Secretary Qarni, FCPS and the Left’s War on Asians
For the Fairfax County School Board (FCSB), awash in federal impact funds, perhaps an emergency meeting is in order.
The members may wish to consider a brilliant piece by former Wall Street Journal reporter Asra Q. Nomani on October 31: The War on Asians, the Death of Meritocracy, and Assault on STEM. They should read particularly closely her section on the “National War on Asians”.
Judge: TJ Is for Gifted Students, But…
Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge John Tran denied a request by 15 local parents to force Fairfax County Public Schools to reinstate race-blind, merit-based admissions tests to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, America’s No. 1 high school, but clearly stood on the side of the parents in their noble defense of gifted education and the value of merit-based admissions.
The decision is a blow to the future of the school as a place that nurtures the area’s top science, technology, engineering and math students, as local educrats replace the test…
Draft “Transgender Guidelines” Would Undermine Family Rights and Values
The Arlington Parent Coalition’s Kristen Allen joined WMAL’s Mornings on the Mall radio program to break down Virginia’s new, draft guidelines for transgender ideology in government-run “public” schools.
“In 2018, the chair of an advocacy group for transgenders (GLSEN) told the Washington Post that Virginia and California were going to be laboratories in which they tested fairly radical policies,” Allen noted.
How Many More Weeks of Winter for FCPS Students?
Approaching its ironically-timed Groundhog Day “Return to School Working Session,” FCPS released on Friday a presentation that reveals yet again that the principal factor in the inability to open schools is not about metrics, or community spread of a virus, but the chronic inability of FCPS to manage its staff, and the apparent unwillingness of many staff to return to work. The presentation already sets up the game board for the inevitable “pause” for all students in grades 3-12 in Fairfax County…
Virginia Families Want Alternatives to Closed Public Schools
With public schools in Virginia failing to offer in-person classes five days a week, a majority of residents support measures for the state to provide financial support for parents who have opted to enroll their students in alternative education systems, according to a poll released this week. The poll, conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, found that 61% of registered voters would support giving parents a portion of the state’s K-12 funding to use for home, virtual or private education if public schools remain closed for in-person classes.
MUST-READ: 1776 Commission Defends American Ideals
President Trump’s 1776 Commission unveiled its highly-anticipated report on Monday. The White House hailed the report’s release with the following statement:
“1776 Commission—comprised of some of America’s most distinguished scholars and historians—has released a report presenting a definitive chronicle of the American founding, a powerful description of the effect the principles of the Declaration of Independence have had on this Nation’s history…
Executive Order on Expanding Educational Opportunity Through School Choice
While some families, especially those with financial means, have been able to mitigate school disruptions through in person options such as homeschooling, private schools, charter schools, and innovative models like microschools and “learning pods,” for many families, their children’s residentially assigned public school remains their only financially available option. Unfortunately, more than 50 percent of all public-school students in the United States began school remotely this fall. These children, including those with special needs, are being underserved due to the public education system’s failure to provide in-person learning options.
Students whose families pay tuition for their education are also facing significant hardships due to the economic disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Group Says Fairfax County Teachers Violated Virginia’s Anti-Striking Law with ‘Sick Out’
A nonprofit organization that advocates for families is accusing Fairfax County teachers union officials of violating Virginia law that prohibits public-sector strikes when the union organized with hundreds of teachers to take a mental health sick day in October.
According to Virginia law, a public-sector employee is deemed to have terminated his or her employment if the employee refuses to perform his or her duties as a means to obstruct, impede or suspend an operation of the government employer in concert with two or more employees. The law states such a person will not be eligible for employment by a public agency for 12 months after the strike.
In Defense of Merit at Thomas Jefferson High School
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) has maintained its standards for demonstrated excellence, particularly in STEM disciplines, in great part from its steadfast support of the Fairfax County Business Community and individuals who champion academic ability. Forward thinkers knew that Virginia’s ability to attract companies to build the economy in science and technology was dependent on a stellar educational system.
PETITION: FCPS Must Discipline Radical, “Hate-Filled” Teacher
On December 7, 2020, Black and Brown parents — Dr. Harry Jackson and journalist, Ms. Asra Nomani, parents of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology students — filed a formal complaint with Fairfax County Public Schools…