Neenologist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I am telling you what people who live in Fox
> Mill
> > have told me. LOTS of homes went up for sale
> > after the redistricting was complete.
> >
> > Of course I am sympathetic to people who have
> to
> > move so that they can send their children to
> the
> > school that the chose for them when they bought
> > their house. Isn't everyone? Other than you?
>
> If you are sympathetic, why do you keep suggesting
> in your posts that certain schools (South Lakes,
> Marshall, and God knows what you want to do with
> Falls Church) should be closed. If any of them
> were closed, the redistricting would make this
> year's changes look like a warm-up scrimmage.

We have over 4,000 empty seats in our high schools, what do you think should be done?

If South Lakes was closed, and students sent to Oakton, Madison, and Langley, do you really think that outcry would have been as great as it was during this redistricting?

If Marshall was closed, would people object to being sent to Madison, McLean, and Langley? If Marshall was closed, how many millions would FCPS make on THAT piece of property?

In 1995 students were redistricted from Herndon to Langley. Can anyone recall objections? People don't usually object to being sent to better schools.

Yes, I feel sorry for people who chose a home based on a school only to have their choice negated by the school board.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> We have over 4,000 empty seats in our high
> schools, what do you think should be done?
>
> If South Lakes was closed, and students sent to
> Oakton, Madison, and Langley, do you really think
> that outcry would have been as great as it was
> during this redistricting?
>
> If Marshall was closed, would people object to
> being sent to Madison, McLean, and Langley? If
> Marshall was closed, how many millions would FCPS
> make on THAT piece of property?
>
> In 1995 students were redistricted from Herndon to
> Langley. Can anyone recall objections? People
> don't usually object to being sent to better
> schools.
>
> Yes, I feel sorry for people who chose a home
> based on a school only to have their choice
> negated by the school board.


If SL, Marshall, FC, etc were closed down then parents probably wouldn't mind sending their kids to Oakton, Madison, Langley, etc. Do you really think parents with kids currently in those "better schools" would have no objection to welcoming kids from the closed schools? In the case of Madison, where would you put them, it's over capacity as it is?

NOTICE

The boundary Fu, I mean Thank You part will be held at SL tonight. Punch provided by Jerry Jones. Ex Lax brownies provided by SLPTSA.

...a side dish of crow, and eating it, too!

Did you notice how Madison is losing some of its luster - it has dropped below several other schools in the Newsweak ranking.

To the moron giving the SB credit for the high rankings of SOME of our schools-you need a reality check.

How ironic that the SB is more than willing to take credit for the accomplishments but when it comes to the failures and the underperforming schools and students =they point the finger at the parents.

Which is SB Lovers??? Which scenario do the parents get the credit or the blame??

The stupidity of some astounds me.

Someone please tell me an area in FCPS that has shown an improvement in the last 5 years? Point to a statistic where FCPS is higher ranked than they were relative to other schools in the last 5 years. Open your eyes, we are slipping in ranks-not gaining. We are being passed by school districts who spend a fraction of what we spend.

If I am a high school track coach and I am given the 3 fastest runners in the state-what can I possibly take credit for?

I am yet to see a SLHS supporter respond to the questions of drop outs and IB?SAT participation. Kinda weird, huh?

Congrats SB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NOTICE
>
> The boundary Fu, I mean Thank You part will be
> held at SL tonight. Punch provided by Jerry
> Jones. Ex Lax brownies provided by SLPTSA.


Ohhhh. That's a good one, Mr.Veedle. But then you obviously have first-hand knowledge of being full of sh*&.

sherman's march Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Congrats SB Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > NOTICE
> >
> > The boundary Fu, I mean Thank You part will be
> > held at SL tonight. Punch provided by Jerry
> > Jones. Ex Lax brownies provided by SLPTSA.
>
>
> Ohhhh. That's a good one, Mr.Veedle. But then you
> obviously have first-hand knowledge of being full
> of sh*&.



And drinking that AP/Anti-RD, whining, kicking and screaming Kool-Aid.

Calling all daycare centers! Take away the crayons.

55 Langley
73 Woodson
93 Lake Braddock
97 McLean
103 Oakton
104 Centreville
122 Chantilly
139 South County Secondary
141 Herndon
144 Westfield
148 James Madison

Want to REALLY get people peeved and insulted? Let's really dig into this! Why is Westfield, being so huge (but nobody cares), so far down on the list? With so many genius students there, why aren't they loading up on APs and slamming the other schools with its brilliance? And Herndon -- that Title-I filled school, beat it! Ha ha! Herndon wins! It beat Westfield and Madison! I'll bet Floris is truly sorry it didn't fight to get redistricted North, now! Ha!

