Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems only voucher enthusiastics are vocal on this debate.

I, as a FCPS parent, do not support vouchers. They are not going to solve problems in public education. If you don't like the politics (DEI, empathy, religious neutral) of FCPS, then spend your own money to find the school you like. I support your right to choose but not your right to take the money out.

I actually align pretty closely with the politics you laid out above and I still think FCPS is going the way of vouchers. What you lay out I think really motivates about 5% of people.


But most parents have jobs. All the narrative about school not being childcare is fine— but most parents have jobs and want their kids in school five days per week. Early dismissal Monday’s when no other local district did that totally ruined FCPS’ credibility for me.

Falls Church City has early release Wednesdays almost every week in elementary school and once a month in middle school.
https://www.fccps.org/page/calendars

Ok. But Arlington and Loudoun and other systems of size do not. Loudoun even specifically backed off such a plan because they took parent inputs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic-

The threat of vouchers is real, and rather than alienate key constituencies, the school board should really put a pause to the comprehensive changes and instead focus on the one or two schools that actually need relief now.

I, too, have problems with the boundary study. However, there are a lot of parents who have concerns far beyond boundaries. Title IX, for example.

Sure, happy to discuss those too. Vouchers and the threat of vouchers will serve as a check on this school board’s worst impulses.

I don't think it will. If vouchers actually cause people to leave FCPS (debatable), those leaving will largely be the people opposed to the board. Therefore remaining parents are more likely to agree with board, or to not care.

- NP who opposes vouchers AND a lot of what FCPS does, but wouldn't mind if a certain segment of complainers left

Did you read the article? Pretty compelling evidence that vouchers do cause families to go private.

And, before you celebrate UMC families leaving FCPS, you might want to have a think about the impacts that the loss of those families might cause. (Again, might be worth reading that article).

Even if vouchers work the way you expect, it remains that "people who hate the current board will leave the system" is not a threat to the board, and therefore seems unlikely to check them.

It may be. People with kids in private school still get to vote. And when UMC flight starts impacting those who stayed in FCPS to support the board, they may find their support wavers.

Again, you are framing this as you against the school board. I will have to stay and fight the school board as we are poor and all information so far leans toward poor people getting the shaft with vouchers.

You, as a richer person, are voting with your feet just as capitalism wants you to. If you want to turn FCPS into a capitalistic school marketplace- it seems that will happen.

Supporting democracy means you stay and fight and vote out the school board and vote in sane people and continue to fight redistricting.

Again, schools are the current flashpoint for anger. Carry on and destroy the system, but know what you are doing and the forces that are manipulating you to feel this way. It isn’t just the school board, though they are definitely part of it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems only voucher enthusiastics are vocal on this debate.

I, as a FCPS parent, do not support vouchers. They are not going to solve problems in public education. If you don't like the politics (DEI, empathy, religious neutral) of FCPS, then spend your own money to find the school you like. I support your right to choose but not your right to take the money out.

It’s MY tax money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic-

The threat of vouchers is real, and rather than alienate key constituencies, the school board should really put a pause to the comprehensive changes and instead focus on the one or two schools that actually need relief now.

I, too, have problems with the boundary study. However, there are a lot of parents who have concerns far beyond boundaries. Title IX, for example.

Sure, happy to discuss those too. Vouchers and the threat of vouchers will serve as a check on this school board’s worst impulses.

I don't think it will. If vouchers actually cause people to leave FCPS (debatable), those leaving will largely be the people opposed to the board. Therefore remaining parents are more likely to agree with board, or to not care.

- NP who opposes vouchers AND a lot of what FCPS does, but wouldn't mind if a certain segment of complainers left

Did you read the article? Pretty compelling evidence that vouchers do cause families to go private.

And, before you celebrate UMC families leaving FCPS, you might want to have a think about the impacts that the loss of those families might cause. (Again, might be worth reading that article).

