http://kurzenhauserforschoolboard.nationbuilder.com/bio

Have you had enough of Jane Strauss?

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/8VHMEA5A9478/$file/Speakers'%20Testimonies.pdf

See page 13. Strauss paid Arcasun for consulting services with her campaign and then they miraculously got a contract when they didn't even have a business license yet. The owner was involved in developing this. And it was $1 below the magic threshold.

Nice.

If he opposed more wasteful spending (e.g., Eric Jensen, Boosterthon) and wants to remove Karen Garza, he has my vote.

This candidate is vehemently opposed to shady contracting deals. There is a lot more than is on his website. If he survived the Naval Academy, trained as a Naval Aviator, made it through deployments, Lebanon, Iraq, etc. he has the guts to stand up against some of the nonsense going on right now. He also understands what it means to hold the school administrators accountable for their very obvious inappropriate management of FCPS resources.

Not my district.

However is the best solution for the problems of FCPS to elect a few earnest people who have the ability to spot the obvious, but who have no inside connections within the system and no political background? If they do get elected, the school board majority, school administration and school bureaucracy are going to stop them at every turn.

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not my district.
>
> However is the best solution for the problems of
> FCPS to elect a few earnest people who have the
> ability to spot the obvious, but who have no
> inside connections within the system and no
> political background? If they do get elected, the
> school board majority, school administration and
> school bureaucracy are going to stop them at every
> turn.

It isn't like anything else has worked. Certainly worth a try. Some of these people are crooks and nobody has the fortitude to call it like it is.

Not much there to make me want to support this guy. The area is full of ex-military and that doesn't mean know anything about schools. Not to mention that he's a Langley parent and all the Langley parents ever want is to keep the low-income kids out of Langley. No way this guy has a shot.

^
@Pimminy Cricket who wrote..."all the Langley parents ever want is to keep the low-income kids out of Langley. No way this guy has a shot."

Your comment is really silly. Have you seen real estate prices for McLean and Great Falls? Do you really believe it is parents keeping low-income kids out of schools? It's the cost of living and this is a non-issue.

If this guy is for lowering our class sizes - the largest in the county - and getting us a more fair share of the education pie, I'm in. Strauss has done nothing for the taxpayers she claims to represent. It's definitely time for a fresh perspective and I really like that he is a parent with kids currently in our public schools. Good luck to him!

I'm in Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ^
> @Pimminy Cricket who wrote..."all the Langley
> parents ever want is to keep the low-income kids
> out of Langley. No way this guy has a shot."
>
> Your comment is really silly. Have you seen real
> estate prices for McLean and Great Falls? Do you
> really believe it is parents keeping low-income
> kids out of schools? It's the cost of living and
> this is a non-issue.
>
> If this guy is for lowering our class sizes - the
> largest in the county - and getting us a more fair
> share of the education pie, I'm in. Strauss has
> done nothing for the taxpayers she claims to
> represent. It's definitely time for a fresh
> perspective and I really like that he is a parent
> with kids currently in our public schools. Good
> luck to him!

The Langley boundary stretches all the way to the Loudoun border. It would have been easy enough to send some of those kids to Herndon and include some lower income apartments in Reston or Tysons in Langley's boundaries. But the rich Langley parents make sure that never happens. Anyway, this guy does not appear to be running on anything other than his military record. There's no indication that he has any cluechow to reduce class sizes or get more money out of Richmond. His chances of getting elected are slim to none, so all you're doing is wasting Cary's bandwidth.

Why no picture of the wife?

idontlikebeingrightaboutshitlikethisbutiam



Edited 21 time(s). Last edit at 5/31/1967 05:57AM by WingNut.

Last edit at 11/30/2015 01:37PM Last edit at 5/14/2015 03:52PM Last edit at 1/28/2014 05:57AM Last edit at 11/29/2015 01:10PM Last edit at 3/14/2011 11:52PM Last edit at 7/20/2012 04:07AM
Last edit at 6/29/2013 11:18PM Last edit at 3/19/2011 01:02PM Last edit at 3/26/2012 09:07PM

Pete has GOT to win against Jane Strauss. Strauss used to be my school board rep. has lots of dealings with her. She constantly lies, have ZERO vision for the school system and has no idea what she is doing. We need someone with a business background to fix the budget, the policies, the organizational structure, and the strategies - to name just a few things.

Pimmity Cricket Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not much there to make me want to support this
> guy. The area is full of ex-military and that
> doesn't mean know anything about schools. Not to
> mention that he's a Langley parent and all the
> Langley parents ever want is to keep the
> low-income kids out of Langley. No way this guy
> has a shot.


What a joke! Whoever wrote this certainly is not familiar with the South Lakes redistricting and how Strauss refused to pony up her people --even though the Langley kids from Reston were the logical areas to be redistricted.
The Madison Island was redistricted (as it should have been) but they are not now in her district. Were they in her district then? I can't remember that part.
Janie Strauss has protected her district from lower SES schools for years. She talks the talk --but doesn't walk the walk.
Although, I will have to say that she does her part to keep the classrooms in the poorer schools much, much smaller than those in the affluent schools. She votes to spend money on every social program allowed--at the expense of crowded classrooms for the wealthier.

And, full day K had been pushed for years--she voted for that in the poorer schools, but not in the more affluent-until she was in a competitive race and risked losing the election. Then, she worked out a sweetheart deal and secured a contract (job) in what appears to be a quid pro quo for the support of the Kindergarten action gal. That's pretty well documented.

Neighbor's kid has hustled me twice for Boosterthon pledges. Says they came and taught her in class that the school needed the money.

I emailed the principal but in the meantime FCPS ought to prohibit Boosterthon. Janie Strauss doesn't give a crap, maybe this guy does?

I guarantee that he will clean up the FCPS mess. I've watched hours and hours of school board videos - Strauss has got to go!!!!

He hates Boosterthon. Ask him.

HAS MY VOTE. Thank God for a candidate who takes a stand.

Boosterthon does a very good job of enticing the PTA soccer moms with trips to Atlanta, those trips don't appeal to everyone.

Now we need to ditch Eric Jensen and his ridiculous "teaching with poverty in mind" training that no one likes.

anyone who hates Boosterthon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HAS MY VOTE. Thank God for a candidate who takes a
> stand.
>
> Boosterthon does a very good job of enticing the
> PTA soccer moms with trips to Atlanta, those trips
> don't appeal to everyone.
>
> Now we need to ditch Eric Jensen and his
> ridiculous "teaching with poverty in mind"
> training that no one likes.

He cannot stand the pressure tactics used on little kids. HIS KIDS. Ask him.

¥

.

His people are plunking signs in yards without asking. Not cool.

I don't want to be told by some troll on FFU what his positions are. I want to see official literature/ web pages that list his positions, and make up my mind that way.

The link to his page listed above says NOTHING about issues and positions.

What's he for??? Against??? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't want to be told by some troll on FFU what
> his positions are. I want to see official
> literature/ web pages that list his positions, and
> make up my mind that way.
>
> The link to his page listed above says NOTHING
> about issues and positions.


Contact him and ask him. He will tell you.

long time reader Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pimmity Cricket Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Not much there to make me want to support this
> > guy. The area is full of ex-military and that
> > doesn't mean know anything about schools. Not
> to
> > mention that he's a Langley parent and all the
> > Langley parents ever want is to keep the
> > low-income kids out of Langley. No way this guy
> > has a shot.
>
>
> What a joke! Whoever wrote this certainly is not
> familiar with the South Lakes redistricting and
> how Strauss refused to pony up her people --even
> though the Langley kids from Reston were the
> logical areas to be redistricted.
> The Madison Island was redistricted (as it should
> have been) but they are not now in her district.
> Were they in her district then? I can't remember
> that part.
> Janie Strauss has protected her district from
> lower SES schools for years. She talks the talk
> --but doesn't walk the walk.
> Although, I will have to say that she does her
> part to keep the classrooms in the poorer schools
> much, much smaller than those in the affluent
> schools. She votes to spend money on every social
> program allowed--at the expense of crowded
> classrooms for the wealthier.
>
Yes, Janie was too protective of the Langley crowd back in 2008. She also got nothing from them in return. They voted for Epstein in 2011, and she got re-elected due to support from the areas zoned for Herndon, McLean, and part of Marshall.