Oh, and it is telling that a limited and highly flawed ranking is generating so much hand-wringing about genetics and blame and credit and failure. Very productive.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Neenologist Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If you are sympathetic, why do you keep
> suggesting
> > in your posts that certain schools (South
> Lakes,
> > Marshall, and God knows what you want to do
> with
> > Falls Church) should be closed. If any of them
> > were closed, the redistricting would make this
> > year's changes look like a warm-up scrimmage.
>
> We have over 4,000 empty seats in our high
> schools, what do you think should be done?
>
> If South Lakes was closed, and students sent to
> Oakton, Madison, and Langley, do you really think
> that outcry would have been as great as it was
> during this redistricting?
>
> If Marshall was closed, would people object to
> being sent to Madison, McLean, and Langley? If
> Marshall was closed, how many millions would FCPS
> make on THAT piece of property?
>
> In 1995 students were redistricted from Herndon to
> Langley. Can anyone recall objections? People
> don't usually object to being sent to better
> schools.
>
> Yes, I feel sorry for people who chose a home
> based on a school only to have their choice
> negated by the school board.

If your primary concern is excess capacity you should have objected a bit more to the Langley addition. You might also address whether the county should be plowing forward with more schools in the SE part of the county where many of the extra seats are.

Your response as to the impact of closing SL or Marshall (FC you overlooked) is far too easy, and you know it. If South Lakes closes, Langley might take a few, Herndon can take a good chunk, and Madison Island maybe can go to Marshall. But some students probably would have to go to Oakton and Madison, which in turn forces some Oakton kids to Westfield or Chantilly and some Madison kids to Marshall. If those parents think like you, they won't be happy with that result. We'll have a fresh round of comparisons between Oakton and Chantilly SAT scores and Newsweek rankings, not to mention a scintillating discussion of AP (Madison) vs. IB (Marshall). And, there might be some Reston parents who feel as strongly about South Lakes' importance as a community anchor in Reston as you do about Madison, and would hate to have to send their kids elsewhere. Maybe we should just fast-forward to page 600 of this thread now and see how well your plan is received.

On the other hand, if Marshall closes, McLean or Langley theoretically could pick up a few students (raises some thorny pyramid issues), but the bulk would go to Madison and Falls Church, which in turn sends more Madison kids to South Lakes (hmm, how would that be received), and will make the Marshall parents whose kids are sent to Falls Church no happier than Westfield and Oakton parents whose kids have just been sent to South Lakes. Moreover, RD'ing the higher-income Marshall neighborhoods that are close to Madison to Madison will make Madison even more less diverse than it is now, while redistricting the more economically diverse Marshall neighborhoods closer to Falls Church could drive up the percentage of ESOL/free-lunch students at a school that is already high in these categories. Best idea since McNair to South Lakes!

Hey, maybe the better solution would just be to close Madison, and send its students to South Lakes, Marshall and Falls Church. Madison currently shares a border with each, and all those schools are projected to have extra seats in five years - particularly South Lakes and Falls Church. If Madison was closed, how many millions would FCPS make on THAT piece of property?

In fact, I don't want Madison closed any more than you do. It would be great, though, if you could stop insulting other schools and tossing out what you claim would be easy solutions to difficult challenges that would prove every bit as disruptive as the recent RD.

> On the other hand, if Marshall closes, McLean or
> Langley theoretically could pick up a few students
> (raises some thorny pyramid issues), but the bulk
> would go to Madison and Falls Church, which in
> turn sends more Madison kids to South Lakes (hmm,
> how would that be received), and will make the
> Marshall parents whose kids are sent to Falls
> Church no happier than Westfield and Oakton
> parents whose kids have just been sent to South
> Lakes. Moreover, RD'ing the higher-income
> Marshall neighborhoods that are close to Madison
> to Madison will make Madison even more less
> diverse than it is now, while redistricting the
> more economically diverse Marshall neighborhoods
> closer to Falls Church could drive up the
> percentage of ESOL/free-lunch students at a school
> that is already high in these categories. Best
> idea since McNair to South Lakes!
>
Madison does not want a boundary shift. Why not just close Marshall and send the students to South Lakes and Falls Church?

Neen - would this work and keep Madison safe?

Why TJ Takes a Pass on Top Achievers List
By Jay Mathews
Thursday, March 10, 2005; Page VA06

Dear Extra Credit:

At the end of each school quarter, The Washington Post publishes a list of high school top achievers. This is usually a list of the students on the "All A Honor Roll." It is wonderful that we recognize the hard work of these students. On the March 3 list were students from most Fairfax county public and private high schools. One exception was Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in the Alexandria area.

Why are the "top achievers" at TJ omitted?

I have been asking this question of school administrators for years and have never received a satisfactory explanation. The academic achievements of TJ students are no less important, and no less worthy of recognition, than those of any other hardworking student in Fairfax County.

Jeanine Martin

Vienna

Parent of Thomas Jefferson
and Madison high school graduates

I thought I knew nearly everything about Thomas Jefferson's unique culture. Here is something I need to add to the list: The school's policy is that they don't want the credit in the paper.

Fairfax County schools spokesman Paul Regnier said the Jefferson school administration has declined to send in a list of top scholars for The Post list. Principal Elizabeth Lodal told me that the issue has not come up in her five years there, but she would be happy to hear from students, parents and teachers on whether the school should submit names.