Even if vouchers work the way you expect, it remains that "people who hate the current board will leave the system" is not a threat to the board, and therefore seems unlikely to check them.

It may be. People with kids in private school still get to vote. And when UMC flight starts impacting those who stayed in FCPS to support the board, they may find their support wavers.

Again, you are framing this as you against the school board. I will have to stay and fight the school board as we are poor and all information so far leans toward poor people getting the shaft with vouchers.

You, as a richer person, are voting with your feet just as capitalism wants you to. If you want to turn FCPS into a capitalistic school marketplace- it seems that will happen.

Supporting democracy means you stay and fight and vote out the school board and vote in sane people and continue to fight redistricting.

Again, schools are the current flashpoint for anger. Carry on and destroy the system, but know what you are doing and the forces that are manipulating you to feel this way. It isn’t just the school board, though they are definitely part of it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic-

The threat of vouchers is real, and rather than alienate key constituencies, the school board should really put a pause to the comprehensive changes and instead focus on the one or two schools that actually need relief now.

I, too, have problems with the boundary study. However, there are a lot of parents who have concerns far beyond boundaries. Title IX, for example.

Sure, happy to discuss those too. Vouchers and the threat of vouchers will serve as a check on this school board’s worst impulses.

I don't think it will. If vouchers actually cause people to leave FCPS (debatable), those leaving will largely be the people opposed to the board. Therefore remaining parents are more likely to agree with board, or to not care.

- NP who opposes vouchers AND a lot of what FCPS does, but wouldn't mind if a certain segment of complainers left

Did you read the article? Pretty compelling evidence that vouchers do cause families to go private.

And, before you celebrate UMC families leaving FCPS, you might want to have a think about the impacts that the loss of those families might cause. (Again, might be worth reading that article).

Even if vouchers work the way you expect, it remains that "people who hate the current board will leave the system" is not a threat to the board, and therefore seems unlikely to check them.

It may be. People with kids in private school still get to vote. And when UMC flight starts impacting those who stayed in FCPS to support the board, they may find their support wavers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems only voucher enthusiastics are vocal on this debate.

I, as a FCPS parent, do not support vouchers. They are not going to solve problems in public education. If you don't like the politics (DEI, empathy, religious neutral) of FCPS, then spend your own money to find the school you like. I support your right to choose but not your right to take the money out.

I actually align pretty closely with the politics you laid out above and I still think FCPS is going the way of vouchers. What you lay out I think really motivates about 5% of people.


But most parents have jobs. All the narrative about school not being childcare is fine— but most parents have jobs and want their kids in school five days per week. Early dismissal Monday’s when no other local district did that totally ruined FCPS’ credibility for me.

You know they provide free childcare on early release monday, right? Do try to keep up.

https://fairfaxgop.org/limited-early-release-mondays-for-2024-25-school-year/

We encourage all parents/caregivers to have their student take their normal route home (bus, walk, kiss and ride) on early dismissal days. While these are designated as early release days — where necessary — we will ensure that every student has supervised enrichment activities at the school and returns home at the regular time if that is what works best for your family. Licensed educators from central office will support schools as well. High-impact tutoring will be available for identified students.

This is a great example of how FCPS alienates parents.

You could take one second to think about the experience of a working parent given the choice between taking 6 more days off from work (which they may or may not have) or let their kid be stuffed into an auditorium on a laptop for four hours, which is what the “free childcare” was.

Or you can double down on how no one has a right to want more from their taxpayer-funded system. And that doubling down leads to support for vouchers. Because parents do want more.

Do you even know what they do in those 4 hours. Stop making up stuff.

It’s Wednesday this year. You can see sample schedules for student activities:

https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/safety-and-transportation/limited-early-release-wednesdays

Last year, the justification was oh this horrible state mandate that has been dropped on us (look at the threads here about it) and we couldn’t possible manage it any other way.

Now? It’s a “successful pilot” which leads to working parents needing 8 more days off per year if they don’t want their kids warehoused. My kid didn’t need 8 more days off this year. No one asked parents whether this “pilot” (which wasn’t advertised as a pilot) was a success for us.