So I now expect her to be more balanced where her richie rich Langley constituents are concerned, whereas a guy like Kurzenhauser doesn't seem to be about anything other than letting the old-guard Langley crowd control everything affecting the Dranesville schools again.

Clearly you are an inside-the-beltway Janie cronie. Kurzenhauser is for normalizing class size for all of McLean, Great Falls and Herndon - which have had the largest average sizes in the county for years now. He's also pushing for a program audit of ALL programs to see which ones have the best return on the dollar in terms of student performance. Strauss chairs the audit committee and has blocked that idea at every move even though the Board of Supervisors is pushing for it too. He'll also end the Strauss practice of giving sole-source, no-bid FCPS contracts worth thousands to her campaign contributors. Look - she's given this county 22 years of service. She's outdated and we need new, qualified blood for this changing urban environment. I'm with the new guy Pete.

Pete will also clamp down on the award of other ridiculous sole source contracts, such as paying former English teacher Eric Jensen $9,000 a day to consult on neuroscience.

Why yes Pete Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Clearly you are an inside-the-beltway Janie
> cronie. Kurzenhauser is for normalizing class
> size for all of McLean, Great Falls and Herndon -
> which have had the largest average sizes in the
> county for years now.

You do understand that is because those schools also have the lowest average number of ESOL students. Teachers have more time to devote to average students when they aren't having to devote 20-40% or more to those students requiring special additional help.

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why yes Pete Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Clearly you are an inside-the-beltway Janie
> > cronie. Kurzenhauser is for normalizing class
> > size for all of McLean, Great Falls and Herndon
> -
> > which have had the largest average sizes in the
> > county for years now.
>
> You do understand that is because those schools
> also have the lowest average number of ESOL
> students. Teachers have more time to devote to
> average students when they aren't having to devote
> 20-40% or more to those students requiring special
> additional help.

You do understand that there are struggling students in all classes? Look at the difference in class sizes across the county. Some of them are less than half the sizes of those in other parts. Sure, the poorer kids should have more resources, but the difference in the allotment of these resources is astounding. These kids get federal funds in addition to additional funds from FCPS. All kids in FCPS deserve a reasonable class size. But, to give some schools class sizes of 15 when others have 35 is not balance.

Someone else said let's disengage the feds in order to be able to get rid of the immigrants. Here it says we need the feds for the extra money.

It seems like a bit less spent on Eric Jensen, the Buck Institute, and halving the administration payroll would go a long way towards fixing this.

Why yes Pete Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Clearly you are an inside-the-beltway Janie
> cronie. Kurzenhauser is for normalizing class
> size for all of McLean, Great Falls and Herndon -
> which have had the largest average sizes in the
> county for years now. He's also pushing for a
> program audit of ALL programs to see which ones
> have the best return on the dollar in terms of
> student performance. Strauss chairs the audit
> committee and has blocked that idea at every move
> even though the Board of Supervisors is pushing
> for it too. He'll also end the Strauss practice
> of giving sole-source, no-bid FCPS contracts worth
> thousands to her campaign contributors. Look -
> she's given this county 22 years of service.
> She's outdated and we need new, qualified blood
> for this changing urban environment. I'm with the
> new guy Pete.

I believe the word you want is "crony," not "cronie."

No, I wouldn't say I'm a Janie Strauss crony. I do live inside the Beltway, however, like much of Dranesville.

Reading Pete's materials, they seem like they were probably ghost-written by Louise Epstein for him. It's the same old line - Dranesville is getting screwed, so it's time to have a candidate who'll normalize class sizes and cut overhead at Gatehouse.

But, overhead at Gatehouse is actually pretty low compared to that in other school jurisdictions, and school board members in districts with more ESOL and FARMS kids aren't going to roll over and agree more resources need to go to schools in Great Falls and McLean. So, at best, you end up with another member like Elizabeth Schultz who plays to a small crowd of right-wing supporters and accomplishes nothing on behalf of her actual constituents. I think Janie does about as well for her district as she can given the fact that there are so many competing demands on the finite resources in FCPS.

can we be consistent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Someone else said let's disengage the feds in
> order to be able to get rid of the immigrants.
> Here it says we need the feds for the extra
> money.
>
> It seems like a bit less spent on Eric Jensen, the
> Buck Institute, and halving the administration
> payroll would go a long way towards fixing this.

Two totally different issues. We are legally required (and morally) to educate the kids who are here. That does not mean that I agree with the executive actions of the President who has encouraged more illegal immigration, but we do have to educate the kids. The feds should actually be paying full freight on those kids, but they are not.

What is not fair is to take reasonable resources away from the kids of the taxpaying citizens.

contact him and ask Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What's he for??? Against??? Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I don't want to be told by some troll on FFU
> what
> > his positions are. I want to see official
> > literature/ web pages that list his positions,
> and
> > make up my mind that way.
> >
> > The link to his page listed above says NOTHING
> > about issues and positions.
>
>
> Contact him and ask him. He will tell you.

That's not my job. If he wants my vote, he needs to broadcast in way or another his positions.

What does Strauss' web site say? Make a big expensive mess out of FCPS?

Re-elect her, and when taxes double, we'll come thank you.

like Janie Strauss has done it? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What does Strauss' web site say? Make a big
> expensive mess out of FCPS?
>
> Re-elect her, and when taxes double, we'll come
> thank you.
I don't think Strauss will be deciding tax rates any time soon.

Tax King Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> like Janie Strauss has done it? Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What does Strauss' web site say? Make a big
> > expensive mess out of FCPS?
> >
> > Re-elect her, and when taxes double, we'll come
> > thank you.
> I don't think Strauss will be deciding tax rates
> any time soon.

But, she will be happy to spend your money and then go beg the BOS for more. And, with the BOS we currently have, they will raise the taxes as soon as the election is over.

Fairfax taxpayer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tax King Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > like Janie Strauss has done it? Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > What does Strauss' web site say? Make a big
> > > expensive mess out of FCPS?
> > >
> > > Re-elect her, and when taxes double, we'll
> come
> > > thank you.
> > I don't think Strauss will be deciding tax
> rates
> > any time soon.
>
> But, she will be happy to spend your money and
> then go beg the BOS for more. And, with the BOS
> we currently have, they will raise the taxes as
> soon as the election is over.

And Pete is going to do what exactly? Make FCPS safe for rich Great Falls residents again, keep kids that he has no ability to exclude from county schools from learning English, and effect a revolution within FCPS by terminating a consulting agreement or two?

I'm kind of underwhelmed, sorry.

you do understand Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But, to give some schools class sizes of 15
> when others have 35 is not balance.

The same situation exists at schools outside the northern tier of the County. In some cases the situation the situation exists even within the same school. I suspect in many schools with large populations of limited English students and other special cases there are parents who would gladly accept larger classroom sizes if they could get the kind of student populations that the northern tier enjoys. Also if you are going to balance things out, why stop with classroom sizes. If you look at the allocation of GT Elementary Centers you will find an extreme imbalance as well. Some high school pyramids have up to three while others have none. Is Langley prepared to give up one of its Level IV schools, or South Lakes two of its schools to provide BALANCE.

> Reading Pete's materials, they seem like they were
> probably ghost-written by Louise Epstein for him.
> It's the same old line - Dranesville is getting
> screwed, so it's time to have a candidate who'll
> normalize class sizes and cut overhead at
> Gatehouse.
>
> But, overhead at Gatehouse is actually pretty low
> compared to that in other school jurisdictions,
> and school board members in districts with more
> ESOL and FARMS kids aren't going to roll over and
> agree more resources need to go to schools in
> Great Falls and McLean. So, at best, you end up
> with another member like Elizabeth Schultz who
> plays to a small crowd of right-wing supporters
> and accomplishes nothing on behalf of her actual
> constituents. I think Janie does about as well
> for her district as she can given the fact that
> there are so many competing demands on the finite
> resources in FCPS.

+ 1000, especially about all of this coming from Louise Epstein. Perhaps Janie isn't a perfect representative, but at least she's trying to advocate for better schools, rather than just throwing out ludicrous theories about how everybody in Gatehouse is a crook, thief, or liar -- and how they'll clean it all up. Thank goodness Dranesville is too smart to fall for this kind of pandering.

Pete is supported by Class Size Counts. A non-partisan group of parents Democrats, Republicans, Independents who are providing a thorough analysis of each candidates positions. http://classsizecounts.com/

It's pretty clear we are at a turning point where change for change sake is good enough. But for a more thorough analysis of each candidates position check out their web site.

