October 6, 2015 Mychele Brickner:
[email protected] Andrea Lafferty:
[email protected]
YOUR FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD -‐ WORKING AGAINST YOU
Oct 09, 2014: At-‐large FCPS Board Member Ilryong Moon to add ‘sexual orientation’ to FCPS’ Non-‐Discrimination Policy and approved by enough Board Members to formally consider a change to FCPS policy. (Listen to Audio Link)
Nov 06, 2014: At-‐Large FCPS Board Member Ilryong Moon motioned and at-‐Large Board Member Ted Velkoff seconded adding ‘sexual orientation’ to its Non-‐Discrimination Policy; (Watch Board Discussion Video)
Mar 04, 2015: Mark Herring, Attorney General for Virginia, issued an opinion that Virginia School Boards may change their non-‐discrimination policies without Legislative action by the Virginia General Assembly. Prior Virginia Attorneys General -‐ as recently as 2010 and dating back to the 1980’s -‐ both Democrat and Republican issued written opinions stating that School Boards do not have such authority because such changes violate the Dillon Rule, which stipulates local governments cannot do anything which isn’t expressly allowed by Virginia Code.
Mar 05, 2015: Within hours of the Attorney General opinion, Board member at-‐large Ryan McElveen submitted a forum request to amending FCPS policy to add ‘gender identity’ to the Board’s work calendar.
March 12, 2015: The FCPS Board reaches “Consensus to schedule revisions to Policy 1450” initiated by Ryan McElveen to add gender identity as a protected class under the rubric of “non-‐discrimination”. Most Board Members present publically endorsed the policy change at that time. (Listen to Board Discussion -‐ Audio Link)
May 7, 2015: Ryan McElveen motioned and Ilryong Moon seconded adding gender identity to Policy 1450, with no supporting policy, social or financial study of the impact of this change. Schultz and Reed proposed a delay, which failed 10-‐2. The vote to add gender identity then passed by the same 10 votes. (Watch Board Meeting Video)
May 9, 2015: FCPS holds a “Teen Stress Summit” with Keynote Speaker, Dr. Marc Brackett, Ph.D., Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence presenting “the theory of emotional intelligence, including how it provides a framework to both measure and study the impact of emotions on important life outcomes and teaching of emotional intelligence to all stakeholders in schools, including students, teachers, leaders, and families.” Dr. Brackett and Lady Gaga’s Foundation developed the survey noted below.
May 11, 2015: Just two business days later, the Family Life Education (FLE) Advisory Committee presented it recommendations to the School Board for sweeping changes to FLE that included removing parental opt-‐out from many lessons and adding lessons on gender identity (as fluid and self-‐determined), homosexuality, and bisexuality to grades 7-‐10. (Watch Board Work Session Video)
June 16, 2015: FCPS administrators emailed high school students directly, without parental consent, a Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence survey ostensibly about “mindfulness”, however the study’s sponsor is Lady Gaga’s pro-‐ LGBTQ “Born This Way Foundation”. Parents were sent a scrubbed set of sample questions, which omitted any reference to the survey’s focus on sexual orientation and gender identity. The survey sent to students featured detailed questions about their transgender, bisexual and homosexual identification. In addition, the survey sent to FCPS students had links to the Born This Way Foundation website.
June 25, 2015: FCPS School Board Members Sandy Evans motioned and, Kathy Smith seconded the FCPS School Board’s approval of the new FLE curriculum, including the lessons on gender identity, transgender, sexual orientation, bisexuality to grades 7-‐10 FLE, and the teaching that gender identity is self-‐determined and fluid. Despite overwhelming opposition from the community (90% comments opposed), the Board passed the changes 10-‐2. Schultz and Reed opposed. (Watch Board Meeting Video)
The Fairfax County School Board has been dominated for over two decades by a one-‐sided viewpoint, which does not reflect the values of many Fairfax families. The current School Board’s recent actions demonstrate a deeply troubling pattern of a (1) lack of transparency, at times to the point of deceit and a (2) total lack of responsiveness to the point of hostility to the community of those sharing concerns about family values and respect of faith issues.
1) PARENTS /TAXPAYERS KEPT IN THE DARK
The elevation of gender identity and, last fall, sexual orientation, to a specially protected class under the school non-‐ discrimination policy, were put forth under the guise of necessity. In fact, current law already provided for the protection of these students.
Why, then, the rush to pass the change—in weeks, as opposed to the 10 years it took to pass schedule changes? There was no supporting study on policy, social or financial implications, including in such critical areas as restrooms, locker facilities and sports teams. The gender identity policy change was proposed by At Large Member McElveen within one day of the AG opinion. Numerous Freedom of Information requests (FOIA’s) were sent to FCPS regarding internal communications pertaining to the gender identity policy change.. There is still no compliance with these requests.