"I know that the school has, from its beginning, a history of not trumpeting our students' many accomplishments since it assumes that they will be successful in this unique place," Lodal said. "It also acknowledges that, while achieving good grades is an important goal for each student, an all-A report card is not a school goal. We frequently remind our students and parents that TJ is a very difficult school, and that a B or B+ is a very respectable grade in our demanding courses. We know that our students feel a lot of stress. So we constantly look for ways to lesson the pressure on students where we can without lowering our standards."

The list may not be relevant in a school where you aren't admitted in the first place unless you are an A student. I welcome comment from anyone inside or outside the Jefferson community.

- Jay Matthews
____

Some people really, really, really, really, really care about rankings, don't they?

to Having Fun With Numbers:

Jay Mathews scoring was based on the number of kids taking AP classes compared with the TOTAL population of the school. Westfield has a very large and very diverse population, including (yes) a large segment of kids from a lower socio-economic standing. Many many kids at Westfield choose NOT to take AP, nor Honors for that matter. Westfield also has one of the largest Special Education programs at the high school level AND a very large ESOL Program. All the groups, who do not participate in AP, were factored into Westfield's standing. However, this does not negate the fact that those students who DO choose an AP curriculum do exceedingly well. And yes Floris kids tend to take AP classes. This is why Floris is particularly upset with the RD. Since the Floris kids are good students we were hand selected by SL and Stu to come in and raise SL's scores. Since there wasn't room for ALL the Floris kids, our community was screwed AGAIN. And yes we would have been much happier to have been redistricted to Herndon, where they have a comparable AP curriculum.

it is so obvious Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> If I am a high school track coach and I am given
> the 3 fastest runners in the state-what can I
> possibly take credit for?
>
> I am yet to see a SLHS supporter respond to the
> questions of drop outs and IB?SAT participation.
> Kinda weird, huh?

And if you are a high school academic teacher and are given the best students (Langley and McLean etc due to socioeconomic factors that equate into typically higher performing students) - what can you possibly take credit for? You seem to be bashing SLHS for not providing those stats, when you so clearly know those stats in your atheletic example depend on what "you get"

Methinks she didn't get enough recognition as a young lass, so she has to live through the accomplishments of her kids and her neighborhood to feel good about herself. She is nothing without those rankings. Too bad Madison is tanking in the SAT and Newsweak department.

You make South Lakes' point for them. If you are making excuses for Westfield then you should also acknowledge that SL has a far larger share of socioeconomically disadvantaged and ESOL kids.

Floris Mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> to Having Fun With Numbers:
>
> Jay Mathews scoring was based on the number of
> kids taking AP classes compared with the TOTAL
> population of the school. Westfield has a very
> large and very diverse population, including (yes)
> a large segment of kids from a lower
> socio-economic standing. Many many kids at
> Westfield choose NOT to take AP, nor Honors for
> that matter. Westfield also has one of the largest
> Special Education programs at the high school
> level AND a very large ESOL Program. All the
> groups, who do not participate in AP, were
> factored into Westfield's standing. However, this
> does not negate the fact that those students who
> DO choose an AP curriculum do exceedingly well.
> And yes Floris kids tend to take AP classes. This
> is why Floris is particularly upset with the RD.
> Since the Floris kids are good students we were
> hand selected by SL and Stu to come in and raise
> SL's scores. Since there wasn't room for ALL the
> Floris kids, our community was screwed AGAIN. And
> yes we would have been much happier to have been
> redistricted to Herndon, where they have a
> comparable AP curriculum.

Floris Mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> to Having Fun With Numbers:
>
> Jay Mathews scoring was based on the number of
> kids taking AP classes compared with the TOTAL
> population of the school. Westfield has a very
> large and very diverse population, including (yes)
> a large segment of kids from a lower
> socio-economic standing. Many many kids at
> Westfield choose NOT to take AP, nor Honors for
> that matter. Westfield also has one of the largest
> Special Education programs at the high school
> level AND a very large ESOL Program. All the
> groups, who do not participate in AP, were
> factored into Westfield's standing. However, this
> does not negate the fact that those students who
> DO choose an AP curriculum do exceedingly well.
> And yes Floris kids tend to take AP classes. This
> is why Floris is particularly upset with the RD.
> Since the Floris kids are good students we were
> hand selected by SL and Stu to come in and raise
> SL's scores. Since there wasn't room for ALL the
> Floris kids, our community was screwed AGAIN. And
> yes we would have been much happier to have been
> redistricted to Herndon, where they have a
> comparable AP curriculum.

That this same principal applies to IB schools, and since as many have pointed out, only a few take advantage of IB, their numbers are in a sense even more skewed. Typically (at least at Stuart) it is only the senior IB students taking the IB exams as they tend to say even those in SL courses in their junior year should wait till senior year to take all 6 of their IB exams..so you have a smaller portion of students being represented in the testing grouping than you typically do in AP schools (where you have in addition to seniors, juniors, sophomores and in some cases freshman taking AP exams)..and as has been pointed out, most of the IB schools (excluding Robinson) have high ESOL numbers etc. like apparently Westfield does.

