Langley Gives Janie Strauss the Finger

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One thing for sure, with a BOS and School Board both controlled by Democrats, I'm a lot happier that Janie Strauss is our School Board member than Pete Kurzenhauser or some Elizabeth Schultz clone.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since undoubtedly Janie Strauss or one of her minions Is reading this thread-why don't you outline what you plan to do in Dranesville once the draconian budget crisis hits next year. I'll make some popcorn and wait for you to write back and explain!

With more ex-school board members on the BOS I assume it will be a free ride to a draconian tax increase. Dranesville schools will still get shat upon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With more ex-school board members on the BOS I assume it will be a free ride to a draconian tax increase. Dranesville schools will still get shat upon.

I see... so it's just that Republicans are irrational. You don't want to hear the message that you can't get something (lower class size) for nothing (no funding increases). So you put out the argument that we don't need to have more funding to get what you want, that FCPS is just some sort of shell game. They have the money; they're just hiding it somewhere. Or perhaps they don't have the money, but they're giving it to those undeserving (*gasp*) poor people, or ESOL kids. And when those arguments fail because voters understand that your numbers don't add up, and they don't agree with your argument about what "fairness" is, you run to a conspiracy theory, where even if FCPS gets more funding, "they" will never provide it to "you."

Go live out in the woods somewhere and provide your own security, fire protection, home schooling, food supply, medical research, and the rest of the bundle of goods that your government isn't providing for you. The problem is not that public schools don't provide enough to the wealthy, or that they don't listen to the wealthy. The problem is that they have to provide for EVERYBODY. They don't ONLY listen to you. Welcome to democracy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With more ex-school board members on the BOS I assume it will be a free ride to a draconian tax increase. Dranesville schools will still get shat upon.

I see... so it's just that Republicans are irrational. You don't want to hear the message that you can't get something (lower class size) for nothing (no funding increases). So you put out the argument that we don't need to have more funding to get what you want, that FCPS is just some sort of shell game. They have the money; they're just hiding it somewhere. Or perhaps they don't have the money, but they're giving it to those undeserving (*gasp*) poor people, or ESOL kids. And when those arguments fail because voters understand that your numbers don't add up, and they don't agree with your argument about what "fairness" is, you run to a conspiracy theory, where even if FCPS gets more funding, "they" will never provide it to "you."

Go live out in the woods somewhere and provide your own security, fire protection, home schooling, food supply, medical research, and the rest of the bundle of goods that your government isn't providing for you. The problem is not that public schools don't provide enough to the wealthy, or that they don't listen to the wealthy. The problem is that they have to provide for EVERYBODY. They don't ONLY listen to you. Welcome to democracy.

Excellent summary of the "Langley Republican" mindset and the reasons why others reject it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely want to scream in frustration with all of the holier than thou limousine liberals that think that just because Langley district parents want to ALSO get some benefit from their high property taxes (relative to the remainder of FCPS) they are incessantly demonized for that sentiment. I am fine with a meals tax or whatever it will take to help schools out of this budget crisis hole but to keep saying that Cluster 1 schools should suffer with the highest class sizes because Janie thinks we are all "wealthy" and can cover any gaps with our children's education. Despicable.

If schools have classes over the state limit or just below then it is a problem. Ever check the state standard for English classes ? Ever have 34 in grade 2? School is children's work. Anyone pay attention to a change where if a school has a lower number than expected the school can lose a staff member?

The state limit pertains to average class size, not individual class sizes. So, for every smaller class in one school,there can be a larger class in another and they average below the state limits.

You are wrong unless the state has had some changes. http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/legacy-content/867BCZ23F1F3/$FILE/StaffingStandards.pdf

Copied and pasted:
Certified instructional personnel
are to be assigned in such a way
as to result in a divisionwide ratio
of pupils in average daily
membership (ADM) to full-time
equivalent (FTE) teaching
positions in grades K-6 which are
not greater than the following
(excluding special education
teachers, principals, assistant
principals, counselors, and
librarians): 24:1 in kindergarten
with no class larger than 29. (If
ADM in any kindergarten class
exceeds 24, a full-time teacher's
aide must be assigned), 24:1 in
grade 1 with no class larger than
30 students, 24:1 in grades 2-3
with no class larger than 30
students, 25:1 in grades 4-6 with
no class larger than 35 students,
24:1 in English classes in grades 6
-
12

No class larger does not mean a division wide average. It is a dedicated classroom with an assigned teacher so if you have 35 treats for an event it is off by 5. I once called the state and that 24 for English means the group in front of a teacher. So yes-parents do have some basic issues.

These standards are from 2009 and do not match the 2016 class size standards in effect today.

[Anonymous]

Ok so I posted old SOQ's. Here are 2015:
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2015/168-15a.pdf

adobe doc p 9 of 36:
C. Each school board s
hall assign licensed instructional personnel in a manner that
produces divisionwide ratios of students in average daily membership to full
-
time
equivalent teaching positions, excluding special education teachers, principals, assistant
principals, counselor
s, and librarians, that are not greater than the following ratios: (i)
24 to one in kindergarten with no class being larger than 29 students; if the average
daily membership in any kindergarten class exceeds 24 pupils, a full
-
time teacher's aide
shall be a
ssigned to the class; (ii) 24 to one in grades one, two, and three with no class
being larger than 30 students; (iii) 25 to one in grades four through six with no class
being larger than 35 students; and (iv) 24 to one in English classes in grades six thro
ugh 12

I can't be more accurate than the Virginia web site. FYI I'm not a Republican and there were items in the budget tool that should be adjusted. Class size isn't one of them.

