Published In Fairfax County Journal - Jan 03

If you are afraid that your plan will not stand the scrutiny of public review, there are a couple ways around it. One is to make your plan in secret, as the liberal majority of the Fairfax County School Board has recently demonstrated in their secret renegotiation of the superintendent's contract. Another is to quiet all opposition by refusing them access to the process. While the recent shenanigans pulled by the ruling sect on the board was totally inappropriate, it is not surprising and has been done by them before. What is of greater concern is a movement by those on the board that are trying to place barriers between the school system and public review. Stu Gibson and company are pushing the requirement for "standing" in order to bring a concern to the school board. In other words you must have a child in a particular school or program, before you can bring any concern to the board regarding anything at that school or in that program. They may claim that it only applies to the recent flurry of book challenges, but it would set a dangerous precedence that could be used in the future whenever the school system is receiving more resistance to their policies than they desire. Ironically, how many of the current school board members could claim any current "standing" throughout the school system?

I find it very interesting that at budget time suddenly everyone in the community is supposed to have a great interest in the school system. There certainly is no "standing" required when it comes time to take 52% of our real estate taxes for the school system. The school board cannot have it both ways. This is the community's school system, and as such, should reflect the values and priorities of the community. The school board cannot ask for the community's hard-earned money and then block out their concerns. Rumor is they may be dropping this attempt at suppressing community review, but it reveals the attitudes of the liberal board members. We must be vigilant for when they try again to achieve the same result – perhaps by rating complaints by their "seriousness." Those on the board that would create a requirement for "standing" should be reminded of the "standing" that every Fairfax County voter has in 2003.

Steve Hunt

Candidate

Fairfax County School Board

Springfield Magisterial District