I was just responding to Have Fun With Numbers, who was gloating that Westfield's scores weren't higher. I'll bet if you divided the number of AP classes Floris kids take by the total number of Floris kids at Westfields the scores would be VERY HIGH. I am very proud to brag about the kids from Floris. They are very good students with very involved parents. The issue is that the AP opportunities, which many Floris kids want and which I personally like, have been taken from us, AND our community was split in half. We got the double screw from the SB. AND our kids were hand selected to improve a school with a curriculum we don't care for. Do we need any other reason to be upset?

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Congrats SB Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The only way to even out this disparity is to
> > redistrict, which the board is doing.
> >
> > In top 2 percent with schools is amazing for
> one
> > schools system!! WOWEE!
> >
> > We should throw a party for our school board,
> > administrators, and teachers.
> >
> > I haven't done the math, but certainly this
> shows
> > that our school board is one of the best in the
> > US! That can't be argued or debated with the
> > Newsweek rankings.
>
> Hahahahaha...........
>
> PSSSSTTTT........don't tell, but it's the parents,
> not the schools. Parents at the best schools send
> their kids to school with the brains (genetics,
> you know) and educate them at home after school,
> with tutors, Kumon Math, science competitions,
> summers at Johns Hopkins CTY, math camps, etc.
>
> It's hilarious to see FCPS try to take credit for
> this. It's funny until you look at the scores of
> the poorest students in our county. FCPS doesn't
> educate those who need it the most. FCPS only
> looks good because of the parents in the county,
> parents with enough brains and money to educate
> their children despite what happens in school.
> Smart parents produce smart kids. It's not in the
> schools, it's in the genes, and money.


Of course, it's about the parents and what happens at home. Achieving, educated parents frequently have achieving educated children. But, that's too easy: many great people in American history (Abe Lincoln for one) were self-educated and achieving. Poverty shouldn't be a forever anchor. But that's where the schools should try to shine. How many children living in poverty (and w/o dads) are succeeeding? I don't think FCPS can pat itself on the pat when referring to it's neediest students

Did you see articles in Newsweek and the Post this week? Newsweek's the Trouble with Boys is all about the growing achievement gap between girls and boys (and girls winning by a widening margin). But today's Post's article says that it's not about "boys falling behind" it's about children living in poverty falling behind--and it's backed by 40 years of data.

Crisis For Boys In Schools, Study Says
Academic Success Linked to Income
By Valerie Strauss
Washington Post Staff Writer

The charges by Stu Gibson and the SLers that the anti-RDers are elitist should definitely be addressed in this post. As I stated before WHS is VERY diverse. There is a HUGE ESOL segment and a HUGE segment from lower socio-economics. So Westfield is really a very well balanced school. And on a large scale, which it was built for. It is preparing our kids to live life as it exists among people from many backgrounds. WE ARE NOT ELITISTS; if we were we would not be sending our kids to Westfield. And anyone who charges residents of Floris as being elitists is WAY OFF BASE. Our population is wonderfully diverse. This is why Stu Gibson's "plow" speech at the hearings still rings in my ears. If you really think that redistricting is the only way to balance out schools' diversity then Langley should most definitely been included in this RD study. Why in the world disrupt Floris AGAIN and yank half of our kids to so-call balance out SL? Floris is balanced already; WHS is balanced already. If SL needs a little balancing out, over-crowded Langely would have been a perfect solution.

I wonder what DC School Chancellor Rhee would do? I like her slash and burn mentality as opposed to our SB's skirting the real issues.

Floris Mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> to Having Fun With Numbers:
>
> Jay Mathews scoring was based on the number of
> kids taking AP classes compared with the TOTAL
> population of the school. Westfield has a very
> large and very diverse population, including (yes)
> a large segment of kids from a lower
> socio-economic standing. Many many kids at
> Westfield choose NOT to take AP, nor Honors for
> that matter. Westfield also has one of the largest
> Special Education programs at the high school
> level AND a very large ESOL Program. All the
> groups, who do not participate in AP, were
> factored into Westfield's standing. However, this
> does not negate the fact that those students who
> DO choose an AP curriculum do exceedingly well.
> And yes Floris kids tend to take AP classes. This
> is why Floris is particularly upset with the RD.
> Since the Floris kids are good students we were
> hand selected by SL and Stu to come in and raise
> SL's scores. Since there wasn't room for ALL the
> Floris kids, our community was screwed AGAIN. And
> yes we would have been much happier to have been
> redistricted to Herndon, where they have a
> comparable AP curriculum.


Very well said!!

Basically we got screwed because a few folks from Fox mill wanted to go to South Lakes for whatever reason and tagged in Floris with them.

We are also mad the way the RD was handled, I have yet to meet a parent whose concerns were addressed by Stu. Countless emails went unanswered.

Like someone said, all this will result in is quick AGING of affected Floris areas. People will move eventually where they can get the schools and curiculum they want. Education is too important to be taken lightly for us.

