who was run out of DC public schools and screams during public comment at school board meetings.

Who was the change candidate in B?

Maybe I overstated her positions but I was referring to Westfall. Hutchings attacked her (not by name but by inference) in a school board meeting (I am forgetting what the issue(.

Nah. She pals around with that toxic PTAC president. The reality is that her website was a rambling mess, most of her facebook posts were promoting her family's photographer and she just didn't have the support like Baird.

Maybe she should have courted the private school parents like Baird apparently did.

I understand all that but she was willing to speak against Hutchings / status quo administration (although she may have been tainted by being so active in openacps). But you are right that she campaigned as a public school advocate which does not really focus on the private school parent vote.

But there is no way that her friends at PTAC tried to damage her candidacy. Why she lost isn't that difficult to figure out if you can look at it objectively.

She just wasn't a good candidate with the rambling website, constant promotion of her family and vendors. She also wasn't a good loser either. No update of the website, no thank you to supporters, no call to action after she lost. She posted something completely out of touch when that ACHS student was stabbed at Bradlee and also didn't care about how parents were kept in the dark about the apparent gang rape (so Alderton described it) in the Minnie Howard bathroom.

Baird's website (before she scrubbed it) was professional and to the point. Clearly she was right to court the private school vote, support, donations. She was articulate.

Ignacio had a base from her time in ACPS and she hustled. She had a new endorsement every day.

I think she put out a very nice statement after she lost the election. It’s still on her FB page.

“Congratulations to Ashley Simpson Baird, Kelly Carmichael Booz, and Tammy Lemley-Ignacio on being elected to serve District B on the Alexandria City School Board! I am so proud to have three ACPS moms and education experts representing our students and schools! Now more than ever we need leaders who understand public education and serve with children, teachers, and staff first! Shout out to PreeAnn Johnson who also ran a very impressive campaign and had the highest praises at every polling location from ACPS staff, families and community members.

If anything, I gained many friendships and learned a lot from listening to voters in our community. Meeting everyone's volunteers, family, and friends speaks to the integrity of all of these leaders. Alexandria is lucky to have you!

Running for school board was the hardest and most humbling thing I have ever done. I am so grateful for the support of all my neighbors, community members, teachers, staff, Open ACPS, Junior Friends, Junior League of Washington, Zeta Tau Alpha sisters, Buy Nothing community, St. Mary's community and the other parents from ASA, LHP, lacrosse, Brooks ES and Campagna Kids! I might have lost a seat at the board dais, but I gained so many friends and neighbors! We are lucky to have such a wonderful public school system and community.

As my wise son Paddy, age 4 said ‘If you win, you have a party. If you lose, you have a party. If you lose, it's okay because you tried. Pack up your signs and try again!’

Thank you for everyone's texts, phone calls and messages. I will respond to them! They made my day!“

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are we talking about the PTAC people who got certain people elected?

And did they keep certain people from being elected? To me, I didn’t understand how District B turned out they way it did with Ignacio winning and Johnson almost winning.

PTAC couldn't figure out that they aren't in Fairfax (check out their bylaws - they aren't even in Alexandria), I doubt they could figure out how to throw an election.

I agree but for some reason the change agent candidate in District B did not receive many more votes then the guy who was run out of DC public schools and screams during public comment at school board meetings.

Who was the change candidate in B?

Maybe I overstated her positions but I was referring to Westfall. Hutchings attacked her (not by name but by inference) in a school board meeting (I am forgetting what the issue(.

Nah. She pals around with that toxic PTAC president. The reality is that her website was a rambling mess, most of her facebook posts were promoting her family's photographer and she just didn't have the support like Baird.

Maybe she should have courted the private school parents like Baird apparently did.

I understand all that but she was willing to speak against Hutchings / status quo administration (although she may have been tainted by being so active in openacps). But you are right that she campaigned as a public school advocate which does not really focus on the private school parent vote.

But there is no way that her friends at PTAC tried to damage her candidacy. Why she lost isn't that difficult to figure out if you can look at it objectively.

She just wasn't a good candidate with the rambling website, constant promotion of her family and vendors. She also wasn't a good loser either. No update of the website, no thank you to supporters, no call to action after she lost. She posted something completely out of touch when that ACHS student was stabbed at Bradlee and also didn't care about how parents were kept in the dark about the apparent gang rape (so Alderton described it) in the Minnie Howard bathroom.

