FCPS School Board Meeting No.2 - July 28, 2016

001This July 28, 2016 regular meeting number two of the Fairfax County School Board will now come to order. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance, a moment of silence, and the performance of the National Anthem by Aubrey Zervarich. Shana Greenberg, Kaylee Haller, Gabby Moses, and Molly Van Trees, Cappies nominees for Best Ensemble in a Musical for their performance in Westfield High School's production of Footloose. Thank you very much for that beautiful performance. I know a number of us enjoy seeing the Cappies, and that was just beautiful. Thank you so much. In order to comply with section 2.2-3712D of the Code of Virginia, it is necessary for the board to certify that since the Fairfax County School Board convened a closed meeting on July 28, 2016, to the best of every member's knowledge, only public business

002matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements and only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the closed meeting were heard, discussed. or considered by the board during the closed meeting. Do I have a motion? Moved by Mrs. Schultz, seconded by Mrs. Palchik. All those in favor, raise your hand. And that is unanimous. Thank you. A few announcements before we begin tonight's meeting. If you would like to review a copy of the agenda and any agenda item that's being discussed tonight, that information is on the table at the auditorium entrance. You may access tonight's agenda and related meeting documents by going to the FCPS website, select school board, and then upcoming meetings and agendas. The meeting is also being streamed live on the FCPS website homepage. Click on watch school board live.

003Please turn off or silence your cell phone. And now I call on Ms. Hines for a resolution. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I have the distinct pleasure of providing a resolution honoring Kimberly Adams. I would like to call Kimberly to the lectern right there so we can watch you squirm while we say all these nice things about you. I have known Kimberly for several years now. I was a teacher, an employee of the system. I think when she was in the leadership of the Fairfax Education Association. She has served as a librarian in our school. She's about to go back. to that role, which is so exciting for the children. And she has served as the leader of the Fairfax Education Association. She's now about to step into the role as the leader of

004the Fairfax County Council of PTAs. So she just kind of can't help herself. If there's something that needs to be done, Kimberly does it. I told her just before, I'm glad to see her not looking, looking like she's actually had some rest because I feel like most of the times when I see her, she's not, she's got. small children and just takes on every possible opportunity to lead and help and serve the school system. So this is a great honor for me. So I have a resolution with whereases and everything. Whereas Kimberly Adams served as president of the Fairfax County Education Association from 2013 through 2016, during which time she promoted respect in the workplace through use of the working conditions data collection, worked tirelessly to encourage relationships that foster collaboration, compassion, and understanding between

005employees and the administration, and strongly supported the portrait of a graduate. And whereas Kimberly served on various task forces and committees including the budget task force, the superintendent's teacher advisory committee, the governor's budget round table, and the business and community advisory committee. And whereas Ms. Adams partnered with the Fairfax County Council PTAs and Virginia Chapter 512 of the Service Employees International Union to create the Invest in Fairfax Coalition to advocate for our schools. And whereas Kimberly served on the Executive Board of the Virginia Education Association and testified at numerous local and state budget hearings in support of our schools. Whereas she built relationships with our elected officials both locally. and enrichment to promote legislation that protects students, focuses on learning, and acknowledges the crucial role of staff in our schools. Now, therefore, be it resolved

006that the Fairfax County School Board extends its highest commendation and appreciation to Kimberly Adams for her inspirational leadership and dedicated service to the students, teachers, administrators, and communities of Fairfax County Public Schools. I so move. Do I have a second? Mrs. Strauss seconds. All in favor say aye. And that is unanimous. At this time I'd like to invite Kimberly, her family and friends to join us up at the dais for a photo with the board. Item 2.05 recognition of Fairfax County Public Schools earning Virginia Index of Performance Awards. I call on Dr. Garza. Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the board. It gives me great pleasure tonight to recognize some wonderful schools in FCPS. As you know, each year, Governor Terry McAuliffe and the State Board of Education name schools that receive the Virginia Index

007of Performance Awards, and they're otherwise known as the VIP Awards, for advanced learning and achievement. And every year, we have the distinct pleasure of recognizing quite a number of schools in Fairfax that receive these awards, and this year is no exception. The VIP Incentive Program recognizes schools and divisions that exceed minimum state and federal accountability standards and achieve excellence and goals established by the governor and the state board. This year, I'm so pleased to announce that 52 of Fairfax County Public Schools were recognized for one of these distinguished awards. The Governor's Award for Educational Excellence, the Board of Education Excellence Award, and the Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award. The criteria for the VIP awards are designed to recognize excellence and to provide incentives for school divisions and schools to expand academic opportunities for all

008students and to adopt best practices that result in engaging, safe and healthy learning environments for all of our children. On behalf of the entire school division, I congratulate all of our schools for being recognized tonight. This is truly a very distinguished honor. And I will tell you that I congratulate and commend each of the school leaders, the teachers, the faculty, parents, the students, and the entire school community, each one of these wonderful schools. We're very, very proud of you. We will recognize all the schools tonight by category. So when you hear your school's name, please come forward. And when all the schools in that category are named, we will take a picture. School board members, we will ask that you come to the risers and if you'll remain on the risers till the end of

009the recognitions. So we're going to start and I'm going to introduce Dr. Fabio Zulaga, who is our region assistant superintendent for region two. He'll start the first section of our awards, but before you start, I think we're supposed to all go right down here on the risers. So all yours, Dr. Zulaga. Great. Thank you, Dr. Garza. Board members. Three of our schools, Kilmer, Longfellow, and Rocky Run Middle School were among the eight schools in the state of Virginia that received the prestigious Governor's Award for Educational Excellence, which is the highest VIP award presented. I'd like to invite the following schools to the front of the auditorium, please. Kilmer Middle School, we have Assistant Principal Lenny Compton. Please come to join us. Thank you. Longfellow Middle School. Longfellow Middle School, we have Principal Mrs. Carol Kim

010and the administrative team Wendy Eaton, Nancy Magistro Casacos, Rob Plunkett, and Jill Tucker. Please join us. We also have Rocky Run Middle School Principal Amy Goodloe, Assistant Principal Joan Crazy and Dallas Washington and director of student services you know, please join us congratulations This year's award is rocky runs seventh consecutive governor's award Congratulations rocky run. I would like to invite the region for assistant superintendent Dr. Angela at water to present the next set of recognitions. Thank you 26 Fairfax County Public Schools received the 2016 Board of Education Excellence Award, a recognition of schools that have met all state and federal achievement benchmarks and have made significant progress toward goals for increased student achievement and expanded educational opportunities. I'd like to invite the following schools to the front of the auditorium. Carson Middle School, Principal Gordon

011Stokes. Chantilly High School, Assistant Principal Tim O'Reilly. Chesterbrook Elementary, Principal Bob Fuqua. Church Hill Road Elementary, Teacher Megan Ehrman. Sullivan Run Elementary, Principal Ken Jung. elementary principal Gail Porter Franklin Sherman elementary assistant principal Josh de Smider middle school assistant principal Linda Shannon Falls elementary principal Sarah Harper Greenbrier West elementary principal Lori Cleveland Aycock elementary principal Jeremy Donnelly and assistant principal Erica Riley Langley High School Principal Fred Amico and Madison High School Principal Greg Hood. I would like to invite Region 3 Assistant Superintendent Terry Dade who will continue with the 2016 Board of Education Excellence Awards. All right continuing on in this category I'd like to invite the following schools and representatives up to the risers. Mantua Elementary School, Assistant Principal Nick Roussos and Assistant Principal Amy Alley. Navy Elementary School, Assistant Principal Molly Bowie. Oak

012Hill Elementary School, Principal Holly DeVore and Assistant Principal Cliff Creedle. Oakton High School, Assistant Principal Jennifer Hogan and Teacher Kimberly Stewart. Sangster Elementary School, Principal Lisa Riddell. Spring Hill Elementary School. Espitz Amy Briggs. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Assistant Principal Tenelle Preeti and Dean of Students Brandon Kasatka. Vienna Elementary School. Assistant Principal Evan Montekiah. Greenbrier West Elementary School. Oh, I'm sorry, we already did that one. West Springfield High School, Principal Mike Mukai and Assistant Principal Shannon Matheny. Willow Springs Elementary School, Principal Dylan Taylor. Wolf Trap Elementary School, Principal Teresa Kaluki. And last but not least, Woodson High School, Director of Student Services, Carlin Floyd. For middle school. Thank you, everyone. Congratulations. I would now like to invite Region 1 Assistant Superintendent Douglas Tyson to present the next set of recognitions. Good evening.

