I fail to see how they can forbid children from entering the building. On what authority can they bar my daughter from going back into her elementary school while allowing others? What about families that moved to Alexandria since December?

ACPS' lack of quality communication is causing confusion & anger that could have been avoided or at least partially avoided, IF they wanted as many students as possible to return. Which I don't think they want. No matter what they said last summer, they didn't have a hybrid plan ready to go for last fall. And they aren't ready now.

At this point, Hutchings and central office should be aware at how bad of a comms team they have (even with the departure of Helen Lloyd). The school board is deliberately clueless due to their default position that parents are always wrong and ACPS central office & the good doctor are always right.

No one can be that clueless or dumb. They know what they are doing. And they don't care.

Anonymous wrote:Nothing in the survey stated that decisions were binding. It was not a contract. It was sent out as a form of data collection. There's no way central office will deny your child access if you just send them in. They have no basis.

We were told (elem level) that if we sent our kids in on the "wrong days" they would be sent home. So I think they think they have a basis. If a bunch of people started challenging it, though? Who knows.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing in the survey stated that decisions were binding. It was not a contract. It was sent out as a form of data collection. There's no way central office will deny your child access if you just send them in. They have no basis.

I mean there were multiple emails to that effect AND it wasn't listed as a survey it was listed as signing your kid up for hybrid vs virtual. So I think this is an odd argument.

NM sorry thought this was for APS ignore me

Anonymous wrote:Nothing in the survey stated that decisions were binding. It was not a contract. It was sent out as a form of data collection. There's no way central office will deny your child access if you just send them in. They have no basis.

I mean there were multiple emails to that effect AND it wasn't listed as a survey it was listed as signing your kid up for hybrid vs virtual. So I think this is an odd argument.

Anonymous wrote:Nothing in the survey stated that decisions were binding. It was not a contract. It was sent out as a form of data collection. There's no way central office will deny your child access if you just send them in. They have no basis.

Every year, on the first day of school, kids just show up at our ES. No paperwork filed etc. And they let them in. So just sending them may be an option. While I wouldn't send an elementary kid to do this, a middle or high schooler may enjoy it.

Nothing in the survey stated that decisions were binding. It was not a contract. It was sent out as a form of data collection. There's no way central office will deny your child access if you just send them in. They have no basis.

The reality is that litigation is expensive and time consuming. And ACPS knows this. They can do, say and write what they want (and then do the opposite) without consequences.

One last option may be to contact VDOE, the Gov's office and state reps. Since the Gov is suddenly willing to give orders and Hutchings is suddenly willing to follow those orders, maybe something could get done that way.

Parents in Alexandria truly have no where to go.

You have a constitutional right to education.

No, you don't. The Supreme Court has held that a free public education is not a fundamental right under the constitution. What you are entitled to is equal protection of the law under the 14th Amendment, or the protections of IDEA and section 504 of the Rehab Act.

I'm the poster that started with "honest and serious question above"....thank you for all the responses! I really appreciate them and I'm taking next steps based on your recommendations. Hopefully if enough people take action this ridiculous decision will be reversed, I agree that I would think the threat of a lawsuit might change their minds...I don't understand how they can deny children access to in-person learning if its available. Regardless of some survey their parent filled out 3 months ago!

Anonymous wrote:

What would the basis for the lawsuit be? False advertising? Being a crappy, disorganized school system is not a basis.


Unequal access to education.

You can't prohibit equal access to education based on race, sex, religtion, or disability, but there's no generalized right to equal access, unless you can show that a protected category is implicated.

You have a constitutional right to education. Test scores alone show that virtual school is far inferior to in person school. And by denying a child the chance to attend a in person school, based unclear administration messaging, you are denying them a free and appropriate education.

What would the basis for the lawsuit be? False advertising? Being a crappy, disorganized school system is not a basis.


Unequal access to education.

You can't prohibit equal access to education based on race, sex, religtion, or disability, but there's no generalized right to equal access, unless you can show that a protected category is implicated.

Anonymous wrote:

1. Ask the school to deny your request to return in writing (email), make sure it states that they are denying your request to return because of your response to remain virtual in the December survey.
2. Get a lawyer.

With their vague and misleading communications on the purpose of the survey, they have successfully backed themself into a corner, and are very exposed to a lawsuit that they will lose. Just takes 1 or 2 parents to do this, and the policy will change for everyone.

What would the basis for the lawsuit be? False advertising? Being a crappy, disorganized school system is not a basis.

Unequal access to education.

1. Ask the school to deny your request to return in writing (email), make sure it states that they are denying your request to return because of your response to remain virtual in the December survey.
2. Get a lawyer.

With their vague and misleading communications on the purpose of the survey, they have successfully backed themself into a corner, and are very exposed to a lawsuit that they will lose. Just takes 1 or 2 parents to do this, and the policy will change for everyone.

What would the basis for the lawsuit be? False advertising? Being a crappy, disorganized school system is not a basis.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can switch from hybrid to DL but not the other way around. Our ACPS elementary school principal told parents at a meeting this week that he is keeping a list of families requesting to switch from DL to hybrid (but made no promises that it would be possible). I still think it’s a good idea for parents to let their principals know and for schools to collect that data and information.

Thank you. Do you know why that is? It doesn't seem fair to ask parents to make a firm decision about the unknown. Many people scared in December might not be now given the increased availability of vaccine.

Honest and serious question...what is the most constructive way to push back on this verdict of your decision in December equals what you get now? Both adults in our family have the vaccine now so we are comfortable with hybrid but in December we didn’t know that and picked distance. I know it’s out of the principals hands at this point, and it’s truly ridiculous we are being held to a December survey. What is the best way to counter this?

I don't think you'll have any luck, TBH. But maybe contact the principal directly?

They really messed this up....once again with lack of communication.

1. Ask the school to deny your request to return in writing (email), make sure it states that they are denying your request to return because of your response to remain virtual in the December survey.
2. Get a lawyer.

With their vague and misleading communications on the purpose of the survey, they have successfully backed themself into a corner, and are very exposed to a lawsuit that they will lose. Just takes 1 or 2 parents to do this, and the policy will change for everyone.