Baird's website (before she scrubbed it) was professional and to the point. Clearly she was right to court the private school vote, support, donations. She was articulate.

Ignacio had a base from her time in ACPS and she hustled. She had a new endorsement every day.

I think she put out a very nice statement after she lost the election. It’s still on her FB page.

“Congratulations to Ashley Simpson Baird, Kelly Carmichael Booz, and Tammy Lemley-Ignacio on being elected to serve District B on the Alexandria City School Board! I am so proud to have three ACPS moms and education experts representing our students and schools! Now more than ever we need leaders who understand public education and serve with children, teachers, and staff first! Shout out to PreeAnn Johnson who also ran a very impressive campaign and had the highest praises at every polling location from ACPS staff, families and community members.

If anything, I gained many friendships and learned a lot from listening to voters in our community. Meeting everyone's volunteers, family, and friends speaks to the integrity of all of these leaders. Alexandria is lucky to have you!

Running for school board was the hardest and most humbling thing I have ever done. I am so grateful for the support of all my neighbors, community members, teachers, staff, Open ACPS, Junior Friends, Junior League of Washington, Zeta Tau Alpha sisters, Buy Nothing community, St. Mary's community and the other parents from ASA, LHP, lacrosse, Brooks ES and Campagna Kids! I might have lost a seat at the board dais, but I gained so many friends and neighbors! We are lucky to have such a wonderful public school system and community.

As my wise son Paddy, age 4 said ‘If you win, you have a party. If you lose, you have a party. If you lose, it's okay because you tried. Pack up your signs and try again!’

Thank you for everyone's texts, phone calls and messages. I will respond to them! They made my day!“

Both her campaign website and campaign facebook page are gone. This was never posted on either page.

That's nice if she put this (rambling) statement on her private facebook page but it's private. This demonstrates a big problem with her "campaign". Not every potential supporter was on private OpenACPS facebook pages or her personal page.

[Anonymous]

It’s not a private page, I’m not FB friends with her and can see it. Do most people keep their candidate websites up after they run for office and lose? I don’t think so. Plus, fed rules are very strict and she may have been required to take it down once the election ended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are we talking about the PTAC people who got certain people elected?

And did they keep certain people from being elected? To me, I didn’t understand how District B turned out they way it did with Ignacio winning and Johnson almost winning.

PTAC couldn't figure out that they aren't in Fairfax (check out their bylaws - they aren't even in Alexandria), I doubt they could figure out how to throw an election.

I agree but for some reason the change agent candidate in District B did not receive many more votes then the guy who was run out of DC public schools and screams during public comment at school board meetings.

Who was the change candidate in B?

Maybe I overstated her positions but I was referring to Westfall. Hutchings attacked her (not by name but by inference) in a school board meeting (I am forgetting what the issue(.

Nah. She pals around with that toxic PTAC president. The reality is that her website was a rambling mess, most of her facebook posts were promoting her family's photographer and she just didn't have the support like Baird.

Maybe she should have courted the private school parents like Baird apparently did.

I understand all that but she was willing to speak against Hutchings / status quo administration (although she may have been tainted by being so active in openacps). But you are right that she campaigned as a public school advocate which does not really focus on the private school parent vote.

But there is no way that her friends at PTAC tried to damage her candidacy. Why she lost isn't that difficult to figure out if you can look at it objectively.

She just wasn't a good candidate with the rambling website, constant promotion of her family and vendors. She also wasn't a good loser either. No update of the website, no thank you to supporters, no call to action after she lost. She posted something completely out of touch when that ACHS student was stabbed at Bradlee and also didn't care about how parents were kept in the dark about the apparent gang rape (so Alderton described it) in the Minnie Howard bathroom.

Baird's website (before she scrubbed it) was professional and to the point. Clearly she was right to court the private school vote, support, donations. She was articulate.

Ignacio had a base from her time in ACPS and she hustled. She had a new endorsement every day.

I think she put out a very nice statement after she lost the election. It’s still on her FB page.

“Congratulations to Ashley Simpson Baird, Kelly Carmichael Booz, and Tammy Lemley-Ignacio on being elected to serve District B on the Alexandria City School Board! I am so proud to have three ACPS moms and education experts representing our students and schools! Now more than ever we need leaders who understand public education and serve with children, teachers, and staff first! Shout out to PreeAnn Johnson who also ran a very impressive campaign and had the highest praises at every polling location from ACPS staff, families and community members.