01323 Fairfax County Public Schools received the 2016 Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award, recognition of schools that have met all state and federal benchmarks and are making progress towards designated goals. I'd like to invite the following schools to the front of the auditorium. Canterbury Woods Elementary, Assistant Principal Sue Andahar. Cooper Middle School, Assistant Principal Frank Stevens. Fairhill Elementary Principal Pam Morgan. Flint Hill Elementary School Assistant Principal Allison Hoke. Forestville Elementary School Music Teacher and Administrative Intern Christian King. Franklin Middle School Principal Sharon Eisenberg. Assistant Principal Amy Parmentier. Bring her down here, Amy. Hunt Valley Elementary School Principal David Fee. Irving Middle School, Interim Principal Tom Eakin and Assistant Principal Sean Spear. Keene Mill Elementary, Principal Renee Miller. Kent Gardens Elementary, Assistant Principal Pierre McGrath. Glenn Elementary, Principal Sam Ellison. Lee's Corner Elementary, Principal's Administrative Assistant

014Shelly Moore. Lemon Road Elementary, Principal Andy Camarda. Mosby Woods Elementary Assistant Principal David Pitesman. Come on David. Powell Elementary Principal Linda Clifford. Robinson Secondary Principal Matt Eline and Associate Principal Tracy Phillips. South County High School Principal Matt Rigon. Springfield Estates Principal Mary Randolph. Rowe Middle School Principal Yosef Azimi. Wakefield Forest Elementary Assistant Principal Sharon Prindle. Waples Mill Elementary Newly Appointed Principal Greg Broatmarkle. West Springfield Elementary PTA Treasurer Katie DeVan. White Oaks Elementary Principal Ryan Richardson. Thank you board members. I also wanted to recognize that we have in the audience tonight a Fairfax City School Board Member John Bertram. Thank you so much for joining us. Next we go to item 2.06 resolution nominating Tim Peterson for the Virginia School Board Association 2016 media honor roll and I call on Mrs. Schultz. Has he arrived yet?

015Do we want to, Ms. Evans, I think I'm going to ask that we delay this until we're aware that he's arrived in the house. Okay, we're going to pass on this item. All right. Thank you. We will postpone that item until such time as Mr. Peterson arrives. With that, we move on to item 3.01, citizen participation. The next order of business is citizen participation. Speakers are requested to limit their remarks to no more than three minutes. The school board will not hear statements involving issues that have been scheduled for public hearings such as capital improvement program, budget and boundaries. Complaints regarding individual students or school-based employees should be directed to the appropriate school principal or other school official. Speakers should refrain from using personally identifiable information in connection with an individual student. Speakers are expected

016to deliver their comments with the decorum and respect appropriate to the conduct of the public's business. During public comment, those in the audience may stand to show support. However, for safety and out of respect for your fellow citizens, please remain seated during the rest of tonight's meeting. Loud conversation or outbursts are disruptive and the chair will restore order if necessary. Thank you for your cooperation and thanks to those who have come to speak with us tonight. We do recognize that there was significant interest in citizen participation at tonight's meeting and there were some individuals who were unable to access the sign up. We apologize for this frustration. The feedback of all citizens is always welcome by the board. We invite those who may not be presenting tonight to please submit their comments by email to

017the board. For those in attendance, you may also provide them at the clerk's table tonight, which is over there to my right and your left. and they will be shared with all board members. We thank you for attending or watching tonight from home, and for all who share your thoughts on the important issues before us. Tonight, 10 citizens have signed up to address the board, along with five video testimonies. Our first speaker is David Aponte. Mr. Aponte, if you would come forward, and he will be followed by Josh Israel and Emma Chaitin. Good evening. My name is David Aponte and I am the co-chair of GLSEN Nova, an organization that supports safe and affirming schools for all students regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. I am here to speak in support of

018the One Fairfax Resolution affirming that embracing diversity in terms of both racial and social justice creates a better and safer environment for us all. Such diversity at a time where so many seek to divide us is crucial to celebrate in this community for the growth of our society. In that spirit, I also would like to speak about the recent events concerning the transgender and gender non-conforming youth of Fairfax County Public Schools. Having spoken at the last meeting, thanking the school board members for their groundbreaking work around protections and education for LGBT youth, I was dismayed to hear that a decision has been made to delay the implementation of these regulations. The question that is on my mind, in the minds of transgender and gender non-conforming students and their parents around this county, is when will

019it be time? Like so many, I was encouraged when the board voted to add sexual orientation and gender identity and expression to its non-discrimination policy. I was excited for the regulations that would follow. Furthermore, the guidance from the Obama administration provided a great blueprint and real evidence for what these regulations mean. Since then, this guidance and these policies have been challenged in court, but those challenges have failed every time. In addition to providing guidance around what regulations should look like for schools, the letter was accompanied by 25 pages of existing policies that support transgender students. These policies have worked, and the fears that so many have voiced at these meetings or used to try to defeat these policies have not been found. The answers to questions that both board members and members of the community

020have asked can be found within these documents. Saying that the board or the community did not have access to resources or that the community did not have enough time is simply false. I don't believe that this board is transphobic. I don't believe that this community is transphobic. However, given all of the time that both the board and the community have had, I have a simple question. What am I supposed to tell the trans and gender nonconforming students of this county? What am I supposed to tell their parents? I work with these students and parents every day, and I need to know. I need to know how I'm supposed to tell them that these regulations that so many of them have been waiting for can be put on pause while the opposition refuses to listen to

021their stories and even more court cases move in this direction. I believe in this board. I believe that this board can rise above the hateful language that has been shared online and at some of these meetings. I believe that the day will come soon where LGBTQ students can feel completely safe and affirmed at each of their schools in this county. I look forward to working with this board, and I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak with you tonight. Thank you. And next we have Josh Israel. Mr. Israel? Good evening and thank you Madam Chair. My name is Josh Israel. I'm very pleased that you will this evening be considering the one Fairfax resolution and reaffirming the fair, just, and equitable management of all institutions. I realize that it is a never-ending challenge

022and we all sometimes struggle to know what is fair, just, and equitable. Still, I was disappointed to read last week that after more than a year of waiting, this board decided to put on hold consideration of a regulation that would protect a segment of our community that longs only for fair, just, and equitable treatment. Our transgender students. In recent weeks, students, alumni, and parents have courageously come before you and explained why they cannot wait for a written set of instructions for how Fairfax schools will treat them. One person was loudly threatened during the meeting by an anti-trans member of the audience. Another parent was heckled and accused of child abuse for standing up with her own transgender kid and asking for fair treatment. If transgender members of our community face this sort of treatment in

023the safe space of a public school board meeting, imagine how scary it must be for a transgender middle school student to go to school every day. I appreciate the chair's statement which noted that FCPS will accommodate the needs of transgender and gender nonconforming students in a way that protects the dignity and privacy of all students and that that was reaffirmed in today's Washington Post editorial. but making that informal approach official would send an important message to all these kids that Fairfax has their backs. It would also provide clarity and specifics to well-meaning school-based administrators who may not know what that means. School systems from New York City to Madison, Kansas City to DC have similar guidance in place and it has had a profoundly positive impact in those communities with none of the parade of

024horribles opponents have predicted. If you need more input, I ask that you will seek it via email so everyone will feel safe to express their views. After the experiences of the last several months, I do not believe that comfort level will be present in a public forum free-for-all in fear it would subject transgender members of our community to the very sort of rejection Policy 1456 to protect them from. More importantly, please keep in mind the students and parents whose health and safety requires you to act soon. And please remember that upholding fairness, justice, and equitability for kids who are different should not be left to a public majority vote and must never be a political decision. I hope you will get the ball moving without delay, and I thank you very much for your time.

025Thank you. Next up, Emma. Chatting or is it chatting? My name is Reverend Emma Chattin and I work with the Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia, a spiritual community for all people. No exceptions, no kidding. As such, I am thankful that you will be considering the One Fairfax resolution this evening and I congratulate the successful children and youth policy team on a clear and laudable guide working toward the concept of One Fairfax, a community where everyone can participate and prosper. Along those lines, it was about a year ago that I stood here celebrating the strength of this board for beginning the process of equitably integrating transgender students into the school system with clear guidelines. These students already exist. They are already in our system. And their parents... We're thankful last year when the board voted

026to move forward on this issue with a proposed plan of action. For goodness sakes, even our military has begun this process of integration, not as a leader but following the lead of 18 other countries who already view this as a non-issue with regard to the service and the defense of one's nation. I know many long-serving trans veterans who were deeply moved at their country's recognition of their contributions and service. by validating them through inclusion. I co-facilitate many groups for the trans communities, including a group for the parents and guardians of trans and gender expansive children, teens, tweens, and young adults. I carry many voices with me tonight, and here is the voice of just one parent. Quote, we are new to the area, closing on our house tomorrow. We selected Fairfax County specifically because of

027the school board's resolve. This decision to delay represents a break of our trust and casts a cloud of sadness and concern across what should be a happy and exciting new beginning at a new school. Had we known the school board would delay, we would have sought and bought our home in another state. For their 10-year-old, awaiting another year is waiting one-tenth of their life. Please put that into context for your own life. And that is just one of the many lives directly impacted by this delay. Now, these parents were not born activists. My goodness, I've seen parents as unaware as some of the opposition become some of the strongest advocates when the word transgender suddenly touched their family, when it was their child. Once a child who is transgender touches your life, you become an