Floris Mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The charges by Stu Gibson and the SLers that the
> anti-RDers are elitist should definitely be
> addressed in this post. As I stated before WHS is
> VERY diverse. There is a HUGE ESOL segment and a
> HUGE segment from lower socio-economics. So
> Westfield is really a very well balanced school.
> And on a large scale, which it was built for. It
> is preparing our kids to live life as it exists
> among people from many backgrounds. WE ARE NOT
> ELITISTS; if we were we would not be sending our
> kids to Westfield. And anyone who charges
> residents of Floris as being elitists is WAY OFF
> BASE. Our population is wonderfully diverse.
> This is why Stu Gibson's "plow" speech at the
> hearings still rings in my ears. If you really
> think that redistricting is the only way to
> balance out schools' diversity then Langley should
> most definitely been included in this RD study.
> Why in the world disrupt Floris AGAIN and yank
> half of our kids to so-call balance out SL?
> Floris is balanced already; WHS is balanced
> already. If SL needs a little balancing out,
> over-crowded Langely would have been a perfect
> solution.



I concur that Westfield is a HUGE school, comparatively. Most definitely.

Westfield High School, approved and built by our favorite SB for 3200 students. Currently at 3171, UNDERCAPACITY.

Floris Mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jay Mathews scoring was based on the number of kids taking AP classes compared with the TOTAL population of the school. < <

You all are taking this hack Mathews way too seriously.

He knows his rankings are biased against IB schools yet his insists on publishing them any way, even though he is a IB propagandist. (Has anyone check to see if he's on its payroll.)

He admits that colleges don't give IB the same credit as AP yet his solution is to campaign to get 3,400 college admissions directors to change their ways instead of getting the few hundred American IB high schools to return to AP.

He's been told innumerable times by college applicants and their parents that FCPS grading scale hurts FFX kids in college admissions process yet repeats Tessie Wilson's dismissal of the issue like he's drinking Jonestown Kool Aid.

His book says that the Ivies are overrated and not a good value for the money but doesn't tell you that his child went to Cal Berkeley - one of the "Public Ivies."

He long ago lost all credibility with me.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/2008 02:13PM by Thomas More.

I think what is most attractive about Rhee is that her loyalty is to the kids and parents. She knows they have been f**ked by the "school system" and is going to do all in her power to make things better. And she doesn't make excuses. God, I am sick of all the excuses from schools.

She closes school, fires principals, fires teachers. I am sure she has made enemies along the way-but she is doing the dirty work that those before her didn't have the balls to do.

We could use a few like her in our school district.

To Thomas More:

I couldn't agree more. I don't think Jay Mathews rankings mean too much. There are too many variables. We shouldn't waste our energies debating them. As far as Floris is concerned the main points are: we should have been left alone, united with the rest of our community, at WHS, a well-balanced school with the AP curriculum which we want, currently undercapacity, which was promised as our "future" by the School Board seven years ago when we were yanked out of Oakton in the last redistricting.

Floris's drug problem is growing

Standard pro-RD defense? Next you may say MS-13 is recruiting kindergarteners in Floris?

this is too low Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Standard pro-RD defense? Next you may say MS-13 is
> recruiting kindergarteners in Floris?


No. We are learning from the masters of disinformation (the Anti-RDers) who have used such tactics. But we have standards and will not sink to those depths.

Thank you.

You are acting like children, or are you?????? We should not trivialize the issues at hand. They are huge and significant. Forced busing; School Board deceit and underhandedness; split communities; Stu Gibson's lack of respect and disparaging comments; using Floris AGAIN and AGAIN to open or improve a school; Jack Dale not saying one word at the hearings; the charade of the hearings; the predetermined outcome of the RD. It's disgusting! I for one had Cristine Arakalian's sign in my front lawn during the last election. It is our responsibility to elect representatives who will act fairly and ethically. FairfaxCAPs is absolutely correct. . . this School Board is out of control. I have absolutely no respect for them. We have let them manipulate us for too long. Please donate to FairfaxCAPs.

Floris Mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You are acting like children, or are you?????? We
> should not trivialize the issues at hand. They
> are huge and significant. Forced busing; School
> Board deceit and underhandedness; split
> communities; Stu Gibson's lack of respect and
> disparaging comments; using Floris AGAIN and AGAIN
> to open or improve a school; Jack Dale not saying
> one word at the hearings; the charade of the
> hearings; the predetermined outcome of the RD.
> It's disgusting! I for one had Cristine
> Arakalian's sign in my front lawn during the last
> election. It is our responsibility to elect
> representatives who will act fairly and ethically.
> FairfaxCAPs is absolutely correct. . . this
> School Board is out of control. I have absolutely
> no respect for them. We have let them manipulate
> us for too long. Please donate to FairfaxCAPs.


They are and have been huge and significant issues, and the fact that your side has lost at every turn and in every event of a representative democracy seems not to have dissuaded you and your side from thinking that if you say things loud enough and often enough, that will make you right and just. You had your opportunities to make your case and you did not persuade (a) enough voters to elect representatives who share your view, (b) enough school board members to share your view, or (c) soon to see, a court of law to see the merits of why the elected representatives of the people should not have their decisions respected.

