The June 16 School Board Meeting: A Small Turning Point?
Several proposals to amend the student conduct handbook were on the agenda for the June 16 meeting of the Fairfax County School Board. What mostly drew the attention of parents was a provision making it an offense for any student, from the 4th grade on, to maliciously “deadname” or “misgender” another student, with punishment ranging up to suspension from school.
It’s hard to keep up with all the new definitions in today’s gender dictionary. For those of you who aren’t in the know, “deadnaming” refers to using a previous name for a person who has decided to use a new name.
RALLY: Focus Schools on Academics, Not Sexual Politics
Fairfax County’s woke, leftist school board is mulling revisions to the district’s student handbook that would codify elements of highly controversial, divisive gender ideology. In addition, the board is considering the merit of co-ed sex education classes.
Concerned moms and dads rallied in opposition to the draft revisions ahead of the May 26 county school board meeting. The well-attended, spirited rally drew the attention of local and national media, including Fox News.
Fairfax GOP Honors Elizabeth Schultz
At the Fairfax GOP Convention held on March 26, 2022, Chairman Steve Knotts shared the following proclamation:
WHEREAS, our fellow Republican Elizabeth L. Schultz honorably served on the Fairfax County School Board for eight years;
WHEREAS, Ms. Schultz additionally served for one year in the U.S. Department of Education as Deputy Director of the Office of Educational Technology
New Book Investigates the Decline of Fairfax County Public Schools
Luke Rosiak, the Fairfax-based reporter for the Daily Wire who broke the Loudoun bathroom rape story that helped swing the Virginia gubernatorial election, has authored a national book on the problems of K-12 schools, titled Race to the Bottom: Uncovering the Secret Forces Destroying American Public Education.
Fairfax County Public Schools serve a recurring role in the book as poster child for all that is wrong with America’s K-12 establishment, from the marginalization of parents, the union-induced school closures, the politicization of curriculum, and the war on rigorous academics.
WATCH: Fairfax Mom Stands Up for County Parents and Students
Carrie Lukas, vice president of Independent Women’s Voice and mother of five children, shared her concerns with the Fairfax County School Board last night. Lukas’s remarks focused on the current mask controversy — her own kids were suspended for not wearing facial coverings — and concluded with a plea for school choice.
“This week is known as National School Choice Week, and it’s time for Virginia to give parents like me the ability to leave this school system which very clearly doesn’t want us anyway,” Lukas said.
Gov. Youngkin Issues “School Choice Week” Proclamation
Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced this week as School Choice Week, and issued a proclamation highlighting the importance of school choice for Virginia’s students and parents. “As your governor, I will continually stand up for students and parents and will sign the largest education budget in Virginia’s history. Our goal is that every student will graduate high school ready to go to college or start a great career. Choice and innovation within public education is vital to achieving that goal. That’s why together we will not only raise standards and raise teacher pay, but we will invest $150 million to kick start 20 new charter schools in the Commonwealth. We must empower parents and students with choice and innovation in K-12 public education,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin.
FCPS Orders Principals to Suspend Kids Without Masks
On Friday afternoon, January 21, as new Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin finalized guidance on his executive order allowing parental choice on whether students wear masks in school, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent went rogue and issued a 34-page “Principal Briefing” PowerPoint at a meeting with school administrators, ordering them to suspend students from school for a “Dress Code” violation if they don’t wear masks in school, according to a copy of the briefing received by Parents Defending Education.
REPORT: State School Board Associations’ Responses to NSBA Letter
On October 11, Parents Defending Education emailed 47 state school board associations for comment on the NSBA’s September 29 letter (Hawaii and Washington DC are not members of NSBA, and Virginia & Louisiana had already made public statements).