Ryan is much more qualified and experienced.

mike wassy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pete is supported by Class Size Counts. A
> non-partisan group of parents Democrats,
> Republicans, Independents who are providing a
> thorough analysis of each candidates positions.
> http://classsizecounts.com/
>
> It's pretty clear we are at a turning point where
> change for change sake is good enough. But for a
> more thorough analysis of each candidates position
> check out their web site.

What a load of crap - Class Size Counts is just a few people who won't even publicly identify themselves. They care only about taking resources away from the poorer schools to benefit kids at the richest schools. Pete K is just a puppet for these people - old partisans like Louise Epstein, Kim Farrell, Catherine Lorenze. They can't win in Dranesville, but they might carry a few precincts in the Langley district.

Wassy Up? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> mike wassy Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Pete is supported by Class Size Counts. A
> > non-partisan group of parents Democrats,
> > Republicans, Independents who are providing a
> > thorough analysis of each candidates positions.
> > http://classsizecounts.com/
> >
> > It's pretty clear we are at a turning point
> where
> > change for change sake is good enough. But for
> a
> > more thorough analysis of each candidates
> position
> > check out their web site.
>
> What a load of crap - Class Size Counts is just a
> few people who won't even publicly identify
> themselves. They care only about taking resources
> away from the poorer schools to benefit kids at
> the richest schools. Pete K is just a puppet for
> these people - old partisans like Louise Epstein,
> Kim Farrell, Catherine Lorenze. They can't win in
> Dranesville, but they might carry a few precincts
> in the Langley district.

+1000

Some Democrats are better than others, just like some Republicans are better than others. When it comes to School Board, we need at least a couple of people who understand how to read a financial statement, now that Dan Storck - the longtime School Board member from the Mt. Vernon District - has decided to run for Supervisor.

Most school districts in the US are tiny, with correspondingly tiny budgets. Former preschool teachers without any finance or business background might be fine for those types of school boards.

For better or worse, Fairfax County Public Schools is one of the ten biggest school districts in the US. Its total budget approaches $3 billion, when you count the money spent on construction and school lunches. And the current Board members, while generally well-intentioned, just don't have the skills to oversee that budget.

This school board will always have some hardworking board members who try their best, and bring something to the table when it comes to a few issues where they have dug into the facts and even worked in a relevant field. But for too long, this board has been run by people who can't figure out what's going on, and who need to be spoon-fed budget information every year by staff.

That is not good government. In fact, it is a good argument against having elected School Boards. At least some of the County's appointed boards seem to have a higher percentage of people who know what they're doing.

Come to a meeting and you will see we're all parents that cut across party lines numbering well over 1,000.

It's unforunate and irresponsible to paint this as rich schools taking from poor schools as that is not the case.

The investment model that you have created isn't working. YoY high ESOL school SOL scores are dropping even though you have invested typically 40-60% more in staff in funding for these schools, resulting far greater resources and much smaller classes and significant budget cost, with documented diminishing returns.

Meanwhile the middleclass schools like wolftrap and springhill etc, are running with far less resourcess and much higher class size. Yet the tax contribution rate per house can be more then double.

No service would ever be effective under this model. You would not sign up for say verizon cable if you had to pay twice the cost as your neighbors but receive half the channels. We're all okay paying more in tax as we chose to live here, primarily for the schools. But we are not ok receiveing 60% less in staff and funding. I see the parents who drive to our soccer and baseball practices in Toyota minivans not Porches and Mercedes.

It's a flawed model and its clearly not working.

Folks, take it from someone that's been working around Pete for years. He does not have the necessary experience and he is NOT temperamentally suited for a position on the school board. That said, I do think he is effective as an active member of the community asking tough questions. But asking questions isn't enough...just being an obstructionist is not helpful.

Better than what's in there now. Vote out all incumbents.

Will.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Better than what's in there now. Vote out all
> incumbents.

At least all those who voted for transgender restrooms.

Will.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Better than what's in there now. Vote out all
> incumbents.

At least all those who voted for transgender restrooms.

Larger class sizes are a problem in some schools, yes. But what are you proposing? Reading through the lines, you seem to me making the case that schools in high poverty areas should not have extra resources so that overcrowded schools in affluent areas have "equal" teaching staffs. Yes?

The solution is to pay for more teachers countywide. People don't want to hear that, but it's the truth.

Struggling students in high poverty areas might not currently have the highest test scores, especially compared to those overcrowded affluent schools. But imagine if those resources were removed!





mwassy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Come to a meeting and you will see we're all
> parents that cut across party lines numbering well
> over 1,000.
>
> It's unforunate and irresponsible to paint this as
> rich schools taking from poor schools as that is
> not the case.
>
> The investment model that you have created isn't
> working. YoY high ESOL school SOL scores are
> dropping even though you have invested typically
> 40-60% more in staff in funding for these schools,
> resulting far greater resources and much smaller
> classes and significant budget cost, with
> documented diminishing returns.
>
> Meanwhile the middleclass schools like wolftrap
> and springhill etc, are running with far less
> resourcess and much higher class size. Yet the tax
> contribution rate per house can be more then
> double.
>
> No service would ever be effective under this
> model. You would not sign up for say verizon cable
> if you had to pay twice the cost as your neighbors
> but receive half the channels. We're all okay
> paying more in tax as we chose to live here,
> primarily for the schools. But we are not ok
> receiveing 60% less in staff and funding. I see
> the parents who drive to our soccer and baseball
> practices in Toyota minivans not Porches and
> Mercedes.
>
> It's a flawed model and its clearly not working.
Attachments:

What is his position on McLean gun store?

You don't have to read between the lines, I'm focusing on the data clearly available on your FCPS school websites. Look at many of the schools receiving all this massive aid. The SOL scores are dropping not improving. It's called the law of diminishing marginal returns. Thus, removing some of the massive over spending, upwards of $100M, on special programs to even out class size will have no impact on the massively subsidized schools.

"Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns

Diminishing Returns occurs in the short run when one factor is fixed (e.g. Capital)

If the variable factor of production is increased, there comes a point where it will become less productive and therefore there will eventually be a decreasing marginal and then average product."

Worse you have so severaly impacted the schools that represent the heavy revenue generators of the FCPS tax base that demand for housing is at risk. So your critical tax base will plummet as housing value decrease, people will no longer pay premiums to live in Vienna, Oakton, Mclean. Why would business move to Tysons when their employees face double the tax rate as their neighbors but receive 40-60% less resources in the schoools where those employees would want to live?

Thus the constant complaints about the board of supervisors holds no merit as you are gutting the incentives for industry to move to tysons. The industry the board needs to grow and attract residents around Vienna, Oakton, Mclean to sustain Tax Rate for the school budget.

Thus, the lack of basic economics in your position is supporting many other posters points. We need folks who have business and financial backgrounds on the FCPS board.


---->More Spending On Special Programs Poster Mentioned <---------------
Larger class sizes are a problem in some schools, yes. But what are you proposing? Reading through the lines, you seem to me making the case that schools in high poverty areas should not have extra resources so that overcrowded schools in affluent areas have "equal" teaching staffs. Yes?

The solution is to pay for more teachers countywide. People don't want to hear that, but it's the truth.

Struggling students in high poverty areas might not currently have the highest test scores, especially compared to those overcrowded affluent schools. But imagine if those resources were removed!





mwassy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Come to a meeting and you will see we're all
> parents that cut across party lines numbering well
> over 1,000.
>
> It's unforunate and irresponsible to paint this as
> rich schools taking from poor schools as that is
> not the case.
>
> The investment model that you have created isn't
> working. YoY high ESOL school SOL scores are
> dropping even though you have invested typically
> 40-60% more in staff in funding for these schools,
> resulting far greater resources and much smaller
> classes and significant budget cost, with
> documented diminishing returns.
>
> Meanwhile the middleclass schools like wolftrap
> and springhill etc, are running with far less
> resourcess and much higher class size. Yet the tax
> contribution rate per house can be more then
> double.
>
> No service would ever be effective under this
> model. You would not sign up for say verizon cable
> if you had to pay twice the cost as your neighbors
> but receive half the channels. We're all okay
> paying more in tax as we chose to live here,
> primarily for the schools. But we are not ok
> receiveing 60% less in staff and funding. I see
> the parents who drive to our soccer and baseball
> practices in Toyota minivans not Porches and
> Mercedes.
>
> It's a flawed model and its clearly not working.

newsflash - people in the feds at his level HAVE to know how to deal with politics to survive - the politics are much more deep that the idiots on the current school board.

another newsflash - FCPS PUblishes the numbers for the entire region in the Washington area boards of education guide - it essentially creates its own admin numbers. so no, we don't have "slim" admin budget.

what is helpful then? you want 4 more years of Jane Strauss? she makes me vomit. I'm voting for Pete. He will get things done. Janie Strauss ALWAYS says "wouldn't it be wonderful if" gag....yes, it would be wonderful if we can get rid of her.

calm down Pat and Janie

Bottom line, vote out incumbents. Despite the protestations of Bill.N. (who appears to be tied to the current state of our schools), the focus of this board on shit like transgender equality and keeping Boosterthon in business are indefensible to a rational parent.

