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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]GFCA and MCA have both done and shared a lot of analysis with Tholen about future growth in the Langley pyramid and in Tysons (which feeds into McLean and Marshall).

FCPS admits its enrollment projections are based on a simplistic methodology that only takes into account new developments if the developer has broken ground, regardless of whether the county has approved the developments or paid the county proffer money.  The Tysons development in particular is going to add hundreds more kids to Marshall and McLean.

Tholen listens but is incredibly passive as if it’s all out of her hands. When an MCA member asked her point blank why FCPS isn’t planning now for an addition to McLean, she just smirked and talked about the 37-year renovation cycle, ignoring the other high schools like Justice or Madison where FCPS has built or is building additions outside the renovation cycle.

Great Falls and McLean and the Langley/McLean pyramids have a common interest in replacing Tholen with someone who will fight for fair funding and adequate seats at their pyramid schools, whether it’s Kent Gardens ES, Cooper MS, or McLean HS. Tholen doesn’t have it in her to challenge Jeff Platenberg or other School Board members.

[b]The main point of contention between them is that, when push comes to shove, Great Falls would rather see McLean remain overcrowded than risk overcrowding Cooper or Langley to the point where others would push to move Cooper/Langley kids into the Herndon pyramid.[/b]  But Herndon doesn’t have much excess capacity of its own and it’s only due to the negligence of FCPS and the School Board that the communities at times get pitted against each other.

If someone can get that message out, whether Republican, Democratic, or Independent, we can get rid of ineffective School Board members like Tholen and start to make some progress.[/quote]

I'm sorry - the bolded is just completely false.  Langley stepped up and urged McLean to send kids to Langley to help alleviate McLean's overcrowding.  What did we hear from many of the McLean parents?  Complaining and whining.  Many of YOU didn't want your kids to go to Langley.  Fine.  We offered.  Not sure what it is you want us to do for you.  We agree you need an addition.  Beyond that, we've offered space and many of you turned your noses up.  Maybe next time don't look a gift horse in the mouth?[/quote]

Langley wanted some additional kids to avoid losing more teachers (after years of declining enrollments) and getting relegated to a lower VHSL division, which almost happened but for an appeal.

[b]They hand-picked the neighborhoods they wanted and objected to moving areas that might actually bring Langley above capacity[/b] and Tholen went right along. The GFCA then said that was the best of all possible outcomes.

As with any boundary change, some in the impacted neighborhoods were unhappy while others were pleased or indifferent.  But it clearly wasn’t a comprehensive solution, McLean remains overcrowded, and it’s Marshall and McLean, not Langley, that will have to accommodate all the kids coming from the new Tysons multi-family housing.

None of this is good planning or in on any way aligned with all the “equity” and “One Fairfax” talk that Brabrand, the School Board, and Jeff McKay love to prattle on about.

Just admit the whole dynamic created a Lord of the Flies dynamic and stop pretending Langley parents are so noble and generous. They absolutely gamed the situation, aided and abetted by a flaky, hypocritical School Board member who lives in Great Falls and didn’t want to upset any of her rich neighbors. [/quote]

Question:  why on earth would ANY school community advocate to move areas which might cause their school to be above capacity??  Do you even hear yourself?  JFC.  Get off your high horse and quit blaming Langley for the SB's failure to give McLean an addition.  [/quote]

It appears you're conceding the same point that you previously claimed was "completely false."

One might think that, knowing that a neighboring school was [i]currently overcrowded[/i], advocates for Great Falls might have been willing to accept [i]the possibility of future overcrowding[/i] years down the road as an acceptable risk. But they were not.  The GFCA was clear that they opposed rezoning areas slated for additional growth to Langley and wanted to put a limit on the number of housing units redistricted.  And those were the people Tholen and her colleagues accommodated.  We won't forget next year. [/quote]

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