Private school would keep my kid in school, learning, five days per week. If I took a voucher or voted for them it would be because of this issue. You can be as dismissive as you want, the alienation of parents leads to support for vouchers.

Private schools are in session for less of the year. Longer summer, longer breaks, a smattering of early release days. That's why they say "the more you pay, the less they go."

There are other reasons to choose private - we did, happily - but "convenient for working parents" is not one of them. My private school kid has a full 3 months of summer break, 2 weeks at Christmas, 2 weeks for spring break, two other 4-day breaks, and no bus transportation. I WOH and care/transport is a struggle.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic-

The threat of vouchers is real, and rather than alienate key constituencies, the school board should really put a pause to the comprehensive changes and instead focus on the one or two schools that actually need relief now.

I, too, have problems with the boundary study. However, there are a lot of parents who have concerns far beyond boundaries. Title IX, for example.

Sure, happy to discuss those too. Vouchers and the threat of vouchers will serve as a check on this school board’s worst impulses.

I don't think it will. If vouchers actually cause people to leave FCPS (debatable), those leaving will largely be the people opposed to the board. Therefore remaining parents are more likely to agree with board, or to not care.

- NP who opposes vouchers AND a lot of what FCPS does, but wouldn't mind if a certain segment of complainers left

Did you read the article? Pretty compelling evidence that vouchers do cause families to go private.

And, before you celebrate UMC families leaving FCPS, you might want to have a think about the impacts that the loss of those families might cause. (Again, might be worth reading that article).

Even if vouchers work the way you expect, it remains that "people who hate the current board will leave the system" is not a threat to the board, and therefore seems unlikely to check them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic-

The threat of vouchers is real, and rather than alienate key constituencies, the school board should really put a pause to the comprehensive changes and instead focus on the one or two schools that actually need relief now.

I, too, have problems with the boundary study. However, there are a lot of parents who have concerns far beyond boundaries. Title IX, for example.

Sure, happy to discuss those too. Vouchers and the threat of vouchers will serve as a check on this school board’s worst impulses.

I don't think it will. If vouchers actually cause people to leave FCPS (debatable), those leaving will largely be the people opposed to the board. Therefore remaining parents are more likely to agree with board, or to not care.

- NP who opposes vouchers AND a lot of what FCPS does, but wouldn't mind if a certain segment of complainers left

Did you read the article? Pretty compelling evidence that vouchers do cause families to go private.

And, before you celebrate UMC families leaving FCPS, you might want to have a think about the impacts that the loss of those families might cause. (Again, might be worth reading that article).

Even if vouchers work the way you expect, it remains that "people who hate the current board will leave the system" is not a threat to the board, and therefore seems unlikely to check them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic-

The threat of vouchers is real, and rather than alienate key constituencies, the school board should really put a pause to the comprehensive changes and instead focus on the one or two schools that actually need relief now.

I, too, have problems with the boundary study. However, there are a lot of parents who have concerns far beyond boundaries. Title IX, for example.

Sure, happy to discuss those too. Vouchers and the threat of vouchers will serve as a check on this school board’s worst impulses.

I don't think it will. If vouchers actually cause people to leave FCPS (debatable), those leaving will largely be the people opposed to the board. Therefore remaining parents are more likely to agree with board, or to not care.

- NP who opposes vouchers AND a lot of what FCPS does, but wouldn't mind if a certain segment of complainers left

Did you read the article? Pretty compelling evidence that vouchers do cause families to go private.

And, before you celebrate UMC families leaving FCPS, you might want to have a think about the impacts that the loss of those families might cause. (Again, might be worth reading that article).

Even if vouchers work the way you expect, it remains that "people who hate the current board will leave the system" is not a threat to the board, and therefore seems unlikely to check them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic-

The threat of vouchers is real, and rather than alienate key constituencies, the school board should really put a pause to the comprehensive changes and instead focus on the one or two schools that actually need relief now.