028advocate. This should not be a political football with anger, hecklers, and the atmosphere of a political convention. This is a human issue and one requiring the very human qualities of courage, resolve, compassion, and action. Please, make it so. Thank you. I next call on Chaya Mahanty-Ortiz to be followed by Paula Prettyman and Amanda Brewer. Good evening board members and school district staff. My name is Chaya Mahanty-Ortiz and I am the parent of a recent Robinson graduate and a rising Robinson junior. I'm also a Spanish instructor at Northern Virginia Community College. Seven years ago my family and I moved here from Southern California. We had the opportunity to live in any number of Northern Virginia locations but chose Fairfax County in part because of high test scores that its students achieve. While enrolling my children in

029school well before the first day of class, I could see that students in this school district have many more opportunities than their counterparts in California. I applaud the County Board of Supervisors and the School Board in promoting policies to develop racial and social equity through one Fairfax resolution. Fairfax County thrives on its diversity in the public, private, and educational sectors. We all have benefits to bring to the table. Last May and June, I again saw our school board's dedication to increasing student diversity and inclusiveness when it voted to include sexual orientation and gender identity to its nondiscrimination policy, and when it voted to include education on sexual orientation and gender identity in the FLE classes. Earlier this year, I was elated to see a draft of school policies that would enable transgender students and their

030families and the schools to promote an educational environment where these students can thrive. As you can imagine, I am very disappointed that the board has decided to put these new policies on indefinite hold. While we are assured that transgender students' rights will be upheld on a school-by-school basis and they are still afforded protections from discrimination, this is not enough. When over 21 transgender people in the United States were murdered in 2015 and at least 16 have been murdered so far this year, when at least 46% of transgender students report skipping school due to feeling unsafe, When transgender students who are harassed have lower grade point averages and are less likely to continue on to college, when our transgender students and adults face daily bullying and character assassinations that are then shared and re-shared through social

031media, it is imperative that the FCPS school district shows its trans students that they are important, that they are vital, that they are essential. to the success of the district. All students need to be educated in an environment where they can thrive. FCPS is on the forefront of student equality and inclusivity. Please don't let the momentum be stopped or paused. Please continue to make so many proud to be a part of FCPS. I implore the board to please enact proposed policies as soon as possible. We have the opportunity to show our trans students that we care about them and that they are important. We must not stop the progress that has been made thus far. Thank you. Thank you. Paula Prettyman to be followed by Amanda Brewer and Marianne Bakianry. Good evening. My name is

032Paula Prettyman. I'm a longtime resident of Fairfax County and a proud mother of twins who are rising fourth graders. Our family believes that all of Fairfax County's children should have an opportunity to succeed, to have options and opportunities to become their best selves and leave full, good, happy, and productive lives. I encourage you to adopt the One Fairfax Resolution. I also want to speak in support of the many transgender and gender non-conforming students, staff, and parents that are involved with FCPS. I want you to know there is a vibrant community of people supporting your good efforts to fully include transgender and gender non-conforming people. Here is a sample of the comments from just my friends. Joy from Clifton said, my son is just entering the FCPS system and I would hope that part of what

033he learns in his time there is that individuality should be cherished. I want him to develop a greater understanding of empathy, compassion, and integrity through modeling of those behaviors by authority figures. Terry from Annandale said, the world today is gripped by fear and danger and the country is full of hate speech and misinformation. I look to the school board to be a fearless leader in ensuring that some of our most vulnerable kids have a safe and affirming learning environment. Tori of Vienna told me, a few years ago I looked at my babies and promised to remain open to them whomever they might become as they grew. May all of our children be treated the way we hope our own children will be treated. May we be open to our children even if it brings us

034discomfort. And may we allow our children to change us, to show us where we are closed and open us to love. I recently attended a community social event and met two families whose children very recently articulated what their parents had long suspected, that they think they are transgender. Surely they are gender nonconforming. I watched those children interact with other children, tentatively at first, but then easily and happily. Their parents circulated among other parents and community members, looking for resources and answers and contact information. There were a lot of hugs, and there were tears. Growing up and raising children is always difficult, but imagine how much easier these families and children will have it when we're ready for them, when teachers and school administrators are fully prepared to integrate them into the life of their vibrant

035school communities, when families don't have to worry that their school won't know how to deal with them, when children will be empowered with the knowledge that their school supports them in their true authenticity. Fairfax County is ready for this change. I appreciated Ms. Evans' letter to the editor in the Post today, and I acknowledge that the legal landscape is very active at this time, but it is going to be for years to come. Once this legal argument is settled, there will be another. We shouldn't ask these families to wait. They have been waiting long enough. As my friend Kathy from Fairfax said, Fairfax County has a chance to be a model to the country on this and do it right now. And I agree with Kathy. Let's do this right now. Thank you. Amanda Brewer

036to be followed by Mary Ann Becky Henry to be followed by Lena Lennis. Is Amanda Brewer here? I wanted to thank you for letting me speak again tonight. One Fairfax works to put all people in a place to move forward and it truly wants everyone to succeed. Tonight I'm here because I have a middle school child who is transgender and I've sat through the meetings and asking for more people to have more community input. And then finally, we were excited to see something set in place, something set in stone for my child to start next year. And opposed to what many people would want to put out or believe, she wasn't wanting, she wanted the alternative space. She wanted the time allotted so that she could either go before or after and not have to

037face the discrimination. But that was taken away in the policy when it was indefinitely changed. And yes, her school can do this for her, but there aren't set guidelines. And sometimes moving before or after a guideline from the school board isn't what the school wants to do. So we're left at their decision. She had... a couple of really horrible experiences at the last school she was at last year and was actually given a transfer because of those experiences that were put upon her. So I can see without the policies in place that this year could actually be a repeat of last year. And when I looked at my kiddo for the first time, when they placed her in my arms, I looked at her and I said, you know, I love you no matter what.

038And I mean every word of that, which is why I'm standing here on her behalf in front of you all tonight. And I'm asking you guys to protect that very small percentage of kids in your school board and within all of your schools and protect them and let them know that they mean just as much as the majority of students in the school. And think about how these kids felt the day their parents showed them, these regulations are set for you guys. You get to be just like all the other kids in the school. And then to see that those guidelines were removed not much longer after that. The country, I know, looks to FCPS, as I know many people across the country, and their school boards have said, we're kind of waiting to see

039if there's going to be this momentum. And it was there. We got it, and then it was gone. I ask that you show the kids in FCPS that you guys are leaders again, because they're watching, and the country is watching you guys. Thank you. Thank you. Marianne Bacchianri, to be followed by Lena Lennis, to be followed by Renata Schmidt-Silva. Good evening. I'm still Marianne Backener, still a parent of two kids, cisgendered heterosexual who graduated from Fairfax County Public Schools. I'm also cisgendered heterosexual. My husband's a cisgendered guy. just in case anyone wonders. All right, so I want to quote a portion of the one Fairfax resolution. I hope my husband's not watching this at home. Okay, so whereas it is essential to address institutional and systemic barriers that exist and understand that these barriers may

040impede access to opportunities for achieving the visions and goals set forth by county leaders, therefore be it resolved that the time is now. to move beyond embracing diversity as an asset and implement a new growth model driven by equity, just and fair inclusion into One Fairfax, a community in which everyone can participate and prosper. We applaud the One Fairfax vision of just and fair inclusion. Allow me now to read a statement from a transgender girl who attends a Fairfax County Public High School. She does not feel safe in speaking in this forum. As a transgender youth, I feel sad that the cisgender teens can use the bathroom of their birth gender, but despite feeling every bit as female, I might be forced to use the male restroom. Finding out about being transgender later in life

041makes it all that much harder. Now I understand why I was always so uncomfortable going to the bathroom, and the urinals are in the open. I have no choice but to be confronted by other male bodies. Not having the school board support me and using the bathroom of my real gender hurts me a great deal. By the school board not acknowledging my needs and not taking a positive step to educate the teenagers I go to school with, it makes a difficult situation that much harder. I have had people come up to me and talk about what's under my skirt. There will always be people who are cruel and bullies. Sometimes what is worse are the people that just don't understand. If they learned about it in a mature way, they might be more accepting of

042me. By not educating students and even my teachers, my life is much more difficult. I have had a male assistant teacher, teacher's assistant be really hard on me unjustly despite my having the support of the teacher in the classroom. The administration took swift action. By you not standing up for me in a way makes it okay for those who want to bully me. Life is difficult enough when you're transgender. Having a school board that takes a stand to give me a chance means everything. Delaying implementation makes it seem like the board was not sure they made the right decision. It gives ammunition to the people who want to be cruel. There will be an impact for students like me and it will not be positive. Signed, Anonymous. Thank you. I call on Lena Lennis to

