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…
Fairfax Republicans Stand With County Families
Citing the “detrimental effects” of the educational status quo, Fairfax GOP Chairman Steve Knotts is calling for the county’s government-run schools to reopen their doors — or give out vouchers so families can find alternatives.
“For too many students, virtual learning has been a disaster,” Knotts said today. “Sadly, the detrimental effects of long-term school closures are not confined to academics — the mental health consequences of social isolation are very real.”
Fairfax Dems Slam “Open FCPS” Parents
Fairfax Dems unleashed a tweetstorm Tuesday evening, raging against critics of the “all-Democratic Fairfax County School Board.” Notwithstanding the school board’s many failures, county Democrats vowed to back all current board members, including those facing down a grassroots recall effort.
The nonpartisan “OpenFCPS” coalition issued a scathing response Tuesday night
New Data: FCPS Is Failing Our Kids
A new report confirms that Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is failing students in record numbers. “The trend of more failing marks is concerning across the board but is especially concerning for the groups that showed the biggest unpredicted increases in receiving multiple unsatisfactory marks, namely our English learner students and students with disabilities,” the school district’s internal study concludes.
ICYMI: Larry O’Connor Interviews Zia Tompkins
In late October, parent and education reform advocate Zia Tompkins joined WMAL’s Larry O’Connor Show, to discuss new efforts to recall members of the Fairfax County School Board. Tompkins, who ran for school board in 2019 with the Fairfax GOP endorsement, said that current board members have turned county students into “guinea pigs”
Families File Lawsuit Against Fairfax County Public Schools
Seventeen parents filed a lawsuit against the Fairfax County School Board and Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand for illegally changing the admissions process at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
TJ, as the school is known, is the nation’s top-ranked public high school, according to U.S. News & World Report.
FCPS Can Learn from Successful Charter Schools
In response to another year where a miniscule number of Black and Hispanic students were admitted to the incoming class at Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology (“TJ”), Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Scott Brabrand is proposing to scrap the entrance exams and teacher recommendations and admit 80% of TJ’s students by lottery. The other 20% would be admitted on vague criteria
FCPS Spends $44,000 on “Critical Race Theory” Snake Oil Salesman
Over the summer, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) paid Critical Race Theory advocate Ibram X. Kendi $20,000 for a one-hour Zoom call. In addition, FCPS paid Kendi $24,000 for copies of his books on race. The lucrative contract between Kendi and the county schools was uncovered by investigative journalist Asra Nomani.
Kendi recently made headlines with his tweets attacking interracial adoption. “Some White colonizers ‘adopted’ Black children,” Kendi tweeted…