I, too, have problems with the boundary study. However, there are a lot of parents who have concerns far beyond boundaries. Title IX, for example.

Sure, happy to discuss those too. Vouchers and the threat of vouchers will serve as a check on this school board’s worst impulses.

I don't think it will. If vouchers actually cause people to leave FCPS (debatable), those leaving will largely be the people opposed to the board. Therefore remaining parents are more likely to agree with board, or to not care.

- NP who opposes vouchers AND a lot of what FCPS does, but wouldn't mind if a certain segment of complainers left

Did you read the article? Pretty compelling evidence that vouchers do cause families to go private.

And, before you celebrate UMC families leaving FCPS, you might want to have a think about the impacts that the loss of those families might cause. (Again, might be worth reading that article).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems only voucher enthusiastics are vocal on this debate.

I, as a FCPS parent, do not support vouchers. They are not going to solve problems in public education. If you don't like the politics (DEI, empathy, religious neutral) of FCPS, then spend your own money to find the school you like. I support your right to choose but not your right to take the money out.

I actually align pretty closely with the politics you laid out above and I still think FCPS is going the way of vouchers. What you lay out I think really motivates about 5% of people.


But most parents have jobs. All the narrative about school not being childcare is fine— but most parents have jobs and want their kids in school five days per week. Early dismissal Monday’s when no other local district did that totally ruined FCPS’ credibility for me.

You know they provide free childcare on early release monday, right? Do try to keep up.

https://fairfaxgop.org/limited-early-release-mondays-for-2024-25-school-year/

We encourage all parents/caregivers to have their student take their normal route home (bus, walk, kiss and ride) on early dismissal days. While these are designated as early release days — where necessary — we will ensure that every student has supervised enrichment activities at the school and returns home at the regular time if that is what works best for your family. Licensed educators from central office will support schools as well. High-impact tutoring will be available for identified students.

This is a great example of how FCPS alienates parents.

You could take one second to think about the experience of a working parent given the choice between taking 6 more days off from work (which they may or may not have) or let their kid be stuffed into an auditorium on a laptop for four hours, which is what the “free childcare” was.

Or you can double down on how no one has a right to want more from their taxpayer-funded system. And that doubling down leads to support for vouchers. Because parents do want more.

Do you even know what they do in those 4 hours. Stop making up stuff.

It’s Wednesday this year. You can see sample schedules for student activities:

https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/safety-and-transportation/limited-early-release-wednesdays

Last year, the justification was oh this horrible state mandate that has been dropped on us (look at the threads here about it) and we couldn’t possible manage it any other way.

Now? It’s a “successful pilot” which leads to working parents needing 8 more days off per year if they don’t want their kids warehoused. My kid didn’t need 8 more days off this year. No one asked parents whether this “pilot” (which wasn’t advertised as a pilot) was a success for us.

Private school would keep my kid in school, learning, five days per week. If I took a voucher or voted for them it would be because of this issue. You can be as dismissive as you want, the alienation of parents leads to support for vouchers.

Private schools are in session for less of the year. Longer summer, longer breaks, a smattering of early release days. That's why they say "the more you pay, the less they go."

There are other reasons to choose private - we did, happily - but "convenient for working parents" is not one of them. My private school kid has a full 3 months of summer break, 2 weeks at Christmas, 2 weeks for spring break, two other 4-day breaks, and no bus transportation. I WOH and care/transport is a struggle.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems only voucher enthusiastics are vocal on this debate.

I, as a FCPS parent, do not support vouchers. They are not going to solve problems in public education. If you don't like the politics (DEI, empathy, religious neutral) of FCPS, then spend your own money to find the school you like. I support your right to choose but not your right to take the money out.

I actually align pretty closely with the politics you laid out above and I still think FCPS is going the way of vouchers. What you lay out I think really motivates about 5% of people.