Vote them all out.

If the Republicans couldn't win Dranesville with Louise Epstein, who actually knew a fair amount about FCPS programs and budgets, they certainly aren't going to win with Pete Kurzenhauser, who knows next to nothing and unfortunately looks like Gerald McRaney in one of his more lunatic roles.

Pat Hynes represents Hunter Mill. Hunter Mill=Reston=Democrats.

Save your energy.

what does the school board do again? does it really matter?

Bottom Line Revisited Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the Republicans couldn't win Dranesville with
> Louise Epstein, who actually knew a fair amount
> about FCPS programs and budgets, they certainly
> aren't going to win with Pete Kurzenhauser, who
> knows next to nothing and unfortunately looks like
> Gerald McRaney in one of his more lunatic roles.
>
>
> Pat Hynes represents Hunter Mill. Hunter
> Mill=Reston=Democrats.
>
> Save your energy.


No one thinks there's a groundswell of support for Kurzenhauser. Most believe there's enough disgust at the current board members to vote AGAINST them, not for someone.

No energy wasted to vote. If enough dumbshits like the job that Strauss is doing or don't care enough to vote against her, then she'll win. If they don't, then she'll lose. Basics of our democracy. You wishing everyone stays home to guarantee Strauss her victory is lame.

schooldboardllllllll Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> what does the school board do again? does it
> really matter?


Apparently enough for you to take the time to post a comment. I take it you don't pay taxes in FFX Co. or have kids in school. For those of us who do, it matters because FCPS takes up more than half the budget in this county and our kids sit in their facilities for 6/7 hours a day.

schooldboredllllllll Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bottom Line Revisited Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If the Republicans couldn't win Dranesville
> with
> > Louise Epstein, who actually knew a fair amount
> > about FCPS programs and budgets, they certainly
> > aren't going to win with Pete Kurzenhauser, who
> > knows next to nothing and unfortunately looks
> like
> > Gerald McRaney in one of his more lunatic roles.
>
> >
> >
> > Pat Hynes represents Hunter Mill. Hunter
> > Mill=Reston=Democrats.
> >
> > Save your energy.
>
>
> No one thinks there's a groundswell of support for
> Kurzenhauser. Most believe there's enough disgust
> at the current board members to vote AGAINST them,
> not for someone.
>
> No energy wasted to vote. If enough dumbshits
> like the job that Strauss is doing or don't care
> enough to vote against her, then she'll win. If
> they don't, then she'll lose. Basics of our
> democracy. You wishing everyone stays home to
> guarantee Strauss her victory is lame.

Most do not believe that. Nothing you've written is any different than what some people claimed in 2007 or 2011, most often on anonymous forums. Typically a few people would set up a web site and claim they had hundreds or thousands of supporters. And then their right-wing candidates generally would lose. Democratic incumbents do not lose elections in Fairfax.

People in Dranesville are smart enough to figure out that an experienced member like Janie Strauss will get more for their district than a know-nothing who would screw one part of the district (Herndon) to benefit another (Great Falls/Langley). And even some of the entitled types in Langley will drive by Langley, see the tens of millions being spent on Langley's renovation, remember that no one has gotten redistricted out of Langley for close to 30 years, and realize that Strauss has actually done OK by them. Put in some reactionary right-wing numbskull, and things could look quite different. L

But that's OK. Keep believing what you want. Pete can always represent the imaginary FFXU District, and then he can hire Catherine Lorenze as his imaginary Superintendent.

VoteNoToIncumbents Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bottom line, vote out incumbents. Despite the
> protestations of Bill.N. (who appears to be tied
> to the current state of our schools), the focus of
> this board on shit like transgender equality and
> keeping Boosterthon in business are indefensible
> to a rational parent.

I have been fighting the School Board for years my friend while you have been content to bitch about them. There are only a couple I would like to see stay. The difference between us is that I want to replace the current board with people who have a reasonable agenda which balances the interests of ALL students within the system, and also the interests of the taxpayers who are paying for it, and who have the ability to get things done. For all their faults I don't see replacing the current School Board with a collection of well meaning novices and tea party enthusiasts to be an improvement.

From what I have seen classsizecounts is less about fairness and more about enhancing the educational advantages in parts of the county that already enjoy a privileged position. Yes the classes are larger, but you also have far fewer ESOL students, more GT Centers, and at schools like Wolftrap and Spring Hill the quality of education for average and above average students is better than the quality of education for similar students at an ESOL heavy school. I doubt anyone at classsizecounts wants to trade, or is willing to address the inequalities that work in their favor.

Bill, what do you think about Janie's cozy contract with Keating for her campaign at the same time Keating gave a glowing endorsement?

How about the contract that Keating got with the county? No bid, I think? Kind of convenient.

Is that what we need on our school board?

What part of RUN BETTER CHALLENGERS do you not get?

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What part of RUN BETTER CHALLENGERS do you not
> get?

So, you'd rather vote for someone who only listens to contituents in election years and buys her support with campaign funds and pays off with contracts to someone who is concerned about fiscal responsibility and classroom size.

Okay.

I hear you Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bill.N. Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What part of RUN BETTER CHALLENGERS do you not
> > get?
>
> So, you'd rather vote for someone who only listens
> to contituents in election years and buys her
> support with campaign funds and pays off with
> contracts to someone who is concerned about fiscal
> responsibility and classroom size.
>
> All the "fiscal responsibility and classroom size" advocates really have to offer is the preposterous claim that cutting a few administrative positions will result in enormous savings. Meanwhile, they want to take resources away from Herndon and other areas where students need the most help and send them to areas like Great Falls where students consistently do extremely well. Oink, oink, oink.

I'm one of the over 1500 Class Size Counts volunteers, a parent of two in FCPS, and can tell you that this organization is comprised almost equally of individuals from both major political parties (Democrat, Republican) as well as an equally large number of independents.

Our diversity is what makes us such a strong advocacy group, and our message is simple: Class Size Counts, yet we are not a single issue organization--we are about smaller class sizes, budget issues (which affect class size), safety issues (such as the growing use of nearly 1,000 formaldehyde-ridden trailers as a 'solution' to our growing school capacity concerns, etc.).

On the topic of the looming budget deficit -- Don't Be Fooled: Read CSC Opinion on FCPS Release of Enrollment Numbers for FY15/FY16 http://classsizecounts.com/?page_id=225

On the topic of our non-partisan evaluation of 2016 School Board candidates, each candidate who submitted a CSC questionnaire response was anonymously peer reviewed by a panel of CSC volunteers who spent countless hours pouring thru the over 20 candidate responses. Kudos to our CSC volunteers for all their work. Our non-partisan review resulted in our endorsement of Democratic, Republican and Independent candidates, district by district. http://classsizecounts.com/?page_id=129.

I hear you Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bill.N. Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What part of RUN BETTER CHALLENGERS do you not
> > get?
>
> So, you'd rather vote for someone who only listens
> to contituents in election years and buys her
> support with campaign funds and pays off with
> contracts to someone who is concerned about fiscal
> responsibility and classroom size.
>
> Okay.



Nicely put.