043be followed by Renata Schmidt-Silva to be followed by Marlee Finley. Good evening, everyone. I'm Lena Lennis, an alumna of Jeppsdorf High School, and will be speaking in support of the Jeppsdorf High School name change. When I was 14 years old, my mother, her friend, and I were at a shopping center. And we passed a cute little knick-knack store and decided to go in and browse. As we were looking around, my mother noticed the store owner following us. My mother told me to ask her if she wanted us to leave. When I asked the store owner, she replied, yes, I want you to leave, and I don't feel comfortable with you being here. I was shocked, as that was the first time I had experienced racial discrimination so bluntly. Why is this story relevant? As a

044Hispanic woman, I have experienced firsthand what it's like to be devalued, dismissed, and discriminated against. I'm sick and tired of not being taken seriously and having my concerns and feelings matter less than those of others. For this reason, I find the slow response of the school board regarding the name change unacceptable. Those who oppose renaming Jep Stewart High School have argued that the name Jep Stewart causes no harm as there is no written record that the school board of 1958 named the school with the intention of offending people or resisting desegregation. I am here to tell you that it shouldn't matter whether the school board meant to offend anyone or not with the name. It does offend. In the same way, it doesn't matter if the owner of the knick-knack store meant to discriminate or

045not. She did discriminate. I came here to tell you that the name Jeb Stuart offends me and it offends an extensively large community whose voice is often devalued and disregarded. If it is cruel to have an institution named after a Confederate general anywhere in this nation, it is even crueler that it be my high school, 3301 Peace Valley Lane, a place in which people take pride in our diversity because it is what makes us unique. The name Jeff Stewart does not represent me, my fellow alumni, or its current students, nor does it represent the principles and morals we stand for. For these reasons, I urge the school board not only to establish the working group, but to commit to changing the name of our school by the 2017-2018 school year. Tell the students you represent

046that you care about them, you will champion them, and that they are valuable members of your community too. Thank you. Thank you Renata Schmidt Silva Hi, I'm Renata Schmidt and I would like to yield my time to my daughter Julia Clark Hi, my name is Julia Clark and I'm a rising sophomore at Jeb Stuart High School and I support the name change You've already heard the facts. So I want to tell you what it's like to be a student of color at a school named after a racist As a student of color, I face discrimination every day. Not only is it offensive that my school is named after a white supremacist, it's also degrading and dehumanizing. They say we've come far, but the name of my school is a testament of how far we still

047have to go. When some of my fellow classmates found out I was active in the name change movement, many of them verbally attacked me in class, saying things like, and I quote, Black people should just deal with racism. If I was black, I wouldn't be upset. Just give up and stop being such an angry black girl. My teacher did nothing. We are told that every student should feel safe and respected at school, but that is only a reality for some students. I run track, and every Tuesday and Thursday I walk into the weight room to see a giant mural of Jeb Stuart painted on the wall in front of me. He's portrayed like a hero, with bulging muscles, a powerful pose, a regal face, and red, white, and blue flowing behind him. This sends a

048message to me that what he fought for is deemed heroic and patriotic. My ancestors being bought and sold like cattle is okay because Jeb Stuart was a patriot. It's obvious FCPS did not want to integrate schools after the Brown versus Board of Education ruling in 1954. So, Jeb Stuart High School was named to discourage and show people like me that we weren't welcome. Nowadays, we're such a diverse school, so why isn't our name something we're proud of? Something that celebrates our diversity instead of dividing us. Something that respects our entire community instead of representing the oppression of a race. With all the hate we see in our world today, I believe we need to send a message of love, tolerance, community, and empowerment. We need to show that we as a county will not discriminate

049because of gender orientation, sexuality, race, or anything else. It's time to leave behind our racist past and move towards a brighter future. Our history is just that, history. But here at this board meeting, we have a chance to make history, be on the right side of history, and tear down Jeb Stuart's racist and damaging beliefs. The value statement of the Fairfax County School Board says you will establish and maintain a learning environment that is safe, healthful, non-discriminatory, and conducive to effective learning. I'm tired of being treated like a second-class student in a place where I should feel respected and safe. I think it's time this board lives up to its value statement and approves the name change of Jeb Stuart High School. Thank you. Marley Finley. Marley Finley's up next. I will be sharing my

050time and we'll begin with Jasmine Chavez Cruz. Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I am a rising sophomore at McDaniel College and I graduated from Jeb Stuart High School last year. This summer I'm interning at the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics and all across the country I'm advancing Latinos in their education. I am here to voice my support for the name change of my former high school, Jeb Stuart. I'm in favor of the name change because the name should reflect Stewart's diversity. The name, Jeb Stewart, represents the discriminatory, racist, and exclusionary values that he fought for and that is not what our school looks like today. I am fighting and speaking up for all my Latino brothers and sisters at Stewart and everyone else of color who doesn't have a voice. To us,

051changing the name is a step in the right direction towards equality and acceptance of diversity for now and for the future. Please, think about it. Change the name. And if no one does something, I will make sure that something does happen. And I will make sure that I and the White House Initiative do something to make sure that something happens because something needs to happen. Thank you. Hello. My name is Lily Barris, and I'm a rising junior at Jeb Stuart High School. I'm involved in a wide variety of school activities, and I've walked onto many sports fields wearing a uniform that says Jeb Stuart on it. This uniform offends me. I'm offended because every time I wear that uniform, I'm honoring a person who fought to destroy the United States of America and beyond that,

052fought to keep an institution in place that enslaved thousands of people, people who look a lot like some of my fellow athletes, peers, and closest friends at school. My high school is for the most part a special place. It's characterized by love, support, and acceptance. Even more, these values are demonstrated each and every day by most of the people who work there and go there. These values are in direct opposition to the values of Jeb Stuart and the Confederacy. My high school and our community serves a name that reflects the values we hold. Please vote to support the name change of my school. Thank you. I just graduated from Jeb Stuart High School and will forever be grateful for the wonderful experiences I had there. Our diverse community, as all of us would tell you,

053provides an invaluable experience and showed me the vast cultures and perspectives our world offers. High school also fostered my love of serving needs in my community through activities like serving as president of my class, tutoring with the Math Honor Society, and advocating for my school's name to be changed. I want what is best for my community in every way, and its name should be changed because no school should honor someone's service to an effort to leave the United States to create a nation where enslaving people could be legal, and no student should have to be represented by symbols of this racist effort. Please support Ms. Evans' resolution to change the name of my high school and do so in a way that brings in new money to our community, because we need support. Thank you.

054Thank you. And now we have five videos to show. The first one is by Nicholas Pashota. Now please those who are thinking about the name change I implore you think of this from the point of view of my family 64.5% of my family is currently on free or reduced lunch We have the largest dropout rate and some of the lowest grades in the county Now to those of you who are suggesting this sort of rebranding with a name that rebranding is going to cost us $700,000 Now based off of the problems that I previously told you We have not gotten much support. We have felt as though we only lean on one another, that we have each other, and that is truly it. By throwing this rebranding sort of thing at us, it's a bit

055of a slap in the face. You're almost invalidating our problems. The name change wasn't even brought to you by someone within our community. So please think of it that way. $700,000 could do so much more for a community who's been struggling for years and been ignored. I, as well as every other kid at Jeb Stewart, take a government class during our sophomore year. The purpose of this class is to teach how the local, state, and federal government represent the voice and the needs of the people. So far, this board has ignored the people it represents. You are actively showing how deception, corruption, and political agendas ruin democracy. This community will show how democracy prevails. Listen to our voice, vote down the resolution, and focus on the real needs of the school. Hi, my name is

056Dizelle and I'm originally from Columbia and I attended Stuart my freshman year of high school. The next three years I attended Fairfax High School. Being from a diverse background has given me a lot of perspective and what I missed the most during my years at Fairfax was the diversity and inclusivity of Stuart. It's an amazing community that welcomes all sorts of individuals from many different backgrounds. It's an example to follow and I say this because I had difficulty as a Latina being accepted and included into the Fairfax High School community in comparison to the family feeling I had while attending Stewart. Hi, my name is Taylor Simpson and I was class of 2013 at Jeb Stewart and right now is the time to take all into account before it's too late. A $700,000 budget with

057the power to dramatically change students' lives forever. Don't just rely on my word, but your own opinion by experiencing it yourself. I challenge every person who has a say on this board towards the final decision on this matter to walk through the hallways of Jeb Stuart themselves and to tell me what you think. To not experience the situation is to not know. And you will forever be blinded towards how to appropriate Jeb Stuart best until you go there and experience it yourself. Walk in our shoes. Let your heart guide you and let politics have no factor in the future of the place that so many of us call home. Good evening. My name is Robert Rigby. I'm a 17-year veteran teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools and current president of FCPS Pride, a group certified

058by the Human Resources Department. Our membership includes LGBT staff and parents of LGBT students in Fairfax. In discussions in our coalition of eight Fairfax LGBT and allied organizations, we have decided not to have any children speak and to limit the number of transgender speakers. The level of animus expressed in these meetings, on websites, and in social media tells us that it really isn't safe. For those who believe in public discourse and a democracy, this is heartbreaking. The board decided last week to delay the recommendations out of concern for ruling from the Supreme Court on whether to stay the temporary injunction in the Gloucester case and whether to grant review to the Gloucester School Board's appeal. While we are waiting on edge here in Fairfax, I can tell you that the young man at the center