The reason these folks could not elect the opponents of Stu, Kathy and others is that only a few were targeted - we knew who was going all along, just needed to fill in the justification. If this had been county wide - there would have been a wholesale turnover.

In the end, people will vote with their feet - either running to pupil place, private school, or moving. Those with younger kids are in the best shape, they can wait for the market to rebound.

That was by Stu Gibson design. He knew to divide the community, pit neighbour against neighbour. He timed it perfectly - just after elections. All the people he screwed, will move out by next election time and the new families will vote him in again. And then he will screw those new families again. Only way out is to throw the bum out by the recall petition.

word Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The reason these folks could not elect the
> opponents of Stu, Kathy and others is that only a
> few were targeted - we knew who was going all
> along, just needed to fill in the justification.
> If this had been county wide - there would have
> been a wholesale turnover.
>
> In the end, people will vote with their feet -
> either running to pupil place, private school, or
> moving. Those with younger kids are in the best
> shape, they can wait for the market to rebound.

word Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The reason these folks could not elect the
> opponents of Stu, Kathy and others is that only a
> few were targeted - we knew who was going all
> along, just needed to fill in the justification.
> If this had been county wide - there would have
> been a wholesale turnover.
>
> In the end, people will vote with their feet -
> either running to pupil place, private school, or
> moving. Those with younger kids are in the best
> shape, they can wait for the market to rebound.


"...wait for the market to rebound".

What are you smoking? Crack? LOLOL

You'll never see the housing prices of '05-'06 boom again. They are going to drop to early '90s levels. The shenanigans that enabled those prices have brought our financial system to the brink of collapse. Bear Stearns was just the first to go.

And without liar loans, people can't pay a million bucks for a crappy McMansion on an eighth acre.

That is why this RD is so much more worse. For all these families to move out of Fox Mill and Floris areas to migrate to other areas, they have to sell at a loss. Some that have bought in peak of 2004-06 are sitting on hundreds of thousands of loss. With South Lakes as the high school there will be few buyers - only families with no kids will buy. This whole thing sucks. I have never met these school board members like Stu Gibson, but it is amazing how insensitive they can be.

>
> "...wait for the market to rebound".
>
> What are you smoking? Crack? LOLOL
>
> You'll never see the housing prices of '05-'06
> boom again. They are going to drop to early '90s
> levels. The shenanigans that enabled those prices
> have brought our financial system to the brink of
> collapse. Bear Stearns was just the first to go.
>
> And without liar loans, people can't pay a million
> bucks for a crappy McMansion on an eighth acre.

There have been less than 200 students in the last 7 years who got an IB diploma from South Lakes. No one else benefits other than this small group. All this crap for the benefit of so few...

cuts deep Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That is why this RD is so much more worse. For all
> these families to move out of Fox Mill and Floris
> areas to migrate to other areas, they have to sell
> at a loss. Some that have bought in peak of
> 2004-06 are sitting on hundreds of thousands of
> loss. With South Lakes as the high school there
> will be few buyers - only families with no kids
> will buy. This whole thing sucks. I have never met
> these school board members like Stu Gibson, but it
> is amazing how insensitive they can be.
>
> >
> > "...wait for the market to rebound".
> >
> > What are you smoking? Crack? LOLOL
> >
> > You'll never see the housing prices of '05-'06
> > boom again. They are going to drop to early
> '90s
> > levels. The shenanigans that enabled those
> prices
> > have brought our financial system to the brink
> of
> > collapse. Bear Stearns was just the first to
> go.
> >
> > And without liar loans, people can't pay a
> million
> > bucks for a crappy McMansion on an eighth acre.

Stu Gibson's own children are/were in IB diploma at South Lakes. So he will try to do the best for them..

all this for what? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There have been less than 200 students in the last
> 7 years who got an IB diploma from South Lakes. No
> one else benefits other than this small group. All
> this crap for the benefit of so few...
>
> cuts deep Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > That is why this RD is so much more worse. For
> all
> > these families to move out of Fox Mill and
> Floris
> > areas to migrate to other areas, they have to
> sell
> > at a loss. Some that have bought in peak of
> > 2004-06 are sitting on hundreds of thousands of
> > loss. With South Lakes as the high school there
> > will be few buyers - only families with no kids
> > will buy. This whole thing sucks. I have never
> met
> > these school board members like Stu Gibson, but
> it
> > is amazing how insensitive they can be.
> >
> > >
> > > "...wait for the market to rebound".
> > >
> > > What are you smoking? Crack? LOLOL
> > >
> > > You'll never see the housing prices of
> '05-'06
> > > boom again. They are going to drop to early
> > '90s
> > > levels. The shenanigans that enabled those
> > prices
> > > have brought our financial system to the
> brink
> > of
> > > collapse. Bear Stearns was just the first to
> > go.
> > >
> > > And without liar loans, people can't pay a
> > million
> > > bucks for a crappy McMansion on an eighth
> acre.

Stu hasn't had a child at South Lakes for three years. None of his children did the IB diploma. Don't say things that aren't grounded in fact. It makes you look stupid.