When the Board added gender identity to Policy 1450, it assured parents nothing would change. Yet within 2 days, the Board was entertaining recommendations for sweeping FLE curriculum changes adding gender identity, homosexuality, bisexuality, transgender and “gender fluidity” down to 7th grade. In fact, the VA Standards of Learning are silent on gender identity and other the controversial changes.
The Superintendent then hired a consultant to report on accommodations for transgender staff and students, yet refused to provide the name of the consultant even to a Board Member’s repeated requests. It has since been learned the FCPS-‐hired consultant is a long-‐time LGBTQ advocate. This is another process with no arms-‐length objectivity and therefore no reason for public confidence. There is still no news of the report, due in September.
In June, a survey, ostensibly on “emotions”, was emailed to high school students. Five days earlier, some parents were notified and sent a set of innocuous questions, including whether a student was male or female. The actual survey sent to students had detailed questions about sexuality and gender/transgender identity. The survey is an initiative by Lady Gaga’s foundation, which supports LGBTQ lifestyles for youth, and Yale. When confronted about the disparity in questions, FCPS claimed “human error”. Yet, months later, there is no public apology and, more importantly, no assurance the survey results will be discarded rather than used to justify yet more policies.
2) NEAR TOTAL LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS
Even when 90% of community comments expressly opposed the gender identity curriculum, the Board demonstrated its contempt for the community by passing these changes 10-‐2. Those FLE lessons are now under development for 2016-‐ 2017 —with no input from parents, only the choice to opt out.
In September a book about a fictional transgender child, George, was offered in a local elementary and middle schools. Thanks to the efforts of Member Elizabeth Schultz, Dr. Garza pulled the book, permitting use only by counseling staff with parent’s approval. This shows the importance of a Member responsive to parental concerns. The current majority of the School Board has consistently voted for its agenda over and against the concerns of parents.
WHAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE LEARNING NOW IN FLE:
5th grade: Sexually Transmitted Diseases including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, genital herpes, HPV and HIV/AIDS. 7th grade: Oral and anal sex; 8th grade: anal sex defined and/or mentioned 21 times 9th grade: Sexual Identity questions: A boy has a crush on the boy who sits next to him in one of his classes. He often dreams about the two of them being together and alone. Answer—Sexual Orientation 10 grade: Taught they can obtain treatment for STD’s without parental permission.
ON NOVEMBER 3 WE CAN CHANGE THE SCHOOL BOARD CULTURE RD
THIS IS OUR ONLY CHANCE FOR THE NEXT 4 YEARS. For the sake of our children we cannot afford to stay home
The School Board spends more than the Board of Supervisors (53-‐54% of the entire budget for Fairfax County, plus additional state and federal funding...also their tax dollars), 2. 75% of the residents do not currently have children in FCPS, and 3. Every registered voter has FOUR votes for the School Board -‐ yes, 4 votes which means you can vote for one-‐third of the 12-‐member School Board with your votes. 1.
The impact of the School Board's policy-‐making decisions has a significant correlation to the overall quality of life raising a family here, and a direct nexus to home values, economic development, job growth (Virginia is currently ranked 46th in new business startups), ability to retire-‐in-‐place, etc.
There are no elected public servants who have more impact on the day-‐to-‐day life in Fairfax County.
Most incumbents supported the gender identity/transgender policy change. They did not listen to you and they do not deserve your vote. Please pass this on to others who care about these issues and VOTE ON NOVEMBER 3!
Voter registration ends Tuesday, October 13th. You may register online to vote here: https://www.vote.virginia.gov Early voting has begun. In-‐Person Absentee information: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/absentee.htm
AT_LARGE: VOTE FOR ALL THREE There are 9 at-‐Large candidates on the ballot in every precinct of the county -‐ and all School Board candidates must appear as “Independent (I)” on the ballot by state law. Take these names with you!
Dr. Bob Copeland: www.BobforSchoolBoard.com Jeanette Hough: www.JeanetteForSchoolBoard.com Manar Jean-‐Jacques: www.ManarForFairfax.com
DISTRICTS: VOTE FOR 1 BY DISTRICT
BRADDOCK: No candidate we could support DRANESVILLE: Pete Kurzenhauser www.KurzenhauserForSchoolBoard.com LEE: No candidate we could support HUNTER MILL: Mark Wilkinson www.MarkWilkensonforSchoolBoard.com MASON: No candidate we could support MT. VERNON: Anthony Stacy www.AnthonyforSchoolBoard.com PROVIDENCE: Patty Reed www.Reed4SchoolBoard.com SPRINGFIELD: Elizabeth Schultz www.ElizabethSchultz.org SULLY: Tom Wilson www.TomWilsonforSchoolBoard.com Paid for and authorized by Mychele Brickner & Andrea Lafferty. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.