Going Local: Virginia

The $60,825 Question: Should Fairfax County Public Schools Invest in Special Education or Pay Hazardous Waste Management Fines?

“Special Education” and “Hazardous Waste” should never appear in the same sentence, but here I find myself typing them into this opening line. The two shouldn’t have anything in common, either, but . . . I live in Fairfax County, Virginia, and strange things occur in our neck of the woods. Candide’s garden, Fairfax County is not.

5.10.21 VDOE emails Grant Award Notification and Routing

Virginia Department of Education, Carelessness & Literacy Grant Award Notifications

The Virginia Department of Education has long been known for partnering with Carelessness, just like the school districts below it.

May 10, 2021, Samantha Hollins forwarded grant award notification and routing information to a Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) parent. The parent did not request the information. The parent had no reason for receiving the information. The parent wasn’t even aware of the existence of the information.

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.

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.

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.

Category: Going Local: Virginia (page 17)