059of that case, Gavin, is on pins and needles. These decisions decide whether he can be a fully accepted student during his senior year in high school, starting in six weeks. While it may seem a little more distant to us, I can tell you that real trans students and their parents are waiting on the edge of their seats for the publication of the regulations. As one parent told me, My daughter thought she was going to get to be a girl all around this year. Now she doesn't know. Although the policy is in place and works reasonably well for parents in the know, many families are not engaged with advocates. They look much more to explicit school regulations for guidance. I can also tell you that administrators and teachers, I among them, will wonder what precisely we

060are to do. I understand the need for caution, but delay carries with it its own hazards. In my humble estimate, it is likely that the Supreme Court will not grant a stay or review in this case. Therefore, the board members need a plan in which to move forward as quickly as possible. As I said, rural students' lives depend on this regulation. Even if the court does not extend the amount of time it spends on this, it is crucial to note that nothing in this case will prohibit Fairfax from providing accommodations to its trans students. Nothing before the court will prohibit Fairfax from moving forward. I think our community has the will to move forward even without sanctions from the court or the Office of Civil Rights. Our children depend upon it. They will never have

061the opportunity to grow up and be young all over again. Precious childhood years depend on what we do now. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. In the late 1950s, the name Jeb Stuart was chosen as the proper name for a Virginia high school here in Northern Virginia. We all know that Jeb Stuart was a young general who fought for the Confederacy. Perhaps when the name was chosen, that somehow, in some twisted way of thinking, someone thought this was a good thing. However, fast forward to the 21st century, to these United States that no longer believes that it's all right to own and beat and sell individuals who were enslaved for the benefit of their owners. In 2016, the population in this Northern Virginia high school is now a minority majority. The very people who make up

062the population are the... same types of people who Jeb Stuart lost his life to maintain superiority and ownership over. In 2015, Five phenomenal young women of different cultures and backgrounds paid attention to their history teacher and learned the facts of Jeb Stuart and what he actually stood for. It is these very same students who recognized the wrong their ancestors had done when they chose to honor a person who, if alive today and had his own way, would have stifled the growth in people who were unlike him. Like these young people, I'm ashamed of the unjustified recognition and honor that we have bestowed upon this man. Whatever was shoved down our throats 50 years ago should not be allowed to be continued to suppress our dignity and basic human rights as we move forward. America is

063a nation that recognizes our country was not always right in every decision that it made. That's why we have laws and constitutional rights to change what was done for the wrong reason. The Fairfax County School Board has the authority to change the name for the right reason. The name Jeb Stuart stands for... Demoralization. It's degrading. As you very well know in your heart of hearts. It stands for racism. It stands for a person who fought for the right of superiority over human beings like me. It stands for the right to beat, to hang, to sell. and do whatever unconscionable things you chose at that moment of time to other human beings who were just like you. There is no doubt that racism is alive in Northern Virginia in 2016. However, changing the name of Jeb

064Stuart is one step towards making up for some of the past errors of our world. Hello, my name is Hase Kurama and I'm an ANADO alumni. I graduated in class 2016. I was a president of Black Cultural Awareness Association this past year and I was also inside the organization for about four years. Within this club we discussed lots of current issues and past issues that has been occurring within our society and when I was brought it was brought to my attention about the Jeff Stewart name change, I realized that it was extremely important to get the name changed. Jeff Stewart symbolizes Confederacy and obviously in our eyes isn't right represents slavery and goes back and I just feel like it riots up a bad past and with everything that's going on within the world that's

065the least that's the last thing we need we all live in diverse areas well Jeff Stewart and Annandale yeah we may be rivals but we still are pretty diverse I feel like this is gonna cause future problems it might not seem big as right now but it could Develop into a bigger issue. So yeah, I am for the Jeff Stewart Thank you Enough is enough vote no regarding the motion to create a Jeb Stewart high school renaming working group No more and runs to counter the will of the people no more bullying the Stewart community and students have said no and legitimate surveys conducted by FCPS only 35% of the 3414 respondents favored change To put this number into perspective, approximately 12,000 votes were cast in the November 2015 Mason District School Board election. 3,400

066is more than 25% of those votes. Neither community support nor compelling need had been established as required by Regulation 8170. To continue this deliberation is an abusive process. By voting yes, you become party to the bullying and intimidation by some Stewart faculty, a small number of students, and some elected officials. School policy prohibits bullying. This is exactly what has been and is happening as a result of the renaming campaign. Many Stuart community members were offended by a communication from a board member implying that those who opposed the name change were not on moral high ground and therefore were racist. I contacted families of current students to encourage them to testify or submit videos. They declined citing intimidation by teachers and some students. An advocate teacher went so far as to tell his class that if

067students were not for a change, they might as well call their school Hitler High. One student has bravely stepped forward. Quote, I have decided not to submit my comments anonymously. You may use my name and title, Vice President Raiders Care on the PTSA Board Junior at Stuart. I do not want to take the same route as the Students for Change Club of not citing sources, and I refuse to be intimidated. The biggest thing keeping people silent is the stigma placed upon those who speak out against the name change by the members of Students for Change, teachers, and others. The rhetoric the members of this club spread paints anyone who expresses concerns in regard to a change as racist. In my experience, the vast, vast majority of individuals who are against the name change are not

068racist in the slightest. And even my personal friends who are African American are against the change on the basis of cost and burden on the community. There has been a huge lack of healthy debate and discussion in the community as many, especially students, are afraid to speak up for fear of being falsely labeled. I can even say in my personal experience that a friend of mine who was in the Students for Change Club has expressed to me that they felt my opposition to the name change was hateful, despite the fact that I have stated many times that I am against the change purely on the basis of its undue and irresponsible burden on the community, a community which is already burdened by things such as student hunger and lack of funding. To me and many

069others, there is not a safe place to discuss a change. In many cases, the strongest proponents of the name change are spreading more hatred. at Stuart than the name ever has. Vote no, stop the divisiveness and allow the Stuart community to heal and come together. Allow Jeb Stuart High School to be a healthy academic environment in which to learn and thrive. We move to item 3.02, student representative matters. I call on Ms. Chu. Thank you, Madam Chair. First, we would like to welcome Boy Scout Bryce Kaplan from Troop 152 in Vienna, Virginia, working on the Citizenship and the Community Merit Badge. So Bryce, please stand to be recognized. With that, one thing I did not mention in my last meeting was that seeing so many students in the audience and in the videos working to

070advocate for the causes they believe in, I urge you to reach out to me at l2 at fcps.edu if you ever have any comments or questions. But again, with the full schedule that we have and seeing as this is the last regular business meeting before the school year begins, I no longer have any comments. Thank you very much, Ms. Chu. We turn to item 3.03, Spotlight on Learning, the 60th anniversary of ACE. And I call on Dr. Garza. Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the board. It gives me great honor to introduce our Spotlight on Learning tonight. Tonight's special Spotlight on Learning features our Adult and Community Education Program. It's a celebration because they are tonight celebrating 60 years of providing FCPS and the community with a broad array of programs and courses. I want

071to thank Cheryl Granzo, ACE Administrator, Joey Tietz, ACE Instructional Programs Manager and Karen Williams is over here too from our Instructional Services Department for being here tonight to present the video that showcases our Port River graduate through ACE programming. It's all yours, Cheryl. Thank you. Thank you so much for having us tonight. We're very excited to be here. For 60 years, adult and community education has contributed to the school system and the community by starting such programs as the alternative high schools, the SAC program, and the adult high school completion programs. We have taught literally thousands of people English through our adult ESOL program. We have helped students navigate the highways and byways of Northern Virginia through our Drivers Ed program. And we have worked with hundreds of businesses in the area to develop our

072premier apprenticeship program, training HVAC, plumbers, surveyors, and electricians in the area. ACE also has worked with our World Languages Program to develop a curriculum to enhance the goal that every student should learn another language by providing programs before and after school in world languages. We've also had enrichment programs for adults that enrich their lives in culinary arts world languages. and we provide a strong work readiness program through our health and medical programs such as our EMT training and our business and IT training. Please enjoy the spotlight you're about to hear from our students and what our programs mean to them. Thank you. In 1955, the Fairfax County School Board established the Adult and Community Education Program, or ACE. This year marks the 60th anniversary of ACE, and the legacy is strong. I think it's a

073great testimony. We're still thriving, we're still going strong, people still are coming to our classes. There's still a legacy here for adult community education and I think it will be going on for a long time. Lifelong learning is important. It's important for the community, it's important for the school system. In the early years of the ACE program, Class offerings such as sewing for the family, shorthand, typing, and home cooking skills enrolled only about 150 students. Over time, the ACE program has expanded to serve nearly 30,000 students a year. The state of Virginia requires every school district to provide adult and community education. Fairfax County is one of the biggest and best at it because we stay in touch with the public's needs and we develop courses which are self-supporting and because of that we are