I should have said 4 years.

Any word of how the SLPTSA party for the supporters of the redistricting went? I couldn't miss the two DAVES on American Idol.

> say what - "crappy McMansion on an eighth acre."

Like the other SL supporters, you have no idea what you're talking about. I wouldn't call any of the RD'd homes McMansions...they are regular middle class neighborhoods. You and your idiot friends like to polarize people along the lines of class and race.

You Are So Wrong Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Stu hasn't had a child at South Lakes for three
> years. None of his children did the IB diploma.
> Don't say things that aren't grounded in fact. It
> makes you look stupid.

According to a recent newspaper article, Stu mentioned his daughter participated in the IB program and was enriched with it. However, it was not clear to me if his daughter was an IB diploma student, meaning taking two years of the IB program before receiving the diploma.

Well then why is he only focussing on a group of 200 students over 7 years, rather than the good of the whole school. There has to be some bias or motivation for him to push IB diploma over the greater good for all

You Are So Wrong Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Stu hasn't had a child at South Lakes for three
> years. None of his children did the IB diploma.
> Don't say things that aren't grounded in fact. It
> makes you look stupid.

These fox mill houses are 2000 sq ft or less mostly. These are middle class neighbourhoods. The McMansions of North Reston and Langley were protected by Stu Gibson. Gibson is on record saying that North Reston does not want to go to South Lakes and so he is not going to include them. In any case the school board or Gibson will never mess with rich folks. It does not make political sence and Gibson is first of all a politician


word Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > say what - "crappy McMansion on an eighth
> acre."
>
> Like the other SL supporters, you have no idea
> what you're talking about. I wouldn't call any of
> the RD'd homes McMansions...they are regular
> middle class neighborhoods. You and your idiot
> friends like to polarize people along the lines of
> class and race.

"A lot of people choose where to live based on the high schools where they live. It has been suggested before that all of Reston should go to South Lakes. North Point Village doesn't want to go to South Lakes. I love South Lakes. I have a daughter who went there and another that is going to graduate from there, but North Point Village doesn't want to go there," said Stuart Gibson (Hunter Mill). "If someone wants to go out in the community and float the idea of a boundary change, go ahead, but I for one will not be supporting that measure."

[www.connectionnewspapers.com]
true&article=14732&paper=65&cat=106


He is one slimy liar.

middle class Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> These fox mill houses are 2000 sq ft or less
> mostly. These are middle class neighbourhoods. The
> McMansions of North Reston and Langley were
> protected by Stu Gibson. Gibson is on record
> saying that North Reston does not want to go to
> South Lakes and so he is not going to include
> them. In any case the school board or Gibson will
> never mess with rich folks. It does not make
> political sence and Gibson is first of all a
> politician
>
>
> word Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > > say what - "crappy McMansion on an eighth
> > acre."
> >
> > Like the other SL supporters, you have no idea
> > what you're talking about. I wouldn't call any
> of
> > the RD'd homes McMansions...they are regular
> > middle class neighborhoods. You and your idiot
> > friends like to polarize people along the lines
> of
> > class and race.

Gibson lies exposed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "A lot of people choose where to live based on the
> high schools where they live. It has been
> suggested before that all of Reston should go to
> South Lakes. North Point Village doesn't want to
> go to South Lakes. I love South Lakes. I have a
> daughter who went there and another that is going
> to graduate from there, but North Point Village
> doesn't want to go there," said Stuart Gibson
> (Hunter Mill). "If someone wants to go out in the
> community and float the idea of a boundary change,
> go ahead, but I for one will not be supporting
> that measure."
>
> [www.connectionnewspapers.com]
> chive=
> true&article=14732&paper=65&cat=106
>
>
> He is one slimy liar.
>
> middle class Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > These fox mill houses are 2000 sq ft or less
> > mostly. These are middle class neighbourhoods.
> The
> > McMansions of North Reston and Langley were
> > protected by Stu Gibson. Gibson is on record
> > saying that North Reston does not want to go to
> > South Lakes and so he is not going to include
> > them. In any case the school board or Gibson
> will
> > never mess with rich folks. It does not make
> > political sence and Gibson is first of all a
> > politician
> >
> >
> > word Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > > say what - "crappy McMansion on an eighth
> > > acre."
> > >
> > > Like the other SL supporters, you have no
> idea
> > > what you're talking about. I wouldn't call
> any
> > of
> > > the RD'd homes McMansions...they are regular
> > > middle class neighborhoods. You and your
> idiot
> > > friends like to polarize people along the
> lines
> > of
> > > class and race.

Jane Strauss is exactly of the same ilk. If anything, she's worse, because she has a calm manner and is not transparently ridiculous like Gibson. She makes public statements that no one could possibly expect Langley residents ever to be redistricted, and then is part of 10-2 vote to send Westfield/Chantilly/Madison families to South Lakes.

Conclusion: these board members are used to doing back-room deals and talking freely out of both sides of their mouths. Thanks to CAPS and others on this forum for pointing this out, and to Google for making it possible to expose the inconsistencies.