Jo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm one of the over 1500 Class Size Counts
> volunteers, a parent of two in FCPS, and can tell
> you that this organization is comprised almost
> equally of individuals from both major political
> parties (Democrat, Republican) as well as an
> equally large number of independents.
>
> Our diversity is what makes us such a strong
> advocacy group, and our message is simple: Class
> Size Counts, yet we are not a single issue
> organization--we are about smaller class sizes,
> budget issues (which affect class size), safety
> issues (such as the growing use of nearly 1,000
> formaldehyde-ridden trailers as a 'solution' to
> our growing school capacity concerns, etc.).
>
> On the topic of the looming budget deficit --
> Don't Be Fooled: Read CSC Opinion on FCPS Release
> of Enrollment Numbers for FY15/FY16
> http://classsizecounts.com/?page_id=225
>
> On the topic of our non-partisan evaluation of
> 2016 School Board candidates, each candidate who
> submitted a CSC questionnaire response was
> anonymously peer reviewed by a panel of CSC
> volunteers who spent countless hours pouring thru
> the over 20 candidate responses. Kudos to our CSC
> volunteers for all their work. Our non-partisan
> review resulted in our endorsement of Democratic,
> Republican and Independent candidates, district by
> district. http://classsizecounts.com/?page_id=129.

I visited your page. Not a single CSC person identified by name and absolutely nothing to substantiate the claim of 1500 members/volunteers. Interestingly, the endorsements are a repeat of Catherine Lorenze's failed project to get a slate elected in 2011 - i.e. the only Democrat endorsed in glowing terms is Megan McLaughlin, who won in 2011 after she distanced herself from Lorenze.

Same old stuff in a new package. A vote for Kurzenhauser is a vote to isolate Dranesville on the fringe with crazy Tea Party member Elizabeth Schultz.

I hear you Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So, you'd rather vote for someone who only listens
> to contituents in election years and buys her
> support with campaign funds and pays off with
> contracts to someone who is concerned about fiscal
> responsibility and classroom size.

Apparently you didn't hear me.

RUN BETTER CHALLENGERS!

Pete opposes Boosterthon, so he has my vote.

The Boosterthon Issue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pete opposes Boosterthon, so he has my vote.


He says the whole thing is obnoxious, basically.

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I hear you Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So, you'd rather vote for someone who only
> listens
> > to contituents in election years and buys her
> > support with campaign funds and pays off with
> > contracts to someone who is concerned about
> fiscal
> > responsibility and classroom size.
>
> Apparently you didn't hear me.
>
> RUN BETTER CHALLENGERS!


Lulz....

 
Attachments:

Ex military is all I need to know to NOT vote for any candidate.

The military is the most bloated, corrupt bureaucracy on the planet. Nobody that spent their lives in the military has the answers to FCPS's woes.

no military Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ex military is all I need to know to NOT vote for
> any candidate.
>
> The military is the most bloated, corrupt
> bureaucracy on the planet. Nobody that spent their
> lives in the military has the answers to FCPS's
> woes.


Most misguided statement on this thread.

Don't vote for any candidates endorsed by this hate group!


http://www.metroweekly.com/2015/10/hate-group-urges-fairfax-voters-to-oust-all-democrats-from-school-board/

If the current leadership stays in place, you will end up paying twice as much in taxes. McElveen will eliminate the sports fee, they will hire a transgender consultant, Reed and Velkoff want taxation authority for the School Board, they have no problem paying Eric Jensen $9,000 a day, they spend $80,000 a month on travel and so on, oh yes, they have a $100,000,000 deficit.

There's no proof these candidates asked to be listed by the so called hate group.

Don't vote for em! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't vote for any candidates endorsed by this
> hate group!
>
>
> http://www.metroweekly.com/2015/10/hate-group-urge
> s-fairfax-voters-to-oust-all-democrats-from-school
> -board/

The SPLC designates any group that is to the far right of center as a "hate group". They say that on their website. However, the same rules do not apply to those left of center.

I read the article linked. The group that is opposed to those members is strongly in favor of "traditional family values." In my mind, that means they have a strong belief--but that does not mean that they are a "hate group."

That is a strong term to use for people who simply have a different point of view. The parents who protested the transgender kids sharing bathrooms with kids of the opposite physical sex, have a right to express their opinions.

For me, I thought the SB did not need to take this action when they did. These parents disagreed with the members who voted for the policy when they easily could have waited. McElveen did not need to propose this action when he did. We have an anti-discrimination policy already as we also have an anti-bullying policy.

You can disagree with this group--but they are not a hate group.

do the math Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the current leadership stays in place, you will
> end up paying twice as much in taxes. McElveen
> will eliminate the sports fee, they will hire a
> transgender consultant, Reed and Velkoff want
> taxation authority for the School Board, they have
> no problem paying Eric Jensen $9,000 a day, they
> spend $80,000 a month on travel and so on, oh yes,
> they have a $100,000,000 deficit.
>
> There's no proof these candidates asked to be
> listed by the so called hate group.

Yeah, right. Let's see any of those candidates disavow the endorsements from the right-wing, anti-LGBT hate group. Won't happen. The moderate Republicans have disappeared from Fairfax County just like they've disappeared from other parts of the country.w

do the math Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the current leadership stays in place, you will
> end up paying twice as much in taxes. McElveen
> will eliminate the sports fee, they will hire a
> transgender consultant, Reed and Velkoff want
> taxation authority for the School Board, they have
> no problem paying Eric Jensen $9,000 a day, they
> spend $80,000 a month on travel and so on, oh yes,
> they have a $100,000,000 deficit.
>
> There's no proof these candidates asked to be
> listed by the so called hate group.

Washington Post endorsed John Foust over Jennifer Chronis, noting she talks out of both sides of her mouth: she opposes any new taxes but favors more funding for FCPS, which she apparently thinks Richmond will just fork over if she shows up one day in her GI Jane uniform and asks for it.

The Republican-endorsed School Board candidates are no better. They are an unimpressive group, many of whom invoke their past military experience but have no real ideas besides redirecting resources to wealthier areas. Fuck that shit - Lynndie England has military experience, too, but it doesn't mean I'd want her deciding what's best for kids.

> The SPLC designates any group that is to the far
> right of center as a "hate group". They say that
> on their website. However, the same rules do not
> apply to those left of center.

SPLC also lists group such as Nation of Islam and the New Black Panther Party as hate groups, not just far right extremists.

The SPLC's website does state:

"The Southern Poverty Law Center is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. Using litigation, education, and other forms of advocacy, the Center works toward the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality."

> I read the article linked. The group that is
> opposed to those members is strongly in favor of
> "traditional family values." In my mind, that
> means they have a strong belief--but that does not
> mean that they are a "hate group."
>
> That is a strong term to use for people who simply
> have a different point of view. The parents who
> protested the transgender kids sharing bathrooms
> with kids of the opposite physical sex, have a
> right to express their opinions.

OK here's TVC's point of view:

"TRADITIONAL VALUES COALITION

Presbyterian minister Lou Sheldon founded the Traditional Values Coalition (TVC) in 1980 to spread a “moral code and behavior based upon the Old and New Testaments” and to warn Americans of the rising “gay threat.” The traditional values the TVC fights for include: the right to life (opposition to abortion and euthanasia), chastity and patriotism, along with opposition to homosexuality, pornography, the teaching of evolution in public schools and illegal immigration. Sheldon also opposes gambling, except when he doesn’t — in 2000, he helped kill the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act after the TVC received a $25,000 check from eLottery, a client of now-disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The TVC, whose president is Sheldon’s daughter, Andrea Lafferty, claims to represent over 43,000 Christian churches across the United States. Lafferty, who served in the Reagan and Bush administrations, is married to James “Jim” Lafferty, the chairman of the Coalition of Religious Freedom. The Southern Poverty Law Center has listed TVC as a hate group since 2010, based on its consistent spreading of lies about LGBT people.