074focused in on classes that are truly of interest to the community which then provides the success so that we can continue to do additional classes in that same vein as the careers change. In other words, the typewriting classes of the 1950s has become the computer skills classes of today. Career and work advancement classes ensure success in the workplace. I just started my first job, real big girl job in 28 years outside of the home, and feel confident because of the ACE classes that I've taken and the information that I've learned through taking Microsoft Office. And it was all on the computer. A few months ago that would have been terrifying, really terrifying. But today I felt confident and I was able to complete the tasks and feel like I knew what I was doing. So

075yes, I am successful because of basic classes. ACE offers career counseling to help students select appropriate courses and focus on their certification requirements. After all, each catalog has approximately 1,500 course offerings. We want people to be able to have a living wage. We want them to be able to become taxpayers and productive citizens. And we want them to be able to have a better life for their families. They helped me to change my life. This is for me, this is my American dream. The teachers are really professional. They help you when you don't understand. They help you. I'm Latino from Honduras. And I was scared because language is my second, you know, it's my second language. And I was scared to, you know, maybe I don't want to understand. You get lost for a minute,

076you talk to the teacher and they help you and plus the teachers are like the guys that work in the field too. Everything is connected, everything is related, and it's like a big family. Everybody helps everybody. Something that you can't get on a YouTube video, it's the community, it's the camaraderie, the hands-on work in the classes. Citizens come in, especially world languages, culinary classes. We have conversation, we get to know each other. People come into the buildings, into Fairfax County Public School buildings who have no students in the schools, but yet they come in and they feel they're part of the community. They feel that this is their school, they're vested. It gives citizens an opportunity to participate and have that sense of community. I have enjoyed my time here at A so much. I've

077taken a little break from my career and just decided I was going to take some classes and follow my passions. And so currently I'm taking some cooking classes, which are really enjoyable. Because it was French cooking, I've now started to take my French class. And my teacher is a native, so I know she's an expert in the language, and she makes it very fun. This is not a required course, so everybody in the class is... very motivated and wants to be there. So they enjoy learning and it's a very nice group of people to learn with. 60 years of ACE marks 60 years of lifelong learning, career advancement programs, and community involvement. Thank you very much now I do believe mr. Moon would like to say a few words or I don't know if he

078wants to ask a few questions but Our school board liaison to a mr. Moon I was happy to serve as a school board liaison to a a surgery committee if the motion tonight it's gonna it will soon come appointing me as a game for another year to serve as a school for the liaison next year I am so happy to continue doing that I think I think the video presentation you know I mentioned this but Most of the programs we provide to about 30,000 residents in Fairfax County are self-supporting. Is that correct? Could you tell us how much we subsidize for overall program? Overall, we receive from the school board about $250,000, and that goes to our adult ESOL program. All the other, everything else, furniture, teacher pay, everything else, our catalog is all paid

079through the tuition. Also grant, we receive some state and federal grant money. But everything else is self-supporting. Our salaries, too. I'm really happy to hear that we are only, I mean, $250,000. That's really money was spent to provide such a valuable program to so many residents who are our residents supporting our schools. Many of them are parents of our students in the school system. A lot of our ESOL students, adult ESOL students are also parents of students in the school system. This is my 18th year on the school board. For the first time, I've been taking an ACE class. It is a 12-week program, two hours at a time, Saturday morning. I lose some... in a sleeping time on Saturday morning, force me to get up. And Friday evenings I gotta do some homework because

080my teacher checks on homework. Now teacher has sort of warned us that there will be end of course test. So I have to be really prepared for that too. But I have found this, I'm taking a basic beginner Spanish class. I found that program to be truly amazing for me to be able to really because you can learn about someone else's culture. The best way to learn about somebody else's culture is through language. It's opening up my own eyes about different culture. Thank you Mr. Man. Appreciate it. Thank you very much for an excellent presentation. Thank you. Before we move on, I wanted to ask Mrs. Schultz if she believes that we should go back at this point to the resolution. We don't know if Mr. Peterson is here. Is Mr. Peterson here? I don't

081think Mr. Peterson is here. All right. Well, we can wait. So we'll just kind of just wait. All right. That's fine. I'm not a fan of kicking it down the road. Give me the high sign. Okay. Thank you. Oh, I'm so sorry. Miss Palchik. Yes. They said that, but I just wanted to speak as a former ACE teacher through the FLEX program. I had the opportunity to take some of the amazing... Indian cooking classes and actually have been waiting to carve out some time to take Korean, Mr. Moon. So maybe we can help each other out, Spanish and Korean. So thank you. We are, you know, a community that believes in lifelong learning and I do think it provides for everyone in our community a valuable resource and really appreciate it and hope those in

082the audience will take a chance. Look at the eighth courses. They've got really the whole gamut. Anything you could care to learn a little bit more about. an exceptional instructor. So thank you so much for your work. Thank you. And our fall registration begins this Friday. Thank you very much. That's good to know. So we go on to item 40.1, confirmation of action taken in closed meeting. This is the portion of the meeting where the board will confirm any action regarding issues that were discussed in the closed meeting. These issues may include action taken regarding student disciplinary matters. Board members have discussed each individual case and at this time will make motions to confirm the recommended action. I call on Mrs. Schultz for a motion. Yes, I move to deny the school reassignment appeal of

083a student who used technology and mistreated another student and to confirm the disciplinary decision of the division superintendent. Do I have a second? Seconded by Ms. Palachuk. All those in favor, raise your hand. That is unanimous and the motion passes. Item 4.021, Fairfax Resolution. I call on Ms. McLaughlin. Thank you as one of the two school board members who serves on the countywide successful children and youth policy team it gives me great pleasure that after several years of very hard work and effort and Intense belief in how we bring our community together as one Fairfax. I wish to read the resolution for the board's consideration. Whereas Fairfax County takes great pride as a great place to live, learn, work, and play. And whereas Fairfax County is the largest and strongest economy in the Washington metropolitan

084area and one of the strongest in the nation. And whereas county and school leaders and staff are committed to providing excellent services for every resident of Fairfax. And whereas Fairfax County government has established a vision of safe and caring communities, livable spaces, connected people and places, healthy economies, environmental stewardship, culture of engagement and corporate stewardship. And Fairfax County Public Schools has established goals of student success, a caring culture, a premier workforce, and research stewardship. And whereas Fairfax County embraces its growing diverse population and recognizes it as a tremendous economic asset, but recognizes that racial and social inequities still exist. And whereas achieving racial and social equity are integral to Fairfax County's future economic success as illustrated in the economic growth profile and highlighted as a goal in the strategic plan to facilitate the economic success

085of Fairfax County. And whereas we define racial equity as the development of policies, practices, and strategic investments to reverse racial disparity trends, eliminate institutional and institutional racism and ensure that outcomes and opportunities for all people are no longer predictable by race. And whereas we utilize the term social equity to consider the intersection and compounding effects of key societal issues such as poverty, English as a second language, disability and et cetera with race and ethnicity. And whereas As servants of the public, we are committed to the definition of social equity adopted by the National Academy of Public Administration, quote, the fair, just, and equitable management of all institutions servicing the public directly or by contract, the fair, just, and equitable distribution of public services and implementation of public policy. and the commitment to promote fairness, justice,

086and equity in the formation of public policy. Whereas it is essential to identify and address institutional and systemic barriers that exist and understand that these barriers may impede access to opportunities for achieving the visions and goals set forth by county leaders. And whereas an extensive body of research has established that a community's access to an interconnected web of opportunities shapes the quality of life for all. And whereas to truly create opportunity, we need to understand and improve. our work through a racial and social equity lens from the very core of the organization outward, focusing intentionally and deliberately towards sustainable structural changes, and whereas a growing number of local jurisdictions across the United States are adopting intentional equity strategies and see equity as an economic growth model. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Fairfax County

087Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County School Board that the time is now to move beyond embracing diversity as an asset and implement a new growth model driven by equity, just and fair inclusion into, quote, one Fairfax, a community in which everyone can participate and prosper. One Fairfax can only be realized with an intentional racial and equity, social equity policy at its core for all publicly delivered services. A racial and social equity policy provides both the direction and means to eliminate disparities and work together to build a vibrant and opportunity rich society for all. In July 2016, the Fairfax Board of Supervisors and School Board join in this resolution and direct the development of a racial and social equity policy for adoption and strategic actions to advance opportunities and achieve equity that include intentional collective

088leadership, community engagement, equity tools and infrastructure to support and sustain systemic changes and shared accountability so collectively we will realize one fairfax a community where everyone can participate and prosper i move that the school board adopt the one fairfax resolution is there a second second second invite ms darren at kofax ms mclaughlin would you like to speak further on your motion Well, I believe that this one Fairfax resolution is extremely comprehensive as you heard in its reading and I'm very proud to live in a county that recognizes that if we are truly a county that believes in each and every person having the opportunity to succeed then we as its elected officials need to help demonstrate this commitment through a resolution such as this. And I will just say that not only have I enjoyed