If anything, I gained many friendships and learned a lot from listening to voters in our community. Meeting everyone's volunteers, family, and friends speaks to the integrity of all of these leaders. Alexandria is lucky to have you!

Running for school board was the hardest and most humbling thing I have ever done. I am so grateful for the support of all my neighbors, community members, teachers, staff, Open ACPS, Junior Friends, Junior League of Washington, Zeta Tau Alpha sisters, Buy Nothing community, St. Mary's community and the other parents from ASA, LHP, lacrosse, Brooks ES and Campagna Kids! I might have lost a seat at the board dais, but I gained so many friends and neighbors! We are lucky to have such a wonderful public school system and community.

As my wise son Paddy, age 4 said ‘If you win, you have a party. If you lose, you have a party. If you lose, it's okay because you tried. Pack up your signs and try again!’

Thank you for everyone's texts, phone calls and messages. I will respond to them! They made my day!“

Both her campaign website and campaign facebook page are gone. This was never posted on either page.

That's nice if she put this (rambling) statement on her private facebook page but it's private. This demonstrates a big problem with her "campaign". Not every potential supporter was on private OpenACPS facebook pages or her personal page.

Bridget never promoted her campaign on OpenACPS. Not everyone on OpenACPS agrees with her. I know Bridget through my son's scout troop and she is a doer. I think she is very glad she is not on SB. She is not one out for popularity or interested in being a politician. She genuinely wanted to be an advocate for public schools and fully admits she was not savvy enough to know that ACPS and Alexandria politics make it challenging. Bridget's husband also has a job that makes any type of political activity impossible. He is a further restricted employee at DOJ. I believe Bridget is also a further restricted employee at HHS due to her job and that prohibits extensive fundraising.

Bridget is not in with the PTAC president. They are not friends. They know each other from Maury/Brooks but that is it.

If you are trying to say Bridget Westfall is in the secret clique at Maury/Brooks, you have lost your mind. Those women threw her to the wolves. One woman actively campaigned against her bashing her at big parties she threw for other candidates. Very few Brooks parents supported her campaign, as they thought she was aligned with Trump. She had a long term friend of over 20 years that stopped speaking to her because of her active involvement in opening schools. The PTAC also wrote a letter in the Alexandria Times bashing parents in favor of reopening. Most people don't know it, but Bridget wasn't a founder of the group. It was some parent at LCTA.

[Anonymous]

Back to this secret clique. What is it? Like they have power and influence over ACPS? I don't care about social things and adult sororities.

[Anonymous]

I genuinely want to know if the ACPS administration and school board is influenced by a shadow group of parents, presumably women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are we talking about the PTAC people who got certain people elected?

And did they keep certain people from being elected? To me, I didn’t understand how District B turned out they way it did with Ignacio winning and Johnson almost winning.

PTAC couldn't figure out that they aren't in Fairfax (check out their bylaws - they aren't even in Alexandria), I doubt they could figure out how to throw an election.

I agree but for some reason the change agent candidate in District B did not receive many more votes then the guy who was run out of DC public schools and screams during public comment at school board meetings.

Who was the change candidate in B?

Maybe I overstated her positions but I was referring to Westfall. Hutchings attacked her (not by name but by inference) in a school board meeting (I am forgetting what the issue(.

Nah. She pals around with that toxic PTAC president. The reality is that her website was a rambling mess, most of her facebook posts were promoting her family's photographer and she just didn't have the support like Baird.

Maybe she should have courted the private school parents like Baird apparently did.

I understand all that but she was willing to speak against Hutchings / status quo administration (although she may have been tainted by being so active in openacps). But you are right that she campaigned as a public school advocate which does not really focus on the private school parent vote.

But there is no way that her friends at PTAC tried to damage her candidacy. Why she lost isn't that difficult to figure out if you can look at it objectively.

She just wasn't a good candidate with the rambling website, constant promotion of her family and vendors. She also wasn't a good loser either. No update of the website, no thank you to supporters, no call to action after she lost. She posted something completely out of touch when that ACHS student was stabbed at Bradlee and also didn't care about how parents were kept in the dark about the apparent gang rape (so Alderton described it) in the Minnie Howard bathroom.

Baird's website (before she scrubbed it) was professional and to the point. Clearly she was right to court the private school vote, support, donations. She was articulate.

Ignacio had a base from her time in ACPS and she hustled. She had a new endorsement every day.

I think she put out a very nice statement after she lost the election. It’s still on her FB page.