In Its Own Words:
“As homosexuals continue to make inroads into public schools, more children will be molested and indoctrinated into the world of homosexuality. Many of them will die in that world.”
—Rev. Louis Sheldon, “Homosexuals Recruit Public School Children,” special report, Vol. 18, No. 11

“LGBT activists are doing a victory dance over conquering our U.S. military – but this is only a skirmish in a long battle to homosexualize our entire culture. I expect to see an effort down the road to include ‘transgenders’ in the military. That should be an interesting debate.”
—Traditional Values Coalition, press release, 2010

“Shariah law is the worst form of license for its practitioners, and the vilest sort of tyranny for shariah’s victims. The rights of conscience, as they pertain to the preservation of liberty as understood in the context of the U.S. Constitution, stand in stark contrast… .”
—Andrea Lafferty, “NRO The Shariah Court of Pennsylvania,” TVC website, 2012

“The hate crimes language passed in the House is a threat to free speech, freedom of religion, and association. Homosexuality is a behavior, not a fixed identity. It is similar to smoking or drug use, not an immutable characteristic like race or ethnicity. There are no ‘former’ Blacks, but there are ex-homosexuals. The existence of ex-homosexuals is clear evidence that homosexuality is behavior-based, not an unchangeable characteristic. It should not receive special minority rights protections in federal law.”
—Rev. Louis Sheldon, “Prohomosexual Hate Crime Legislation is Back!,” Traditional Values Coalition Report, 2005

“Americans should understand that their attitudes about homosexuality have been deliberately and deceitfully changed by a masterful propaganda/marketing campaign that rivals that of Adolph [sic] Hitler. In fact, many of the strategies used by homosexuals to bring about cultural change in America are taken from Hitler’s writings and propaganda welfare manuals.”
—Rev. Louis Sheldon, “Homosexual Propaganda Campaign Based on Hitler’s ‘Big Lie’ Technique,” special report, Vol. 18, No. 10

Background:
Louis P. Sheldon founded the Traditional Values Coalition in Anaheim to focus on California politics. It was initially named the American Liberties Institute and later, the California Coalition for Traditional Values, before establishing its headquarters in Washington, D.C. Sheldon is a protégé of Christian Right televangelist Pat Robertson and already was a long-standing opponent of gay rights when he founded the TVC in 1980. Sheldon claims that homosexuality is a “deathstyle” and that child molestation is the real “homosexual agenda” — a claim that has been thoroughly debunked by all the relevant major professional and medical associations.

In 1985, Sheldon suggested forcibly rounding up AIDS victims into “cities of refuge,” like leper colonies, to protect the general population. After a hate crime bill was signed into law in the 1990s, Sheldon told a reporter that the new law would “protect sex with animals and the rape of children as forms of political expression,” which was completely false. The law did no such thing and could not legally.

In 1992, columnist Jimmy Breslin reported that Sheldon told him that “homosexuals are dangerous. They proselytize. They come to the door, and if your son answers and nobody is there to stop it, they grab the son and run off with him. They steal him. They take him away and turn him into a homosexual.” Sheldon later denied making those comments, but his website contains strikingly similar language: “ince homosexuals can’t reproduce, they will simply go after your children for seduction and conversion to homosexuality.” Elsewhere, it claims that “[t]he effort to push adult/child sex … is part of the overall homosexual movement.”

Three years later, in 1995, Sheldon successfully lobbied for a congressional hearing on gay activists’ alleged infiltration of public schools in an attempt to garner support for Senator Jesse Helms’ bill to cut federal funds for public schools “encouraging or supporting homosexuality.” The hearing, however, was a disaster for Sheldon and his supporters. The hearing’s main witness was Claire Connolly, a lesbian who falsely accused gay male activists of using federal AIDS funds to host orgies.

Like her father, Andrea Lafferty, now TVC’s president, has also made a number of LGBT-bashing remarks over the years. In February 2013, Lafferty compared homosexuality to drunk driving after U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) changed his views on gay marriage when his son came out as gay. After the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in June of that year, Lafferty lamented that a “great darkness” had overtaken the country. When the House of Representatives held a historic hearing on transgender discrimination in the workplace in 2008, Lafferty called it a “freak show,” and insisted transgendered individuals were “deeply disturbed individuals who need therapy not coddling and affirmation by a liberal majority in the House of Representatives.”

After Congress introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in 2013, the TVC released a slew of anti-transgender press releases attacking ENDA with allegations that the bill would force every school district to hire transgender teachers and bring “gender confusion” into schools. One such press release likened school-aged children to “human shields” who were being used in the attempt to “force the acceptance of transgenders and transsexuals into mainstream culture.” After California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the School Success and Opportunity Act, a bill that allows students to participate in activities, sports teams, programs, and locker room and restroom facilities that match their gender identities, the TVC released a memo labeling transgender children “psychologically unhealthy.”

In spite of their homophobic and very often flatly false remarks and claims, Sheldon and Lafferty have enjoyed considerable political access. During the George W. Bush administration, Sheldon and Lafferty visited the White House a combined 69 times, meeting personally with President Bush in eight of those visits.

In June 2014, state Rep. Paul “Skip” Stam (R-N.C.) distributed a TVC flier that compared being lesbian or gay to mental disorders such as apotemnophilia (sexual arousal associated with an amputee's stump) and coprophilia (sexual arousal associated with feces). The same language was included in Scott Lively’s 2009 book Redeeming the Rainbow: A Christian Response to the “Gay Agenda.” Lively is best known for an infamous book wrongly blaming gay men for the Nazi Holocaust.

The TVC also has adopted Islamophobia in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In 2008, Sheldon claimed “Islamists” want to destroy America and western civilization by “conquering nation after nation” and imposing Shariah religious law upon them. In 2010, Lafferty publicly opposed the planned Park51 mosque in Lower Manhattan, stating: “We cannot allow the standard for decision-making to become whether or not an action disappoints violent Muslim fanatics. We cannot give the homicide bombers a veto over the lives of free people.” Lafferty’s husband founded an anti-Muslim organization, the Virginia Anti-Shariah Law Task Force (VAST).

In 2011, the TVC started a grassroots campaign called “The Task Force to Stop Shariah Law.” It was intended to raise over $3 million to educate and mobilize Americans against Shariah law, launch a website for the campaign, train pastors and activists to confront the “Shariah threat,” and cover Lafferty’s travel expenses so that she can lobby against Shariah law across the country. In its campaign mailings, the TVC falsely claimed “Shariah Law trumps the law of any land – including our own Constitution” and that Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan “believes in Shariah Law and has actively worked to advance it the United States” because she allegedly pushed for the establishment of the “The Islamic Legal Studies Program,” funded with Saudi oil money, while she was the dean of Harvard Law School. Later in 2011, the TVC co-hosted a conference called “The Constitution of Sharia – Preserving Freedom Conference” in Nashville, Tenn., with other far-right groups.

In 2012, VAST and the TVC launched a smear campaign against the Islamic Society of North America Convention (ISNA), an important event in the American Muslim calendar. Both organizations published an article titled “ISNA Convention Offers Two Views of Islam – the Manufactured Public Persona and the Truth.” VAST and TVC have jointly tried to portray ISNA as a subversive organization on the basis of “several key briefings and meetings.” They claimed that ISNA discourages fellow Muslims from talking to the FBI. VAST and the TVC also attacked immigration lawyer Rabia Chaudry, a member of the ACLU board of directors and president of the Safe Nation Collaborative, for talking about the negative impact of the New York City Police Department’s controversial spying on the Muslim community.

That same year, Jim Lafferty pushed the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in Virginia to reject the proposed renewal of the Islamic Saudi Academy’s building lease. Lafferty said the Islamic Saudi Academy, an elite college prep school, is an “incubator for a new generation of domestic terrorists,” funded and owned by the Saudi government. (The valedictorian of the school’s 1999 class was convicted on charges of supporting Al-Qaeda in 2005. Local residents began protesting the renewal of the Islamic Saudi Academy’s building lease in 2010.) The Saudi government, according to Lafferty, has shown “no interest in cleaning up the pro-violence, anti-Semitic, and anti-Christian teaching and textbooks.”

In 2013, VAST and other “pro-freedom organizations” hosted a press conference at a Muslim cemetery in Caroline County, near Richmond, the burial site of Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev. At the conference, Lafferty said Tsarnev’s burial at the cemetery was “an awful sneak attack on the people of Virginia.”

Jim Lafferty is also the executive director of the Christian Seniors Association (CSA), a front group started by the TVC as a “strong conservative Christian alternative to the ultra-left AARP,” formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons. The CSA has a longstanding history of producing fear-mongering fundraising letters, some of which resemble government documents. In 2006, for instance, the CSA mailed out fake “U.S. Taxpayer Census” forms, which included a survey about Social Security and ominous warnings about politicians who promote a far-left agenda that hurts seniors. Two years later, the CSA again sent out these bogus forms, which many seniors believed were actual government documents. In 2010, the CSA sent out a survey with a letter asking for donations to combat the AARP and Obama’s “socialist” agenda. In 2011, the CSA mailed a fundraising letter to its members alleging the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, which made sexual orientation a protected class under federal hate crime legislation, “makes the Bible illegal hate literature.” Although other religious right groups have made similar claims, or at least said the federal hate crime statute could have such an effect, the claims are universally false.

