Tell me more about the School Board election process

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:When the school board contains all or close to the majority representing only one party, what happens is that then the administrators think they are safe to get away with whatever they want. No checks. Having a school board that changes hands means that checks will also trickle down to the schools. It is easier for teachers, students, and parents to be heard when there isn't just one agenda being addressed.

Say what you want about the Dems but I saw the Republicans hand out at my kids back to school night. Yikes. They’re completely out of touch.

I’ll stick with the Dems this year.

Worrying about academic achievement and special ed services is "out of touch"?

When Republicans are the party of banning books and banning certain curriculum, they are not the party of "academic achievement." And I'm laughing my a$$ off that you typed that with a straight face.

No party hurt education in fairfax county more than the all D school board closing in person school for a year - I can't believe YOU typed that with a straight face. The actual data doesn't support you. You're only feelings, not data on test scores and quantifiable academic achievement.

It’s weird that PP is such a partisan supporter of the all-D School Board when they don’t even stick around themselves to defend their records. Only 4 of the current 12 are running for re-election; others are either retiring or running for other offices and trying to capitalize on their limited name recognition (while at the same time trying to distance themselves from their own past decisions on the SB).

They had to face so many attacks and so much vitriol, it’s not a surprise so many are done with it.

You really have to care about this school system in order to want to continue to serve for another 4 years when you've gotten death threats, work such long hours, and get so much grief from everyone in every direction. Can we at least appreciate their personal dedication to their positions that barley pay anything to begin with?

I can appreciate their personal dedication to raising their own pay. That got a lot more attention from them than almost anything else (besides the “truth-in-education” resolution).

What is the salary now, 50k? Do you think that is a huge amount of money in Fairfax County?

No. But, watch a Board meeting and tell me if they deserve it.

I understand that these resolutions are important to them politically, but these meetings are way too long and their comments don't help. Some PP mentioned that the public is limited to 2 minutes and yet they go on and on and on with their comments. I don't understand why they cannot shorten that.

They have spent more time on social issues than academics. They closed schools and at least one put her own children in a learning pod. etc.What have they done right? They could have reacted appropriately to the books that were protested--instead, they don't want the books read aloud "because children are here" but still demand that the books stay in school libraries where minors have access to them.

Regardless of what you think of the current school board, members shouldn't be paid only 32k a year. I have had very qualified friends consider running for the board but couldn't because they would impact their be throwing their personal careers in jeopardy for only 32k a hour if they even got elected. And that would be on top of the regular things they'd have to deal with like leaving their family behind for extended periods of time to go to different school events.

32k a hour? or a year?
Is school board a full-time or a part-time position?

[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:

Anonymous wrote:When the school board contains all or close to the majority representing only one party, what happens is that then the administrators think they are safe to get away with whatever they want. No checks. Having a school board that changes hands means that checks will also trickle down to the schools. It is easier for teachers, students, and parents to be heard when there isn't just one agenda being addressed.

Say what you want about the Dems but I saw the Republicans hand out at my kids back to school night. Yikes. They’re completely out of touch.

I’ll stick with the Dems this year.

Worrying about academic achievement and special ed services is "out of touch"?

When Republicans are the party of banning books and banning certain curriculum, they are not the party of "academic achievement." And I'm laughing my a$$ off that you typed that with a straight face.

No party hurt education in fairfax county more than the all D school board closing in person school for a year - I can't believe YOU typed that with a straight face. The actual data doesn't support you. You're only feelings, not data on test scores and quantifiable academic achievement.

It’s weird that PP is such a partisan supporter of the all-D School Board when they don’t even stick around themselves to defend their records. Only 4 of the current 12 are running for re-election; others are either retiring or running for other offices and trying to capitalize on their limited name recognition (while at the same time trying to distance themselves from their own past decisions on the SB).

They had to face so many attacks and so much vitriol, it’s not a surprise so many are done with it.

You really have to care about this school system in order to want to continue to serve for another 4 years when you've gotten death threats, work such long hours, and get so much grief from everyone in every direction. Can we at least appreciate their personal dedication to their positions that barley pay anything to begin with?

I can appreciate their personal dedication to raising their own pay. That got a lot more attention from them than almost anything else (besides the “truth-in-education” resolution).

What is the salary now, 50k? Do you think that is a huge amount of money in Fairfax County?