“Congratulations to Ashley Simpson Baird, Kelly Carmichael Booz, and Tammy Lemley-Ignacio on being elected to serve District B on the Alexandria City School Board! I am so proud to have three ACPS moms and education experts representing our students and schools! Now more than ever we need leaders who understand public education and serve with children, teachers, and staff first! Shout out to PreeAnn Johnson who also ran a very impressive campaign and had the highest praises at every polling location from ACPS staff, families and community members.

If anything, I gained many friendships and learned a lot from listening to voters in our community. Meeting everyone's volunteers, family, and friends speaks to the integrity of all of these leaders. Alexandria is lucky to have you!

Running for school board was the hardest and most humbling thing I have ever done. I am so grateful for the support of all my neighbors, community members, teachers, staff, Open ACPS, Junior Friends, Junior League of Washington, Zeta Tau Alpha sisters, Buy Nothing community, St. Mary's community and the other parents from ASA, LHP, lacrosse, Brooks ES and Campagna Kids! I might have lost a seat at the board dais, but I gained so many friends and neighbors! We are lucky to have such a wonderful public school system and community.

As my wise son Paddy, age 4 said ‘If you win, you have a party. If you lose, you have a party. If you lose, it's okay because you tried. Pack up your signs and try again!’

Thank you for everyone's texts, phone calls and messages. I will respond to them! They made my day!“

Both her campaign website and campaign facebook page are gone. This was never posted on either page.

That's nice if she put this (rambling) statement on her private facebook page but it's private. This demonstrates a big problem with her "campaign". Not every potential supporter was on private OpenACPS facebook pages or her personal page.

Bridget never promoted her campaign on OpenACPS. Not everyone on OpenACPS agrees with her. I know Bridget through my son's scout troop and she is a doer. I think she is very glad she is not on SB. She is not one out for popularity or interested in being a politician. She genuinely wanted to be an advocate for public schools and fully admits she was not savvy enough to know that ACPS and Alexandria politics make it challenging. Bridget's husband also has a job that makes any type of political activity impossible. He is a further restricted employee at DOJ. I believe Bridget is also a further restricted employee at HHS due to her job and that prohibits extensive fundraising.

Bridget is not in with the PTAC president. They are not friends. They know each other from Maury/Brooks but that is it.

If you are trying to say Bridget Westfall is in the secret clique at Maury/Brooks, you have lost your mind. Those women threw her to the wolves. One woman actively campaigned against her bashing her at big parties she threw for other candidates. Very few Brooks parents supported her campaign, as they thought she was aligned with Trump. She had a long term friend of over 20 years that stopped speaking to her because of her active involvement in opening schools. The PTAC also wrote a letter in the Alexandria Times bashing parents in favor of reopening. Most people don't know it, but Bridget wasn't a founder of the group. It was some parent at LCTA.

Right to all this on Bridget. I was suggesting that the “clique” (whatever it is) may have been working against Westfall’s campaign because she did want ACPS to make changes / she was willing to speak out against ACPS et al.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back to this secret clique. What is it? Like they have power and influence over ACPS? I don't care about social things and adult sororities.

Is it the same one that meets every week at Stomping Ground?

[Anonymous]

So there is a secret clique that meets every week at Stomping Ground? This all sound ridiculous without any information. OP, what are these clique members doing? Are you suggesting they have undue influence on ACPS? In what way?

[Anonymous]

It sounds to me like people are talking about PTAC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I genuinely want to know if the ACPS administration and school board is influenced by a shadow group of parents, presumably women.

I think it's more of a symbiotic relationship. The parents (not all women but mostly) praise ACPS and actively try to silence parents who disagree. They get special treatment for their kids and get to feel special because local elected officials know them (so weird and pathetic but true).

Some of the most vocal supporters of ACPS either quietly put one or more kids in private or pay $$$ for tutors while pretending that everything is great for their kids. The best example of this is the former President of PTAC signed on to an op-ed praising ACPS' reaction to COVID. Right around the same time he was seen on private school open house zooms.

You'll also hear them say things like "my kid never sees the violence" or "my kid is in all honors classes in a different part of the school so it's great". They are proudly talking about how the schools are segregated and are proud that they benefit from it. Many are probably really sad about systemic racism...blind to the fact that they are very active participants.

They are a huge part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Westfall has a new ACPS community Facebook group in direct competition with the awful censoring PTAC run Facebook group. She really seems like someone who want to change ACPS for the better. I wish she had won.