In 2014, Lafferty said Hobby Lobby’s challenge to the contraception coverage mandate in Obamacare was essential in stopping the Obama administration and Planned Parenthood’s “agenda of population control.” She claimed that that effort was part of a larger attack by “Islamic Shariah law both at home and abroad.”

whether you agree with them or not, they are a political nightmare for the Republican candidates they endorsed.

Sorry, dunno what happened with the cut and paste and the lines through the text. Here's a link to the source.

https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/traditional-values-coalition

Bill, what do you think Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bill, what do you think about Janie's cozy
> contract with Keating for her campaign at the same
> time Keating gave a glowing endorsement?
>
> How about the contract that Keating got with the
> county? No bid, I think? Kind of convenient.
>
> Is that what we need on our school board?

This is a disgusting attack against a person who is not a public figure, an attempt to smear her character and generalize without actual facts. You know what happened? Here's what happened: Keating worked hard to get Full Day Kindergarten at FCPS. She didn't do it the nasty, aggressive, confrontational Louise Epstein way, which is why Louise can't stand her (and why she got results within a year of starting the campaign). So this smear comes from Louise -- it is typical of her to try to ruin people who disagree with her, rather than just, you know, disagreeing.

Keating knew that Janie supported Full Day Kindergarten, wanted to make sure she got re-elected, and so worked for Janie. Keating got paid for that because sometimes, when people do valuable work, they get paid.

She was also a skilled management consultant and decided to get more involved working with FCPS, so applied for (and won) a consulting contract.

This is a smart lady who has provided value to the school system and, yes, she also has political views and worked for a candidate. None of this is inappropriate or illegal. On the other hand, we all know Keating makes Louise Epstein sick because Keating worked within FCPS to get change accomplished. Louise just panders to angry people that she would somehow magically get 7 votes on the SB to steal money from needy kids and give to wealthy Dranesville residents. And that we can solve all our fiscal problems by uttering the word "Gatehouse."

I blame Kurzenhauser for being dumb enough to listen to Louise, but this is all old stuff from Louise. Stop slandering Keating.

Do you want FCPS to continue to waste instructional hours on Boosterthon, a fundraiser that exploits and demeans your children?

Do you want FCPS to continue to spend $80,000 a month on travel?

Do you want FCPS to continue to hire "no results" consultants like Eric Jensen, a former English teacher who now claims to be a neuroscientist, at $9,000 a day?

Do you want FCPS to keep paying Karen Garza $2,000 a month for her housing?

Do you want the school board to have the authority to tax you?

If you answered "yes" to the above, vote the incumbents back in.

Disgusting Attacks Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bill, what do you think Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Bill, what do you think about Janie's cozy
> > contract with Keating for her campaign at the
> same
> > time Keating gave a glowing endorsement?
> >
> > How about the contract that Keating got with
> the
> > county? No bid, I think? Kind of convenient.
> >
> > Is that what we need on our school board?
>
> This is a disgusting attack against a person who
> is not a public figure, an attempt to smear her
> character and generalize without actual facts. You
> know what happened? Here's what happened: Keating
> worked hard to get Full Day Kindergarten at FCPS.
> She didn't do it the nasty, aggressive,
> confrontational Louise Epstein way, which is why
> Louise can't stand her (and why she got results
> within a year of starting the campaign). So this
> smear comes from Louise -- it is typical of her to
> try to ruin people who disagree with her, rather
> than just, you know, disagreeing.
>
> Keating knew that Janie supported Full Day
> Kindergarten, wanted to make sure she got
> re-elected, and so worked for Janie. Keating got
> paid for that because sometimes, when people do
> valuable work, they get paid.
>
> She was also a skilled management consultant and
> decided to get more involved working with FCPS, so
> applied for (and won) a consulting contract.
>
> This is a smart lady who has provided value to the
> school system and, yes, she also has political
> views and worked for a candidate. None of this is
> inappropriate or illegal. On the other hand, we
> all know Keating makes Louise Epstein sick because
> Keating worked within FCPS to get change
> accomplished. Louise just panders to angry people
> that she would somehow magically get 7 votes on
> the SB to steal money from needy kids and give to
> wealthy Dranesville residents. And that we can
> solve all our fiscal problems by uttering the word
> "Gatehouse."
>
> I blame Kurzenhauser for being dumb enough to
> listen to Louise, but this is all old stuff from
> Louise. Stop slandering Keating.

Sorry, Bill. I strongly disagree. Keating used her position as the chief advocate for all day K and endorsed Strauss. It was wrong to get a substantial--I think it was $10,000 contract while speaking out as a member of a volunteer group. That is wrong. It just does not pass the smell test. It was not disclosed at the time she endorsed her. Meanwhile, Janie never pushed for all day K until that election.
I do not question that Keating worked hard for all day K--but while she was a "volunteer". She should not have taken a paycheck from Strauss while she was endorsing her as a volunteer. She should have disclosed that she was on the payroll.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/examiner-local-editorial-what-ails-fairfax-schools-not-a-lack-of-funds/article/2507653

So, Bill, this is okay?

you are wrong Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry, Bill.

Don't be sorry to me. It wasn't my post.

this is okay? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/examiner-local-e
> ditorial-what-ails-fairfax-schools-not-a-lack-of-f
> unds/article/2507653
>
> So, Bill, this is okay?


It's NOT okay.

you are wrong Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Sorry, Bill. I strongly disagree. Keating used
> her position as the chief advocate for all day K
> and endorsed Strauss. It was wrong to get a
> substantial--I think it was $10,000 contract while
> speaking out as a member of a volunteer group.
> That is wrong. It just does not pass the smell
> test. It was not disclosed at the time she
> endorsed her. Meanwhile, Janie never pushed for
> all day K until that election.
> I do not question that Keating worked hard for all
> day K--but while she was a "volunteer". She
> should not have taken a paycheck from Strauss
> while she was endorsing her as a volunteer. She
> should have disclosed that she was on the payroll.

Again, you do not have your facts right. Full Day Kindergarten was passed within the budget process in May. Keating then worked for Strauss AFTERWARDS because she didn't want Louise Epstein and her ilk taking over the School Board. She didn't get paid "while speaking out as a member of a volunteer group." Why is it that people can't, you know, work hard, get results, decide they really appreciate the effectiveness of the people they worked with during the project... and then work together? There's nothing wrong with that.

And your attempt to sniff out some kind of scandal with a Washington Examiner report that is tipped to 'unknown sources' just shows where all of this comes from. Who do you think is the 'unknown source?' Louise Epstein -- or Catherine Lorenze, no matter, they are the same horrible, scorched earth person. The Examiner is about as partisan and hack-y as you can get in a printed newspaper these days.

You Are Wrong! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > Again, you do not have your facts right. Full Day
> Kindergarten was passed within the budget process
> in May. Keating then worked for Strauss AFTERWARDS
> because she didn't want Louise Epstein and her ilk
> taking over the School Board. She didn't get paid
> "while speaking out as a member of a volunteer
> group." Why is it that people can't, you know,
> work hard, get results, decide they really
> appreciate the effectiveness of the people they
> worked with during the project... and then work
> together? There's nothing wrong with that.
>
> And your attempt to sniff out some kind of scandal
> with a Washington Examiner report that is tipped
> to 'unknown sources' just shows where all of this
> comes from. Who do you think is the 'unknown
> source?' Louise Epstein -- or Catherine Lorenze,
> no matter, they are the same horrible, scorched
> earth person. The Examiner is about as partisan
> and hack-y as you can get in a printed newspaper
> these days.

I must agree with this... I am amazed to see these kind of politics of personal destruction in a School Board race, except that I've personally seen Louise Epstein in motion and this is what she does. Nobody ran for School Board this way before her, and I had hoped we were done with her. But she has hosted fundraisers for this guy Kurzenhauser; he's her surrogate. Even after the pay raise, these School Board members get something like $40K for the pleasure of dealing with these kinds of ugly attacks. We're not Washington, D.C., folks. We're not dealing with high-level waste, fraud & abuse. To go down that road with nothing but innuendo is really disgusting.

From what I can tell, this is all sour grapes because Epstein, who took years & years to get FAIRGRADE done (as if that's a great accomplishment), didn't control the Full Day Kindergarten group and Strauss helped get it done.

But that's what you get when you are a candidate who has no ideas about how to actually run the system well, just claiming that he/she will "clean house" and "run a better audit" and find the pile of gold somewhere so you don't have to raise taxes... Call 'em all crooks and hope people are dumb enough to listen. Your numbers don't make sense and you don't know how to work with people in a collaborative way, so just "go negative" against the other guy.