Floris Mom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The charges by Stu Gibson and the SLers that the
> anti-RDers are elitist should definitely be
> addressed in this post. As I stated before WHS is
> VERY diverse. There is a HUGE ESOL segment and a
> HUGE segment from lower socio-economics. So
> Westfield is really a very well balanced school.

Typing in all caps doesn't make something true.

From FCPS.edu

Westfield Limited English 8.70%
Herndon Limited English 14.72%
South Lakes Limited English 16.42%

Westfield FRL 11.47
Herndon FRL 18.16
South Lakes FRL 33.12

Westfield ESOL 3.5%
Herndon ESOL 7.83%
South Lakes ESOL 8.85%

middle class Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> These fox mill houses are 2000 sq ft or less
> mostly. These are middle class neighbourhoods. The
> McMansions of North Reston and Langley were
> protected by Stu Gibson. Gibson is on record
> saying that North Reston does not want to go to
> South Lakes and so he is not going to include
> them. In any case the school board or Gibson will
> never mess with rich folks. It does not make
> political sence and Gibson is first of all a
> politician
>
>
> word Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > > say what - "crappy McMansion on an eighth
> > acre."
> >
> > Like the other SL supporters, you have no idea
> > what you're talking about. I wouldn't call any
> of
> > the RD'd homes McMansions...they are regular
> > middle class neighborhoods. You and your idiot
> > friends like to polarize people along the lines
> of
> > class and race.

I think it was a bit more complicated than that. Madison Island is, in fact, full of higher-income families in big houses on large lots, but Gibson concluded he could mess with them because his political base is in Reston and Strauss would go along so long as Langley was untouched. As soon as anyone from MI objected, Gibson could label them as elitist or worse.

Not So Obvious Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gibson lies exposed Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > "A lot of people choose where to live based on
> the
> > high schools where they live. It has been
> > suggested before that all of Reston should go
> to
> > South Lakes. North Point Village doesn't want
> to
> > go to South Lakes. I love South Lakes. I have a
> > daughter who went there and another that is
> going
> > to graduate from there, but North Point Village
> > doesn't want to go there," said Stuart Gibson
> > (Hunter Mill). "If someone wants to go out in
> the
> > community and float the idea of a boundary
> change,
> > go ahead, but I for one will not be supporting
> > that measure."
> >
> >
> [www.connectionnewspapers.com]
>
> > chive=
> > true&article=14732&paper=65&cat=106
> >
> >
> > He is one slimy liar.
> >
> > middle class Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > These fox mill houses are 2000 sq ft or less
> > > mostly. These are middle class
> neighbourhoods.
> > The
> > > McMansions of North Reston and Langley were
> > > protected by Stu Gibson. Gibson is on record
> > > saying that North Reston does not want to go
> to
> > > South Lakes and so he is not going to include
> > > them. In any case the school board or Gibson
> > will
> > > never mess with rich folks. It does not make
> > > political sence and Gibson is first of all a
> > > politician
> > >
> > >
> > > word Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > > say what - "crappy McMansion on an eighth
> > > > acre."
> > > >
> > > > Like the other SL supporters, you have no
> > idea
> > > > what you're talking about. I wouldn't call
> > any
> > > of
> > > > the RD'd homes McMansions...they are
> regular
> > > > middle class neighborhoods. You and your
> > idiot
> > > > friends like to polarize people along the
> > lines
> > > of
> > > > class and race.
>
> Jane Strauss is exactly of the same ilk. If
> anything, she's worse, because she has a calm
> manner and is not transparently ridiculous like
> Gibson. She makes public statements that no one
> could possibly expect Langley residents ever to be
> redistricted, and then is part of 10-2 vote to
> send Westfield/Chantilly/Madison families to South
> Lakes.
>
> Conclusion: these board members are used to doing
> back-room deals and talking freely out of both
> sides of their mouths. Thanks to CAPS and others
> on this forum for pointing this out, and to Google
> for making it possible to expose the
> inconsistencies.

May I also point out about Gibson's quote..please read his first statement about how a lot of people choose to live based on the high schools. Pretty contradictory to how Bradsher steamed with her words telling how the schools belonged to the SB and not the public. Again my argument still stands, we do have a choice of schools and where to live based on these schools! Thanks to the SB for doing a great job being inconsistent and dishonest.

Baffled Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You Are So Wrong Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Stu hasn't had a child at South Lakes for three
> > years. None of his children did the IB diploma.
>
> > Don't say things that aren't grounded in fact.
> It
> > makes you look stupid.
>
> According to a recent newspaper article, Stu
> mentioned his daughter participated in the IB
> program and was enriched with it. However, it was
> not clear to me if his daughter was an IB diploma
> student, meaning taking two years of the IB
> program before receiving the diploma.


You are so wrong, Catching someone in an oversight or technicality makes YOU look stupid...and mean too. Clearly, Stu gives heavenly praise to IB because his daughter had success with it--whether she did IB Diploma or not really isn't important in this context. I certainly hope you never make a misstep here...but if you do I hope others will eat your bones.