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Parents pressure school board to rethink boundary change
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Calls to scuttle the entire proposal were echoed Wednesday at a public forum in Oakton, where residents overwhelmingly railed against the proposition to expand the student body of South Lakes High School in Reston with chunks of surrounding districts.
Opponents framed the redistricting as an attempt to “dilute” the problems of South Lakes, where more students are on free- and reduced-lunch programs, speak limited English and, in general, fall behind students from surrounding schools on standardized tests.
Some South Lakes parents, however, said their school has been unfairly maligned amid the rancor.
“That’s kind of typical for this sort of situation,” said Maria Allen, vice president of the South Lakes High School Parent Teacher Student Association. “The truth of the matter is that a lot of affluent people don’t want to send their kids to schools that have a large low-income population.”
Allen, who emphasized that she did not speak for the PTSA, called South Lakes an “excellent school” that nevertheless lagged in population because parents chose surrounding districts because of statistics and demographics. The school now serves about 1,400 students and has a capacity for 2,100.
Schools whose enrollments would shrink under the boundary redrawing, such as Westfield, Madison and Chantilly highs, are near or over their capacity.
School Board member Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner acknowledged that the “vast majority” of the hundreds of people attending the Wednesday night meeting opposed the boundary change. He and other member have declined to comment on the redistricting until it reaches the board in January.
Mary Chamberlain, part of a crowd in one room at the forum, joined others in calling for a moratorium on the boundary change. The school system, she said, shouldn’t rob from Oakton, which is not overenrolled, to “dilute another school’s population.”
2008 enrollments
» South Lakes:
Before redistricting: 1,389 After redistricting: 1,615
» Madison:
Before redistricting: 1,868
After redistricting: 1,850
» Westfield:
Before redistricting: 3,050
After redistricting: 2,981
» Chantilly:
Before redistricting: 2,753
After redistricting: 2,688
Note: Projected enrollments under a new school board proposal
Source: Fairfax County Public Schools
wflook@dcexaminer.com
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Examiner Reader said:
I am a teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools and prefer to remain anonymous. I have been in this system for 21 years. After having been in this county for twelve years, receiving good evalulations for that entire time, I happened upon a principal with a real big ego problem. For the entire time I've been in this county, principals have known they have the "ultimate" power. I had to suffer a bad evaluation, unfairly given, suck it up and get a transfer. I was devastated! I strive for excellence and have always gone above and beyond the standards. No one could effectively help me because the "status quo" could not be challenged. Thank you Fairfax County Federation of Teachers for taking this to the next level. It has been long coming! This is victory for everyone who knows teachers have no rights and never have. I cringe everytime I think of the words of "Your only alternative is to leave this school." Working for a county that oversees itself has been unfair. Justice is served!
9 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Are you going to public the actual salaries of Fairfax County employees, like you done in the past.
3 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The kids should be required to be enrolled in and attend school in the tax district in which their family resides and pays taxes.
4 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I don't know why scholl board kept saying the study is thoroughly, it was not. All the options came out in so short period of time, and no questions been answered for any one parents had asked. We need to let school board know that they should be monitored by citizens, not themselves.
4 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This was an arbritrary decision by the board without taking into consideration the opinions of the vast majority. The vast majority supported programatic changes that would make both South Lakes and the surrounding communities all better. Instead of helping the students at South Lakes, this decision is just an attempt to hid the problem by bringing in higher performing students while doing nothing to benefit the existing students.
5 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Fairfax county voters should vote for (a) imposing term limits on school board members (b) restoring the oversight of the board of supervisors on school board. Unchecked power and limitless terms create arrogant self serving politicians who do not care about the interests of the electorate. Exclusion of Langley proves the above points.
7 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This process is the most poorly executed process I have even seen, and this was happened in Fairfax, still hard to believe even afte a month. I am determined to work hard in the next election time to kick these 10 people out of the scholl board.
9 agree | 3 disagree
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Fox Mill Dad said:
Amen to the Fox Mill was a sitting duck comment. The SB was way too political (not Raney or Horne) and this process was ridiculous waste of time. I am still wondering way the process was undertaken before the elections? HMMM… because you were scare your butts would be tossed out of office??? Anyone remember the conference with Stu Gibson and how this would benefit those poor kids at Westfields and Chantilly. I am telling you this plan looks like it helps a lot, NOT!
6 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
No one who attended the public hearings can honestly say that the community's thoughts and sentiments were taken into account by the school board. This was a complete farce trying to disguise a decision that seems to have already been made behind doors by the school board who went as far as manipulating one neighborhood against another by introducing last minute plans that had nothing to do with the stated "objectives" of the redistricting to have at least someone speaking in favor of the option they had already agreed upon. As an adoptive, proud citizen of this country I continue to be dismayed and appalled by the trampling of all democratic discourse and process, and although my children are not directly affected by this decision I am contributing time and money to see this lawsuit bring fairness and a REAL solution to improve attendance and performance at South Lakes High School.