Strauss might not be perfect, but anybody who stoops to this kind of stuff won't get my vote.

Politics of Personal Destruction Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > But that's what you get when you are a candidate
> who has no ideas about how to actually run the
> system well, just claiming that he/she will "clean
> house" and "run a better audit" and find the pile
> of gold somewhere so you don't have to raise
> taxes... Call 'em all crooks and hope people are
> dumb enough to listen. Your numbers don't make
> sense and you don't know how to work with people
> in a collaborative way, so just "go negative"
> against the other guy.
>
> Strauss might not be perfect, but anybody who
> stoops to this kind of stuff won't get my vote.

+ 1000

Kurzenhauser's only idea seems to be that the "carryover" that the Board has from year to year is the "pile of gold" that will solve the budget problem. Anybody out there ever run a business? You know what a carryover is. It's money that's already been promised to vendors, and money used in the next fiscal year to make sure the business can continue running. The carryover amount in FCPS is reasonable, given the size of the budget overall.

But when you're pandering to people who assume that our government basically shouldn't exist and who don't want to pay taxes, you're just telling them something they want to hear, whether it's true or not. Pandering. Not a real solution.

Epstein and 2-3 of her buddies were the forces behind a resolution adopted by the McLean Citizens Association about a year ago demanding that FCPS increase class sizes in poor parts of the county and reduce them in the areas with the highest test scores in the county. It had no practical effect, and most people in McLean knew nothing about it, but people all over the rest of the county heard about it and hurled insults at the MCA.

I expect Pete Kurzenhauser, as Epstein's and Lorenze's latest stooge, would bring the same sharply honed political skills to the table. Between insisting on more for the rich and telling everyone how things are done in the military, he'd wear out his welcome in about a month. Strauss relies too much on what FCPS staff tells her, but she is a more effective politician than Epstein, Lorenze, Kurzenhauser will ever be, because she at least has some understanding of the county outside of Great Falls and the richest parts of McLean.

Yeah, the MCA is totally a joke; it's too bad that reasonable people haven't taken over that place by now so they can, you know, actually represent McLean rather than just Epstein & Lorenze and their neanderthal views about "fairness" representing "my kids getting more because I yell louder than you."

This guy Kurzenhauser is nothing more than their tool. A friend of mine was at a fundraiser that Epstein held for Kurzenhauser and said her introduction of him sounded like, "Here's the guy who's running this year; vote for him so that then you can vote for me next time."

You Are Wrong! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> you are wrong Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > Sorry, Bill. I strongly disagree. Keating used
> > her position as the chief advocate for all day
> K
> > and endorsed Strauss. It was wrong to get a
> > substantial--I think it was $10,000 contract
> while
> > speaking out as a member of a volunteer group.
> > That is wrong. It just does not pass the smell
> > test. It was not disclosed at the time she
> > endorsed her. Meanwhile, Janie never pushed
> for
> > all day K until that election.
> > I do not question that Keating worked hard for
> all
> > day K--but while she was a "volunteer". She
> > should not have taken a paycheck from Strauss
> > while she was endorsing her as a volunteer.
> She
> > should have disclosed that she was on the
> payroll.
>
> Again, you do not have your facts right. Full Day
> Kindergarten was passed within the budget process
> in May. Keating then worked for Strauss AFTERWARDS
> because she didn't want Louise Epstein and her ilk
> taking over the School Board. She didn't get paid
> "while speaking out as a member of a volunteer
> group." Why is it that people can't, you know,
> work hard, get results, decide they really
> appreciate the effectiveness of the people they
> worked with during the project... and then work
> together? There's nothing wrong with that.
>
> And your attempt to sniff out some kind of scandal
> with a Washington Examiner report that is tipped
> to 'unknown sources' just shows where all of this
> comes from. Who do you think is the 'unknown
> source?' Louise Epstein -- or Catherine Lorenze,
> no matter, they are the same horrible, scorched
> earth person. The Examiner is about as partisan
> and hack-y as you can get in a printed newspaper
> these days.

Full day K was passed in May of an ELECTION Year. Full day K began in the FALL of ELECTION year. Keating was endorsing Strauss as a representative of a volunteer group on a campaign website--meanwhile working for the campaign.

Sorry, that does not pass the smell test.

Neither does the contract she secured later with FCPS.

With only a few Dem operatives at the MCA debate yesterday, these nasty posts are obviously by Greg Brandon - failed candidate who ran for School Board on the Democratic ticket in 2011 but couldn't secure the Dem nomination. Now he serves as the local attack dog and FFXU poster for Janie Strauss. Nice.

Oh, Catherine/Louise... so amazing how you just can't believe anyone would disagree with your smear campaign so you assume only a "Dem operative" would dare to disagree with you.

And because Full Day K passed without you -- in fact, would never have passed WITH you, since you don't know how to win friends and work with others -- you must smear people who got it done.

Thank goodness Dranesville didn't let these people anywhere near the School Board, except to let them complain that their snowflakes have to *sniff* go to school with too many "great unwashed." Nice.

It was me! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> With only a few Dem operatives at the MCA debate
> yesterday, these nasty posts are obviously by Greg
> Brandon - failed candidate who ran for School
> Board on the Democratic ticket in 2011 but
> couldn't secure the Dem nomination. Now he serves
> as the local attack dog and FFXU poster for Janie
> Strauss. Nice.

Oh, I'm sure there were no "Republican operatives" at the MCA debate. Didn't go yesterday, but I went a couple of years ago and the snarky whispering, booing, and boorish behavior on the part of the REPUBLICANS was out of control. These types clearly dominate the MCA, which nobody cares about any more because it doesn't represent anybody but the Tea Party. Enjoy your shrinking, tiny sphere of influence, Louise!

You have to wonder about those trips to Atlanta Boosterthon provides to PTA/PTO officials. Remember, many Boosterthon contracts, contrary to regulations, go through the PTA/PTO instead of FCPS.

Ironically, Pete Kurzenhauser, who opposes the use of Boosterthon, is being attacked. It sure would be interesting to find out of Boosterthon is making contributions to the campaigns of pro-Boosterthon candidates, and how much, to say nothing of a peek into this VERY secretive company's "other" activities…

With only a few Dem supporters at the MCA debate Sunday, that says a lot about how little Dems like Janie--they won't even stick around from the Supervisor debate for her debate!

Well, it looks like Strauss is part of the crowd that wants to bring more low-income housing to McLean and Great Falls. Her Connection questionnaire said that "we must also urge the Board of Supervisors to avoid as much as possible, housing patterns that tend to over-concentrate high poverty in certain regions."

mwassy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> It's unforunate and irresponsible to paint this as
> rich schools taking from poor schools as that is
> not the case.

If you were rich, you would not care about the schools since you would be able to vote with your feet. Let's call it the "upper middle-class, over extended, driving leased BMer, no college fund, cash-out refi" versus poor schools.
>
> The investment model that you have created isn't
> working. YoY high ESOL school SOL scores are
> dropping even though you have invested typically
> 40-60% more in staff in funding for these schools,
> resulting far greater resources and much smaller
> classes and significant budget cost, with
> documented diminishing returns.

You are blaming FCPS for an immigration problem created by the Feds over a very long time. These are not static populations in the Title 1 schools - this is a massive wave of poor immigrants that is cresting now.

>
> Meanwhile the middleclass schools like wolftrap
> and springhill etc, are running with far less
> resourcess and much higher class size. Yet the tax
> contribution rate per house can be more then
> double.

Rich white kids can live with higher class size. That's just the way it is. You are asking to allocate taxes to schools based on neighborhood vs county. Never going to happen. You'd be better off trying to form your own city or county.

>
> No service would ever be effective under this
> model. You would not sign up for say verizon cable
> if you had to pay twice the cost as your neighbors
> but receive half the channels.

You are right, no COMMERCIAL service would be effective. But this is government. Your comparison is useless.

> We're all okay
> paying more in tax as we chose to live here,
> primarily for the schools. But we are not ok
> receiveing 60% less in staff and funding. I see
> the parents who drive to our soccer and baseball
> practices in Toyota minivans not Porches and
> Mercedes.

Perhaps you should move your kids to private school, or can you not afford that?
>
> It's a flawed model and its clearly not working.