Issues and Platform – 2007 School Board Campaign

This contains content from my 2007 Fairfax County School Board campaign website.  I ended my campaign for personal reasons, but am not ruling out another campaign in the future. Press releases, media coverage and blog entries from the campaign website have been merged into the appropriate categories on this website.

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No Child Left Behind

I call on Congress to reject the renewal of this massive federal interference in the local affairs of our community schools and urge our County leadership to refuse further compliance.  This law steals valuable local resources from our students and redirects them toward regulatory and bureaucratic number crunching that looks good on paper, but ignores the real purpose of education – learning.

The No Child Left Behind Act substitutes federal statistics and bureaucratic oversight for local standards and tramples on County sovereignty.  Further, this big government instrusion in local affairs promotes “teaching to the test” and number-crunching over a well-rounded education and local circumstances.  This massive, unfunded mandate must be allowed to expire and I will fight to prevent the excellence of our schools from being tarnished by compliance with such disastrous meddling in our local affairs.

 

Respect for All Students

I believe that our diverse student population is deserving of respect and should not subjected to scorn, derision or humiliation by our County employees or elected officials on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender or sexual orientation.  The unnecessary and offensive actions of a school board member in 2005 must not be allowed to be repeated.

Our school system’s primary mission is the education of our children.  There is no place in our school system for individuals who wish to use their position to bully or demean our students.  This type of behavior cannot and will not be tolerated.

 

Start Later for Excellence in Education Proposal (SLEEP)

There is statistical evidence to indicate that high school students benefit from a later start time than currently in place in County schools.  I believe the Board must take a long hard look at the recommendations currently being presented by SLEEP and be prepared to implement real change.  Holding hearings to consider the changes is a start, but change must follow the hearings.

In addition, our current crisis in bus transportation leaves many students riding the bus for hours.  This is precious time spent away from homework, family, friends and other pursuits that contribute to their quality of life and growth as individuals.  Our students should not have to rise before dawn, nor should they be coming home after dark.

 

Defense Base Closure and Realignment

Over the next 4 years, Fairfax County will be the recipient of approximately 5,000 military personnel and 16,000 civilian employees as a result of the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission’s recommendations.  In addition, the pending National Museum of the United States Army will bring in even more occupational billets.  These new jobs, a result of Army realignments, will bring in a large number of new residents.  The vast majority of military and civilian jobs moved to Fairfax County will be housed at Fort Belvoir.  These new military and civilian jobs will be in place by September 15, 2011.

The influx of these new jobs will impact the schools surrounding Fort Belvoir greatly over the next decade as more of these employees move into the County from surrounding communities and out of state.  The schools in the surrounding area are already experiencing overcrowding and rapid growth in student population that the Board is struggling to overcome.

After six years as an active duty Marine and another six years in the reserves, I will bring a unique perspective to the School Board.  My experience working in the Office of the Legislative Assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, in addition to my time working with House and Senate offices while on active duty will be put to use for the people of Fairfax County in dealing with the approaching crisis that threatens to engulf the schools surrounding Fort Belvoir.  Further, having served on the staff of the 1995 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, I understand the need for overhauling our nation’s defense infrastructure.  Fairfax County and the Department of Defense will need to approach this problem as partners and not combatants.

As a Marine veteran, former staffer of the 1995 round of base closures, resident of Fairfax County and parent of FCPS students, I will bring a unique and necessary perspective to the School Board.  Our School Board needs to be front and center in dealing with these issues before the area surrounding Fort Belvoir is drowning in classroom trailers.  We must be prepared to accomodate and welcome these new students and parents while balancing their needs with those of our existing population without reaching for the ever-popular “pass the buck to the future” bond initiative.  Classroom trailers and chaos are not acceptable solutions to this challenge.

 

High School Recruiting Database and Protection of Student Data

I oppose the Joint Advertising and Market Research Studies (JAMRS) Recruiting Database in addition to the provisions in No Child Left Behind that force our schools to hand over private data about our students to military recruiters.  This massive database invades the privacy of America’s 16 – 25 year-olds and places our student’s private data, such as social security numbers, racial classifications and date of birth in the hands of government bureaucrats and a privately owned marketing corporation.  The Department of Defense can recruit new members for the Armed Forces without engaging in wholesale data collection and privacy violations against our students.

When I was interested in military service following high school graduation in 1988, I had no problem finding a local recruiter.  As a Marine Corps and Gulf War veteran, I encourage young men and women to consider military service as an option, but I wholeheartedly oppose invasive recruiting methods that sacrifice privacy for expediency.  The Department of Defense is not entitled to the private details of our young men and women’s lives.  I will fight to protect their privacy.  Click here for more information.

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