11 agree | 3 disagree
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Stop this redistricting said:
I am from the Floris community. The present redistricting needs to stop as this does not answer community's needs. 1. The process does not cater to all children by sending them to SL. IB is not for every one. 2.Improve SL by reducing the citations/felony/detention and then propose a solution. 3.Get the Langley community to South Lakes to improve the socio economic balance. 4.School board should place its ego aside and answer the community's needs. 5.Use tax payers dollars prudently by introducing programs at SL that would make the kids want to go to SL. 6.Make SL a unique school by offering programs that cater to both AP and IB. 7.Forcing the community will not work.
8 agree | 3 disagree
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I Live in Floris said:
Here are some of the more dreadful highlights of this redistricting fiasco: l)South Lakes PTA President Elizabeth Vandenberg cherry picking neighborhoods to attend her school; 2)SB rep Stu Gibson completely ignoring his Fox Mill/Floris constituents; 3)SB rep Kathy Smith calling a Floris mom "vile and toxic"; 4) SB rep Kathy Smith soliciting homeowners associations in the Westfield district to come and testify how overcrowded they think Westfield is; 5)the complete lack of consistency in so-called policy to justify redistricting; 6)Stu Gibson's charge that racism is at the bottom of this issue;7)how the decision dismantles the Floris community (takes out 23% of the community), splits our elementary school, and adds another split to our middle school (making it the most split middle school in Fairfax County);8)dictates a 3rd high school assignment in 7 years to our slice of Floris; 9)forcing communities into an IB Program, which should be a very personal decision between parent and chil
11 agree | 3 disagree
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Floris Mom said:
I have older children, so my family is not personally affected by this redistricting. However, I am angry as can be with the politics of the School Board and antics of Floris' so-called SB representative Stu Gibson. I have written Gibson eight letters on this redistricting and have never gotten one response. Gibson is dealing with this situation by completely ignoring his constituents in Floris and Fox Mill. How rude and unprofessional. The SB had predetermined the areas to redistrict before this process was even initiated. It wouldn't matter if we gave one hour of testimony or 1,000 hours; the decision would have been the same. The process if so flawed it makes my stomach sick to even think about it. I have absolutely no confidence or respect for the School Board. This shake-up was years in the making. I applaud the FairfaxCAPs group for following through with this suit. Public disclosure of the fraud/arrogance of our SB is vitally important.
8 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Langley communities have influence and money. The school board will always favor them. Fox Mill was a sitting duck. Middle class areas that could easily be targeted.
10 agree | 3 disagree
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Affected Parent said:
The school board single most goal was to protect the rich communities of Langley from being redistricted into South Lakes. Mr Stu Gibson is on public record saying he supports North Reston going to Langley becuase they dont want to go to south lakes. These areas are so much closer to south lakes than areas that were forced into south lakes. This school board is political and these school board members had only their personal agenda on their mind. They did not want to get on the wrong side of rich and influential communities like Langley. Never mind that Langley is overcrowded and its boundary is adjacent to South Lakes. The school board was so brazen in its corruption, that they would apply one rule to Westfield and in the next sentence exempt Langley from the same rule. So a 10 million new addition for Langley and a 10 million dollar wastage for the newly built westfield addition. One school board member was so arrogant that he publicly proclaimed himself as the sole decider.
18 agree | 4 disagree
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Boundary Parent said:
Thank you for this article regarding the law suit. This process was perhaps the most divisive, destructive and mishandled study. We were treated throughout as though we were racists or whiners simply because we didnt agree with these politicians and PTA members from South Lakes High School. It was as if it was incomprehensible to these people that we just didnt want to see our children uprooted without solid reasons. Dan Storck actually said that he considered any argument against the redistricting to be a "so what". This was months ahead of the vote. There was no need to put all of these families through all of the BS the decision was made long before the November elections.
9 agree | 3 disagree
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Fox Mill Dad said:
Just because I don't want my kids to attend South Lakes doesn't make me a racism. Here is definition of racism since so many do not understand the true meaning: one racial group consider themselves intrinsically superior to members of other racial groups. Racism inherently starts with the assumption that there are taxonomic differences between different groups of people. Without this assumption, prejudices against different peoples would be categorised as being prejudices related to national or regional origin, religion, occupation, social status or some other distinction. Are you mad at parents for taking up for their interest. The school board members are the ones truly wasting your tax money. Langely addition, South Lakes remodeling, just to name a few. I would tell you more, but your uncapable of seeing the truth.
7 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I am so tired of Maria Allen saying that we didn't want our children redistricted because we are elitist, racist, etc. Did you ever hear the saying that "it takes a village to raise a child?" I have been a member of my "village" for 14 years. My children have played sports, gone to church and to school and participated in many other activities with children from our "village" all during those years. As a full-time working mom, I've worked hard to establish relationships in my "village" to enable my children to take root and grow. Did you ever think that that's why I don't want them redistricted? Now, I have to start over building a new village to help my children adjust. And for what? So, South Lakes could get a few extra students next year? So that the Reston kids that go to Langely could still go to Langely? THAT's why I didn't want my children redistricted. Because of the school board's stupidity, not anything else.
