10.1.21 Karen Keys-Gamarra Twitter follower

Your Fairfax County School Board Member: Karen Keys-Gamarra

This marks the launch of a new series that will feature information, documents, emails, recordings, and so on, related to Fairfax County School Board members and Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) special education program.

I’m starting with Karen Keys-Gamarra for no other reason than that I happened to tap into an email of hers for another article I posted today.

9.18.18 email Karen Keys Gamarra

Less James Bond and More Sherlock Holmes

Obtaining information that might help you make a case in favor of helping your student—or which could prove the noncompliance of your school district—is often a matter of paying attention to what’s around you.

Years ago I had the honor of working with LTG Samuel Vaughan Wilson. General Sam was the youngest of Merrill’s Marauders and went on to have an extraordinary career in the military in the decades that followed. (Too much to include here.)

He once told me that obtaining information is less about being James Bond and more about being Sherlock Holmes. We don’t need hi-tech devices to obtain the information we need. Often, it is staring us right in the face.

Texas and Virginia: Too Big to Fail

Texas and Virginia vary in physical size and population, but one thing they have in common is they are both too big to fail children — especially those who need special education supports.

Texas is toward the top of the list of U.S. states when it comes to federal, state, and local revenue, but Virginia has Fairfax County, a school district with one of the largest budgets and per pupil spending in the United States.

And yet . . . They’ve both failed.

In the case of Texas, the United States Department of Education’s (USDOE) Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) just announced that USDOE will be reducing funds provided to Texas and putting specific conditions in place.

Will OSEP follow with Virginia?

Virginia is for lovers and breaches of children's privacy

Virginia Isn’t Just For Lovers; Virginia Is For Breaches Of Children’s Privacy, Too

Virginia Has a History of Breaching the Privacy of Children

For the second time in as many years, the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (VDBHDS) has breached the privacy of children.

October 6, 2021, just one day before the VDBHDS breach, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) announced that it is opening an investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), focused on systemic privacy violations.

Every Child Deserves A Champion; Open Your Eyes, Channel Your Outrage, Show Up To Help Every Day

A parent recently asked me about the problems with Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) special education program. I explained that the problems aren’t new. They aren’t related to a “regime change” at FCPS nor are they related to one political party or another being at the top.

FCPS has been failing children in its special education program for decades—and the legal bills and other documents exist to prove it.

What to Do?

Change starts with advocacy, with kindness, with help.

Virginia Department of Education to Investigate Fairfax County Public Schools for Systemic Privacy Violations

The Virginia Department of Education is finally investigating Fairfax County Public Schools for systemic privacy violations.

VDOE has always had a reason NOT to initiate a systemic investigation — even after it was provided an internal FCPS document in which FCPS itself stated concerns with privacy breaches.

What changed VDOE’s mind this time? I have no idea.

Here’s hoping for a thorough investigation—and for the noncompliance to stop.

Office of Civil Rights Opens Investigation; FCPS Threatens to Call Attendance Officer if Parent Doesn’t Choose FCPS “Options”

The United States Department of Education (USDOE) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has opened another investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS).

FCPS’s Legal Actions Are A Sideshow; Please Focus On The Children

Many of you have heard by now that Fairfax County Public Schools has taken legal actions against me and another parent. 

I’m in awe of the kindness and overwhelming support that complete strangers have shared in the past few days. It’s extraordinary — and truly appreciated. The journalists, parents, lawyers, advocates for children, advocates for free speech, and so many others.

One Comment:

FCPS’s legal actions are a sideshow. 

Please don’t let them distract you from much bigger stories.