089working with all of the individuals who serve on the SCIP team, but I very much appreciate the time I've had this year working with my colleague, Ms. Darinette Koufax, in this effort that we bring to the board today. Thank you, Ms. Darinette Koufax. Yes, I am honored to second this resolution in partnership with the Board of Supervisors and in conjunction with the hard work of the successful children and youth policy team. It is our goal to build a vibrant and opportunity-rich society for all. And I am pleased to say that through our strategic plan, our board has already begun deliberate and accountable actions to achieve equity for all. But we need to continue to do this as a collective community and in an intentional way and through the adoption of this resolution and with the

090continued work of skip we'll be able to continue to move forward in a way that eliminates disparities and ensures that opportunity rich community that we desire Thank You miss Patrick Thank You I'm very pleased and very honored that we are doing this, that as a school board we're partnering with the Board of Supervisors. I was touched to hear some of the stories of our students today, myself having grown up here as a Latina when we were even more of a minority. It really is touching to see that we as a county are changing and in my mind changing for the better. And I hope that we will continue to work as a community. It does take... As Ms. Derenat-Kofak said, intention. I think that's what's really, truly critical about this resolution, that it doesn't just

091happen because you want it to or because you expect it to. It really does take work to look at ourselves, to look at... introspectively at the mirror, what are we doing well, what can we improve, and how do we ensure that we're inclusive of our community in our public sector, in our private sector, and in our relationships and partnerships. So I am very pleased to be supporting this, and I also look forward to serving as an alternate on the SCIP committee and supporting my colleagues on the board and the work there. And do look forward to the day when our leadership And in our schools, in our county, and on our boards are reflective of our community as a whole. Thank you. Mrs. Strauss? Thank you. I served on the committee several years ago when

092we began to talk about what it meant to be a one Fairfax and We received some very interesting information and really education on Planning policies with transportation with redevelopment bringing jobs Obviously in the school system we understand providing robust and education and programs wraparound services in all of our schools, but The idea of One Fairfax goes quite beyond that. If you want everyone to have good jobs, you have to make sure that you have the good balance between residential and economic centers. You have to make sure that your transportation network isn't developed in such a way that people can get to those jobs. You have to make sure that you have planned your land use so that you don't have food deserts. so that all of the communities have an opportunity to get to shopping

093malls, to get to grocery stores, so that there's a lot of very basic planning. And as Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, as they are involved in a number of redevelopment projects, this becomes very important and they are very dedicated to making sure that we have well-balanced communities that provide good opportunities for education, for living, for all of those things that we want. in all of our communities so that we are well balanced i just have to chuckle a school bike we all need to be a little bit of rest and i guess but um i support this we are in this together it's not just schools it's not just the board of supervisors but it's the it is a responsibility of all of us to plan for a viable good place to live for everybody

094who is in fairfax county thanks miss einz did i hear my neighborhood called out just then did you say reston Yes, that's right. Fairfax County could be more like Reston. I think we'd all be in good shape. And those of you who don't know much about Reston, it actually was planned 50 years ago and part of the design from the get-go was... diversity and inclusion and integration of socioeconomic integration in neighborhoods and in schools and it has held together that vision has held together and it's very good for the community and for the schools so I'm very happy to support this there is already good work going on staff to staff and every chance I get to talk to people in the county staff and the school system staff I recognize that they're probably ahead

095of us as board members in a lot of ways one example the other day I met with one of our principals high school principals and a member of the Human Services Council and sometimes the people on the Human Services Council feel like well the school system gets all the money and you know and there's not enough left for Human Services and you know I we don't get all the money number one but it is true that there's not enough to go around for all those important services for our families but the great part about the conversation was that that high school principal and that member of the Human Services Council got to share and understand each other and see how much we in the schools are already doing as the front line for serving families.

096And so I think the more that the two, the county and the school system can talk like that, the better we are. And I think that's what this one Fairfax resolution should help us do. I think it's important to say that this resolution moves us to be bold. And I think maybe bolder than we are sometimes. I think we are calling on ourselves to lead. And this sort of thing is not easy. It takes courage. We are elected to make tough decisions, not to defer and refer them. And I think sometimes in an overabundance of caution, we do that. This has to be more than words. A resolution only shows resolve if we act on it. So I think we have work to do as a community, and we as the leaders send a message

097with what we do, and I think this calls upon us to view all of our work through an equity lens. We owe the community, I think, greater transparency and inclusivity than sometimes we have, and what I hope we do is that this does not go on the shelf. and that we actually use this in all of our thinking and our decision making and our work. This is Corbett Sanders. So the Board of Supervisors and the School Board had a joint retreat recently, and the discussion at that retreat was framed or it started off with a discussion of Simon Sinek's book about why, and why are we doing things, and how do we make intentional and informed decision-making. When I look at this one Fairfax resolution, it leads us to the why. Why the Board of

098Supervisors and the school board are working together on this policy is because we need to be very deliberate in ensuring that we have a one Fairfax policy that addresses the equity and social concerns of the county and informs our strategic planning. It informs our decision making on budget allocations. It informs how we engage our communities ensuring that we have transparent, inclusive decision making. And so I very happily support this resolution. I have a go back from Ms. McLaughlin. Yes, I did want to just make sure for those in the community who have heard us referencing the successful children and youth policy team, that collective policy team that began over three years ago was really began with a joint. retreat with the two boards of supervisors and school board looking for ways that we could really

099address disparities and disproportionality in opportunities in our county and as a result the skip work where we've met once a month has included over 30 members that represent not just two supervisors and two school board members but also community leaders and exceptional county directors at the highest decision-making level from our police department to social services to our public schools all with that shared commitment of really saying that if we're to be one Fairfax we really have to work collectively as an interdependent manner bringing a sort of interagency collective work and as noted by my colleague Miss Strauss bringing in experts from around the country to also talk to us about what it means to really incorporate intentional work and what we want our county to reflect and represent. And so I do want to express

100my appreciation to Dr. Garza because it's taken her commitment along with our county executive Ed Long to recognize and provide for her highest members of the leadership team to be a part of the SCIP work and it's greatly appreciated all the hard work they put in behind the scenes to make the monthly skip meetings meaningful and oftentimes it's been our county employees that model for all of us what it means to really be collaborative. So I didn't want to miss an opportunity to express my appreciation and I'm looking at Dr. Marion Panarelli especially who's put in a lot of sweat equity into our equity work along with Dr. Jane Lipp and others. So with that I just want to tell my colleagues thank you again for your words in support of this one Fairfax resolution

101the Board of Supervisors approved it two weeks ago and I'm very excited that our board is joining them in this very public effort to show to all of you our intentionality of truly creating a one Fairfax And seeing no discussion, I will call for the vote on the motion, which is to move that the school board adopt the one Fairfax resolution. All in favor, please raise your hand. Hines, Palachuk, Corbett-Sanders, Strauss, Evans, Moon, McLaughlin, Wilson, Darinette-Kofax, and McElveen. All opposed? All abstaining? Mrs. Schultz. that motion passes we move to item 4.03 strategic plan goal for resource stewardship I call on mrs. Corbett Sanders I move that the board approved the strategic plan goal for resource stewardship report as detailed in the agenda item do I have a second yes seconded by mr. Wilson mrs. Corbett

102Sanders would you like to speak to your motion It is with great pleasure that I support this report and want to give a great thank you to the excellent work that has been done by Dr. Garza's team on this report. The work in establishing benchmarks, the beginning of some cutting-edge work on returns on investment calculations and measuring them beyond just the dollars and cents of investing in single pupils is really a cutting-edge leadership role that Fairfax County is playing in this area. And so it is additionally the benchmarking and capital deployment strategies. So thank you very much for all of your hard work and I am happy to support the adoption of it. Mr. Wilson. I think that Ms. Corbett-Sanders has captured. Seeing no further hands in the air for discussion, I will reread the

103motion. I move that the board approve the strategic plan goal four resource stewardship report as detailed in the agenda item. All those in favor, please raise your hand. And that is unanimous with Mrs. Huff away from the table. The motion passes. Agenda item 4.04, FY 2016, final budget review. I call on Mrs. Strauss. Thank You madam chair I move that the school board approved the revenue and expenditure adjustments as detailed in the agenda item Do I have a second second seconded by mr. Annette Kopecks mrs. Strauss. Yes, all the FY 2016 accounts have been closed subject to the annual audit The summary of the review and expenditure variances is provided for each of the nine funds, and all comparisons are against the FY 2016 third quarter budget review. The school board has had several presentations,