10 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The Fairfax County School Board exhibited an egregious abuse of power in the entire process. After resolution of this issue there should be action on term limits for School Board members and more accountability for their decision making and expending of funds within Fairfax County.
11 agree | 2 disagree
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Mom in Fox Mill said:
It's about time someone said "enough" to the FCPS School Board. This bd has acted unfairly and dismissively to so many families being affected by the redistricting. Even one of their members said the process was flawed, the plan was flawed--but he still voted in favor of the RD. The initial study-looking at overcrowding at Westfields and Chantilly HSs --proved that there wasn't an overcrowding problem. At the same time, overcrowded (but wealthy and affluent) Langley and Madison HSs were virtually ignored in this study. In fact, the Board has NEVER addressed how the Board could build a $7m addition to Langley (approved in 2005) because there was no nearby school that could take their overflow...and NEIGHBOR South Lakes has hundreds of empty seats. Some folks at South Lakes want to make it about people not wanting to go to their school--and it's not true. SL is a fine school--but no one wants to be jerked around--even to a fine school. Thank you Examiner for following this sto
13 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
As one of the families affected (from the Northern Madison area), I want everyone to know that not everyone was treated fairly by this process. We certainly did not have reasonable notice and we were drowned out (as a small group) in a sea of people pointing their fingers at other folks to be re-districted. Sadly, the real issue was never addressed. Why did the school board pursue this change when even the staff said it was not justifiable on overcrowding. If the problem is an under-performing school, perhaps the focus should be on finding the root cause of the under-performance and correcting that. Just adding more kids simply puts more kids are risk of also under-performing. If it is really a case of needing to raise the enrollment, then puzzle me this batman? Why is Marshall HS not clamoring for more kids to be effective? It is the same size as South Lakes HS. It is also an IB program. Yet, Marshall HS is considered a successful school. Smells funny to me.
15 agree | 2 disagree
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Bruce Bennett said:
The Examiner is really staying on top of this story as it unfolds. Thank you. I attended a lot of the meetings except for the two the police escorted me out at the direction of Dean Tistadt, a school board executive. If someone were to tell me what went on in this process I would not have believed it. This Gestapo like organization has exceeded all proprietary and rational governance in their actions on this boundary line “Adjustment.” However, in the end much good will have come out of their imprudent actions because it is through those incredible politically based series of decisions they will have single handedly created a political juggernaut. That Juggernaut has as its raison d’être’ the protection of their community’s and the continuity of their children’s lives. This whole discussion revolves around the unnecessary disrupting the lives of families to accomplish questionable goals through even more questionable actions. Bruce Bennett
12 agree | 2 disagree
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Joe Jena said:
If he violated the law then why hasn't he been charged? Or are government officials better than the rest of us? How awful.
70 agree | 69 disagree
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Concerned Parent said:
I strongly disagree with Maria Allen's statement that "a lot of affluent people don’t want to send their kids to schools that have a large low-income population". Our working class neighborhood in the Floris community simply want to remain with the school and community that we have helped build. We have invested a tremendous amount of time and resources to improve our community and school. We want our kids to stay with the school and community that they have established strong ties through friendship, community service, and neighborhood events. If Allen is implying that our resistance to being forcibly remove from our school is an act of class elitism or racism, she is deadly wrong. We are an ethnically diverse community with a high percentage of recent and first generation immigrant families spanning the lower to middle end of socio-economics ladder. We are well off enough to be targeted for redistricting but not sufficient affluent to stave off 6 boundary changes in the last 10 year
119 agree | 77 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Not my Johnny or Susie, no no never. Well guess what you want the illegals you want the cheap labour you want it all Wel He is telling you here it is low class with high class We hope it dont burn you a-- Thanks, gerry Connelly !
68 agree | 80 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
So now we see those oh so tolerant phonies don't want their kids to hang with the underprivliged? Scuse me. But why don't they make these annoucements before the November elections. We all heard that education was the big issue. Now we see that the democrats smoked the idiots in Northern Virginia again, Thats what you get when you think you vote for change morons
68 agree | 80 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Give everyone a voucher and let them go to the school of their choice!
88 agree | 81 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
If Mr. Frost moved two years ago he didn't do his homework. The boundary discussion has been going on for quite a while. I was part of a neighborhood in Oak Hill who had a committee talking about this in 2004.
81 agree | 90 disagree
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"Why Worry ?" said:
Attract and retain teachers, attract and retain..... If young families can't afford to live here, who are these young people we need teachers to educate them? Maybe that's why so many people are against birth control, so we will create more young people and then we can worry about attracting and retaining more "of he best and brightest" teachers.
113 agree | 118 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
It's hard sometimes to understand how the school board folks can look themselves in the mirror, what with all the ambiguity in their messages about our schools. How in the world can they insist on serious impact on Fairfax schools when Mr. Storck's own assessment is, "... high housing prices have kept many younger families from moving in, leaving Fairfax with an increasingly aging population that isn’t putting large numbers of new students into the system." Won't that be the case where BRAC is concerned, where so few new families are expected to move, and, of those few that may, it's reasonably expected they won't live in Fairfax?
134 agree | 127 disagree
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