By Marcus R. Motta: Last Tuesday evening, June 23, the Fairfax County School Board voted unanimously in a virtual meeting to change the name of Robert E. Lee High School in Springfield, ending a long campaign to remove the Confederate general’s name from a public school. The vote followed a lengthy, and often emotional, virtual public hearing the day before,…
By Susan Laume: Laura Jane Cohen worked hard to protect children long before she decided to run for elected office. Cohen, the Democratic endorsed candidate for Springfield District’s seat on the Fairfax County School Board, heard the terrible news of a mass school shooting in Connecticut one day seven years ago as she was substitute teaching at her local elementary…
Karen Keys-Gamarra, Abrar Omeish and Rachna Sizemore Heizer were endorsed for the Fairfax County School Board by Fairfax County Democratic Committee on Tuesday night, May 21. The three candidates, in the order above, were the top vote-getters in a poll among FCDC members, easing out incumbent Ilryong Moon. A total of 1,337 members voted through early voting and at the…
In their own words, at-large candidates for Fairfax County School Board say what motivates them to seek a seat on the board, why they are qualified, and their plans to lift up all students. They made their comments at a recent forum. The FCDC Endorsement Vote is at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, May 21, at Lake Braddock Secondary School, 9200 Burke…
By Brad Swanson: School board members have great power in Fairfax County, the 10th largest school district in the country, with a budget of almost $3 billion. And candidates – who are technically non-partisan — avidly seek the endorsement of the Democratic Party to gain advantage in this increasingly blue region. But who decides which candidates will get the Democratic…
By Karen Kirk: School safety, diversity and challenges facing Fairfax County Schools were the top issues at a forum Saturday featuring at-large candidates for the Fairfax County School Board. The forum was held at Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church and early voting followed. Here are the four candidates’ views: Safety in schools in an era of mass shootings:…
By Karen Kirk: Melanie Meren won the endorsement of the Hunter Mill Democratic Committee for the district’s Fairfax County School Board seat Wednesday night surpassing candidate Andy Sigle. Voting took place after each candidate had a chance to address committee members at Lake Anne Elementary School in Reston. During the well-attended committee meeting, Meren told members that her whole career…
Laura Jane Cohen was endorsed overwhelmingly on Apr. 27 by Springfield District Democratic Committee for the district’s Fairfax County School Board seat. Cohen, a teacher and PTA president, will face incumbent Elizabeth Schultz, a Republican, in the general election on Nov. 5. “This is the beginning of a longer adventure,” said Cohen shortly after the endorsement win. “ I feel…
Dr. Ricardy Anderson, a long-time professional educator, won the Mason District Democratic Committee endorsement vote for the district’s member on the Fairfax County School Board on April 24. Anderson served as classroom teacher and worked her way up to principal of several public schools in California and Virginia as well as director of teaching and learning for District of Columbia Public…
Karl Frisch was endorsed by the Providence District Democratic Committee (PDDC) on April 23 as candidate for that district’s Fairfax County School Board seat. It was the first contested Democratic district school board vote in the 2019 election season. Frisch, who is executive director of the non-profit organization Allied Progress, won by a wide margin – 62% — over Jung…
By Ilryong Moon: Fairfax County prides itself on its diversity. Our students come from all over the world and speak more than 200 languages. About a third of our county residents were born outside the U.S. In fact, Fairfax County Public Schools is a “minority majority” school district. Yet, our government leadership does not reflect the diversity of the county.…
By Karl Frisch: My partner, Evan, and I have 150 kids in Fairfax County Public Schools–he’s a teacher. When you love a teacher, you share your life together with their students. The challenges they face are your challenges, too. I have spoken with parents about the overcrowded classrooms and trailers their kids sit in all day, and educators who left…
By Karen Keys-Gamarra: It’s that time again in Fairfax County when every local elected official will be on the ballot. This ballot that covers elections from supervisors to the Soil and Water Conservation District board is expansive and contains more parties than a chess board has pieces, but each office is essential to the process of democracy. I’m Karen Keys-Gamarra,…
Democrats got a premonition of winners and losers in upcoming northern Virginia elections at a straw poll on Mar. 31 with over 500 in attendance. Far from a scientific survey, the event, called “Pick Your Pony, ” was billed primarily as a fundraiser – at $30 per ticket—and an opportunity to sample craft beer at Mustang Sally Brewing Company in…