No. But, watch a Board meeting and tell me if they deserve it.

I understand that these resolutions are important to them politically, but these meetings are way too long and their comments don't help. Some PP mentioned that the public is limited to 2 minutes and yet they go on and on and on with their comments. I don't understand why they cannot shorten that.

They have spent more time on social issues than academics. They closed schools and at least one put her own children in a learning pod. etc.What have they done right? They could have reacted appropriately to the books that were protested--instead, they don't want the books read aloud "because children are here" but still demand that the books stay in school libraries where minors have access to them.

Regardless of what you think of the current school board, members shouldn't be paid only 32k a year. I have had very qualified friends consider running for the board but couldn't because they would impact their be throwing their personal careers in jeopardy for only 32k a hour if they even got elected. And that would be on top of the regular things they'd have to deal with like leaving their family behind for extended periods of time to go to different school events.

32k a hour? or a year?
Is school board a full-time or a part-time position?

per year

[Anonymous]

I think now they get paid a higher salary than a starting teacher. And a higher salary than many other starting positions.

[Anonymous]

How many current school board members are FCPS parents or grandparents? If school board members have children in Fairfax county public schools, will they care students more than politics?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When the school board contains all or close to the majority representing only one party, what happens is that then the administrators think they are safe to get away with whatever they want. No checks. Having a school board that changes hands means that checks will also trickle down to the schools. It is easier for teachers, students, and parents to be heard when there isn't just one agenda being addressed.

Say what you want about the Dems but I saw the Republicans hand out at my kids back to school night. Yikes. They’re completely out of touch.

I’ll stick with the Dems this year.

Worrying about academic achievement and special ed services is "out of touch"?

When Republicans are the party of banning books and banning certain curriculum, they are not the party of "academic achievement." And I'm laughing my a$$ off that you typed that with a straight face.

No party hurt education in fairfax county more than the all D school board closing in person school for a year - I can't believe YOU typed that with a straight face. The actual data doesn't support you. You're only feelings, not data on test scores and quantifiable academic achievement.

Exactly. Democrats are doing everything they can to destroy public school education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many current school board members are FCPS parents or grandparents? If school board members have children in Fairfax county public schools, will they care students more than politics?

Good question. Anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many current school board members are FCPS parents or grandparents? If school board members have children in Fairfax county public schools, will they care students more than politics?

Good question. Anyone?

I am not running, but I care deeply about public schools. I do not have children in FCPS currently. I don't think that should be a requirement as long as your motive is to make the schools better. I have students who are graduates.

Sometimes, people are only concerned about single issues. Megan and Sandy were focused on a later start for high schools. That is what triggered their interest. I think their interests enlarged as they got on the Board. I did not agree with Sandy on many issues or Megan, for that matter.

Clearly, Abrar's goal is politics in general. I believe the same is true of McElveen and Frisch.

Melanie Meren has children in FCPS and she is a TERRIBLE board member.

My wish: that the political parties not be allowed to endorse the candidates. As long as that occurs, we will have this mess.
But, if we are not going to forbid that, then have primaries so people can vote--and not activists.

[Anonymous]

Agree. Why did we have primaries? Why not just one election if it's non-political?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree. Why did we have primaries? Why not just one election if it's non-political?

School board election has primary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree. Why did we have primaries? Why not just one election if it's non-political?

School board does not have a primary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think now they get paid a higher salary than a starting teacher. And a higher salary than many other starting positions.

No, this isn’t true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think now they get paid a higher salary than a starting teacher. And a higher salary than many other starting positions.

No, this isn’t true.

If it's $50K/year, and if it is indeed a part-time job, the salary makes pretty decent side hustle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think now they get paid a higher salary than a starting teacher. And a higher salary than many other starting positions.

No, this isn’t true.

If it's $50K/year, and if it is indeed a part-time job, the salary makes pretty decent side hustle.

It’s not quite 50K but it’s definitely not a part-time job. I wish it were so they would stop sticking their noses in things that shouldn’t be in their realm but their meetings are long and they get a lot of emails, visit schools, get event/meeting requests from community members. It’s also not more pay than a starting teacher.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps their is a possibility that they could scale back there work. What does the School Board have to do and what can they stop doing? Seems to me they stick their noses in a lot of places where they don't belong. Micromanaging.

[Anonymous]

There