But most parents have jobs. All the narrative about school not being childcare is fine— but most parents have jobs and want their kids in school five days per week. Early dismissal Monday’s when no other local district did that totally ruined FCPS’ credibility for me.

Falls Church City has early release Wednesdays almost every week in elementary school and once a month in middle school.
https://www.fccps.org/page/calendars

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems only voucher enthusiastics are vocal on this debate.

I, as a FCPS parent, do not support vouchers. They are not going to solve problems in public education. If you don't like the politics (DEI, empathy, religious neutral) of FCPS, then spend your own money to find the school you like. I support your right to choose but not your right to take the money out.

I actually align pretty closely with the politics you laid out above and I still think FCPS is going the way of vouchers. What you lay out I think really motivates about 5% of people.


But most parents have jobs. All the narrative about school not being childcare is fine— but most parents have jobs and want their kids in school five days per week. Early dismissal Monday’s when no other local district did that totally ruined FCPS’ credibility for me.

You know they provide free childcare on early release monday, right? Do try to keep up.

https://fairfaxgop.org/limited-early-release-mondays-for-2024-25-school-year/

We encourage all parents/caregivers to have their student take their normal route home (bus, walk, kiss and ride) on early dismissal days. While these are designated as early release days — where necessary — we will ensure that every student has supervised enrichment activities at the school and returns home at the regular time if that is what works best for your family. Licensed educators from central office will support schools as well. High-impact tutoring will be available for identified students.

This is a great example of how FCPS alienates parents.

You could take one second to think about the experience of a working parent given the choice between taking 6 more days off from work (which they may or may not have) or let their kid be stuffed into an auditorium on a laptop for four hours, which is what the “free childcare” was.

Or you can double down on how no one has a right to want more from their taxpayer-funded system. And that doubling down leads to support for vouchers. Because parents do want more.

Do you even know what they do in those 4 hours. Stop making up stuff.

It’s Wednesday this year. You can see sample schedules for student activities:

https://www.fcps.edu/family-resources/safety-and-transportation/limited-early-release-wednesdays

Last year, the justification was oh this horrible state mandate that has been dropped on us (look at the threads here about it) and we couldn’t possible manage it any other way.

Now? It’s a “successful pilot” which leads to working parents needing 8 more days off per year if they don’t want their kids warehoused. My kid didn’t need 8 more days off this year. No one asked parents whether this “pilot” (which wasn’t advertised as a pilot) was a success for us.

Private school would keep my kid in school, learning, five days per week. If I took a voucher or voted for them it would be because of this issue. You can be as dismissive as you want, the alienation of parents leads to support for vouchers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems only voucher enthusiastics are vocal on this debate.

I, as a FCPS parent, do not support vouchers. They are not going to solve problems in public education. If you don't like the politics (DEI, empathy, religious neutral) of FCPS, then spend your own money to find the school you like. I support your right to choose but not your right to take the money out.

I actually align pretty closely with the politics you laid out above and I still think FCPS is going the way of vouchers. What you lay out I think really motivates about 5% of people.


But most parents have jobs. All the narrative about school not being childcare is fine— but most parents have jobs and want their kids in school five days per week. Early dismissal Monday’s when no other local district did that totally ruined FCPS’ credibility for me.

Falls Church City has early release Wednesdays almost every week in elementary school and once a month in middle school.
https://www.fccps.org/page/calendars

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems only voucher enthusiastics are vocal on this debate.

I, as a FCPS parent, do not support vouchers. They are not going to solve problems in public education. If you don't like the politics (DEI, empathy, religious neutral) of FCPS, then spend your own money to find the school you like. I support your right to choose but not your right to take the money out.

I actually align pretty closely with the politics you laid out above and I still think FCPS is going the way of vouchers. What you lay out I think really motivates about 5% of people.


But most parents have jobs. All the narrative about school not being childcare is fine— but most parents have jobs and want their kids in school five days per week. Early dismissal Monday’s when no other local district did that totally ruined FCPS’ credibility for me.