[Anonymous]

As someone pointed out, the state of VA is also not providing enough funding to the county-Richmond sort of takes the same attitude towards NOVA as Janie does with the Dranesville schools-can someone explain why certain school board members (meaning Moon, McElveen and Janie in particular) voted down writing to VA State Government for more school funding?? Could anything make less sense??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But it is a bit disingenuous to say your property taxes are higher. Everyone pays the exact same tax rate in the county. Yes, straight dollars, you pay more because your property is worth more. That is how property taxes work. But you are not paying a higher percentage than anyone else. There isn't some super special Langley tax that only you pay.

I don't live in Langley--but I do question your statement. What part of "more" don't you understand? As far as percentage, Dranesville probably does pay a higher percentage of Fairfax taxes than other areas.

I don't think the people from Langley are asking for "more" than the other parts of the FCPS system--I think they are just pointing out that they are paying more and getting far LESS in county funds. When you have class sizes of 35, you get a little resentful.

My personal opinion is that the lower income schools should get more--but there should be a base line for all schools. 35 kids in a class should not be the base line.

Exactly. Thank you for pointing this out. The Langley community is not asking for any more than any other school. But the idea that we should have to just suck it up and deal with larger classes because we're a "wealthy" community is a load of crap. Fair is fair and the amount of taxes this community pays to the county should ensure that our classes are AT LEAST the size of those in other schools - and not larger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you look at Kurzenhauser's web site, he wasn't just advocating for smaller class sizes. He was complaining about resources being "diverted" from Dranesville and the need to get "our fair share" and thinking this message would resonate in Dranesville.

And the election results proved him wrong. Only Langley precincts supported him. All the other precincts, zoned for Herndon, McLean, Marshall and Westfield HS, rejected the Mitt Romney-like effort to divide the county into "givers" and "takers."

This is the same message that Louise Epstein tried unsuccessfully to sell in 2011, yet the Republicans learned nothing from her loss. Perhaps by 2019 the wealthy Republicans in Langley will finally realize that we are all in this together and that the goal has always been, and remains, to help all our students succeed.

Your issue seems to be with 1) Republicans and 2) people who are more affluent than you. I'm a Langley parent and don't consider myself a Republican. I vote for the person who makes the best case for the issues I care about - regardless of party affiliation. I've voted Democrat and Republican before. In this election, I had no qualms about voting for Kurzenhauser as his message resonated with me. We have three kids and are sick of paying extraordinarily high taxes, only to see our schools' class sizes increase and AAP become a divisive issue in our elementary and middle schools. Forgive me, but I do think our kids are entitled to the same smaller class sizes your kids are probably enjoying. If you can't grasp that, then the real issue is simply the huge chip on your shoulder.

[Anonymous]

Definitely think that the class sizes are ridiculous and unacceptable from a fairness perspective. It is bad enough that they are cramming schools way past capacity in many parts of the county, but class sizes in the 30s is outrageous.

And I'm a liberal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^Because we rich white Langley republicans don't want all students to succeed? Because that what you keep going on and on about.

Until the Republicans can come up with stronger candidates and a better message, that is indeed the inference everyone else draws about you. There is no acknowledgment of the challenges other schools face, only complaints about Langley unfairly being asked to subsidize others.

So, you think it's fair for Langley to be subsidizing other public schools? Interesting. Would you like us to just send you a check next time?

[Anonymous]

I don't know where you think people are "enjoying" their class sizes. I know my kid is crammed into one side of a trailer 30 kids per class (so, 60 total) - and no easily accessible bathroom. In one of the cheapest SFH communities in the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone pointed out, the state of VA is also not providing enough funding to the county-Richmond sort of takes the same attitude towards NOVA as Janie does with the Dranesville schools-can someone explain why certain school board members (meaning Moon, McElveen and Janie in particular) voted down writing to VA State Government for more school funding?? Could anything make less sense??

What makes less sense is Langley Republicans criticizing local School Board members for not making futile pleas for more state funding when the state legislature is controlled by yet other Republicans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone pointed out, the state of VA is also not providing enough funding to the county-Richmond sort of takes the same attitude towards NOVA as Janie does with the Dranesville schools-can someone explain why certain school board members (meaning Moon, McElveen and Janie in particular) voted down writing to VA State Government for more school funding?? Could anything make less sense??

What makes less sense is Langley Republicans criticizing local School Board members for not making futile pleas for more state funding when the state legislature is controlled by yet other Republicans.

BOOM

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone pointed out, the state of VA is also not providing enough funding to the county-Richmond sort of takes the same attitude towards NOVA as Janie does with the Dranesville schools-can someone explain why certain school board members (meaning Moon, McElveen and Janie in particular) voted down writing to VA State Government for more school funding?? Could anything make less sense??

What makes less sense is Langley Republicans criticizing local School Board members for not making futile pleas for more state funding when the state legislature is controlled by yet other Republicans.

What's tiresome is you continually referring to the Langley community as "Langley Republicans". We get it. You hate Republicans. You hate the Langley community. But guess what? This community is made up of many different kinds of people, Republicans and Democrats alike. So please - get off your stupid political soapbox and grow up.