104and there have been several presentations in this public forum, so I'm not going to go forward in detail. I do want to thank Ms. Michael and her staff with the excellent work they continuously do in managing our budget projections and serving our schools and our students very well. This evening the recommendation is to move forward $22.5 million to help build a beginning balance for FY 2018. We still struggle with a structural imbalance, which means that we have not yet gotten to the point where we are not having to use reoccurring funds to... to use non-recurring funds to pay for reoccurring needs. By moving money forward to the FY 2018 budget, we are still then beginning with a projected shortfall of $10.6 million for 2018 as compared to 2017. Our budgets are getting tighter and there's

105less money to move forward. So that is the bottom line. The recommendation is to move as much money as possible. As we work through... The next school year, there is an effort on something called replacing bus radios. It's very technical. We are trying to work with the county to come up with something that's a little more cost-saving, so we have to work with the county on that. And those of you who have paid attention to us, we may experience some additional funding from FEMA as a result of the winter weather, but that will occur sometime in the future. That will help as we go forward. So I urge my colleagues to support this. Ms. Darinette Kovacs? I have nothing to add at this time. And I will call on Ms. McLaughlin for an amendment. Excuse

106me, Ms. Evans, if I might quickly make a quick announcement. For members of the public and others that may be watching, we have lost, we had a little bit of a electricity, a flash of electricity or a surge, and so we've lost the screen, but they're working on it. So any individual that might be watching that would like to see what the board is talking about, it still is available online. And it should be up, I hope, pretty soon. Thank you, Dr. Garza. Ms. McLaughlin, you have an amendment. Yes, thank you miss Evans I moved to amend the main motion by a Increasing the rates paid to substitutes who are FCPS retired teachers from $14.23 to $15.33 per hour for short-term assignments and from $20.14 to $21.91 per hour for long-term assignments for FY 17

107totaling point three million dollars B reducing the funding set aside for the FY 2018 beginning balance by point three million dollars do I have a second second seconded by mrs. Schultz miss McLaughlin would you like to speak to your amendment yes thank you as the daughter of a former public high school teacher This issue that we have heard from many of our current teachers as well as our retired teachers is one that I take with great seriousness. When the board looked at its budget for FY 2017 and considered the recommendations on how we would close a budget gap, a decision was made to take the rates of pay that we give to retired teachers and bring it closer in line to the region. But the board then has received some remarkable communication from both our

108current and retired teachers in helping us understand that the rates that I just read out that currently exist and I'm hoping my amendment will change will hopefully bring us closer in line to three of our most competitive school districts in the in the area Alexandria Arlington and Loudoun County As I've shared with some of the educators who have communicated with me over the course of the last several weeks, this isn't exactly what amendment I would like to have brought forward. I would have liked to have seen the rates of pay increased much more closely to what I believe are appropriate for the veteran status and the tremendous... talent and skills that our educators bring to the classroom. But I believe that at least this amendment will bring us closer in line to reflecting where we

109are in the region and it's a start while we go into the next. efforts to build our budget for FY18 and so I will encourage all of our educators to continue to communicate with me and my colleagues as we are building the budget for the next year. As you heard earlier The year-end review with a $32.5 million carryover, the superintendent and her team did identify about $10.6 million in one-time funding that they felt is essential going into this next budget cycle. And I equally believe that it is essential that when we look at trying to attract and ensure that as many of our retired veteran teachers can come and substitute in our schools and enable the learning in the classroom to continue at the best possible level, then this amendment is a demonstration of our

110board that we do value and understand the important role you play in educating our children. I did ask our staff to provide me with some of the rates of pay that we do give to other individuals who come and provide temporary support in our schools beyond just what our teachers and our instructional aides but our interim principal assistant principal rates our administrative assistants our safety and security and our social workers And in seeing those rates of pay, it further reinforced for me again how important it is that we demonstrate to our teachers and educators that we respect your profession, we understand the skills and the dedication you bring to furthering this important role of continuity of education. And I do hope that, again, All of you, especially here tonight, who are here in support of

111the importance of your profession, do understand that we want to continue working with you as we build the following budget. But at least for this coming year, it's important that we be more competitive than what is currently in the budget. So to my colleagues, I do hope that you will consider the merits of the amendment and vote in support of it. Mrs. Schultz? So we recently had a work session as a board and we broke down some of the responsibilities that we expect in our budget. And when I asked a question about budgeting at the school level, which is not something that this board has tackled, there was a relatively robust discussion at the table. But the brass tacks of it are that We have a 2.7 billion dollar operating budget and sometimes I think

112this board doesn't take enough time to be strategic in some of the things that it does. It spends a lot of time on stuff that have absolutely nothing to do with student achievement and it's very frustrating. I hear it from everywhere from retired teachers to current parents to spending our time on the name of a building instead of what's happening inside of it for the benefit of students and this is one that we we took a hatchet to something that was about achievement in the classroom and at the time I actually supported it but not understanding data in context is a big problem. It's something that the board just had a retreat on this past weekend. We talked on Friday and Saturday and it's something that I think there is a possibility of this board

113really starting to get a handle on. For the first time I think in years there is a commitment to start demanding data in context. Not just data but meaningful data. And when we look at the fact that principals have all the time the need to fill and backfill teaching positions in classrooms and we entrust them like captains of ships to navigate what's happening in their building but then have either no flexibility or no accountability for what happens with that 2.7 billion dollars that we're only budgeting the non-labor at a school level in the building. Well, 90% of our operating budget is labor. It's bodies. And to me, I think it is somewhat preposterous to say to principals that we're going to hold them accountable for student achievement, but then we can't give them the flexibility

114to decide whether they want to spend $10, $12, or $18, or $22 on the right substitute for the right class at the right time to meet their needs. That's the whole point of accountability in education that's often missing from the public dialogue and the discourse. And this, I think, resets potentially a mistake that we made. It wasn't necessarily intentional. Nobody hid this, but just the magnitude of the decision that we made at the time, I think, wasn't clearly understood. And I think that if... for those of us who've taken the time to work through the budget and say this is an infinitesimal amount of money that has direct impact on student achievement in the classroom. And if a principal has the ability to say, look, I've got somebody out for two days. and frankly I

115need a placeholder that can keep things going in ABC classroom versus I need a long-term sub to teach BC calculus and we've got to stay on track to maintain momentum of this classroom for a teacher who's out on medical leave or extended leave or whatever. there becomes the responsibility to me as part of a governing body to say not only should we rectify this, but it should be the beginning of a discussion that comes to a question of budgeting and looking to and holding responsible but giving the responsibility for those dollars to the principals so that that money goes into the classroom and we are driving our efforts as a board back into the classroom and not all the other stuff. So I'm definitely supporting this. Mrs. Strauss. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. McLaughlin. I

116will support this amendment. I'm sorry that we didn't have enough money this year to fully cover everything that we wanted to cover. As I said, we still have a structural deficit. The average pay for our teachers with a master's degree and above, we are still only halfway to the market average. We have a long way to go. We still have not been able to roll back increased class sizes at middle and high school. We are going to work mightily hard next year to keep our elementary classes under 30. We have a long way to go yet. I do believe that by restoring some of the funding, it certainly indicates you all are very important. And I realize it does not restore it all. But I will support this, and I think it is important next

117year that we will obviously be looking at the availability of good substitute teachers within the marketplace. So thank you, Ms. McLaughlin. I will support it. Mrs. Corbett-Sanders. So how did we get here? We got here because we had to bridge a budget gap. And the budget gap just seemed like we were down to some rapid decision making. And now we're here at the end of the year and we have a bit of a carryover. And the reason we have that carryover is because of the number of vacancies that we had in Fairfax County the past year. And with those vacancies, we had a reliance on substitute teachers and a reliance on our retired subs to ensure that we had student success in this very difficult time. And so going forward, I know that we will

118also have to rely at times on our best and the brightest, our retired substitute teachers. And so I too will be supporting this because it is good for our students and it is also time. I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you. Thank you for helping us get through this past year. Thank you for sticking with us. And thank you for coming back next year to help us when we need to have substitute teachers. And so I will support this budget amendment. Mr. Wilson. Thank you Madam Chair and thank you Ms. McLaughlin for making this motion. I will be supporting it and to me it can be boiled down to very simply and I've said this many times to the members of the board and to the superintendent our schools are only as good

119as our teachers that are in them and those teachers include our substitutes and I think when we discussed this at the end of our budget discussions we maybe didn't take into account the impact that the change in compensation would have and I appreciate everybody who's called me I've had many many teachers call me with great deal of experience and to a person I am saddened to think that they might not be willing to come into the classrooms again and help Perfect Scouting I hope that I hope that this helps operationally because I think we do need to maintain the excellence and substitute teachers that we have. Ms. Dern at COPEX. Just echoing my colleagues, I do think when we... When we as as mr. I said I rather than belabor the whole budget process again

120there were difficult decisions that need to be made and sometimes The decisions that are made are ones which we are not so happy with and so I think this and this motion by miss McLaughlin to reduce the funding set aside to increase the rates of pay to substitutes is a good and noble one and I too thank all the teachers and the retired teachers and teachers who've come to me expressing their concerns on this so I will be supporting it. Ms. Huff? I'm happy to support this motion. I thank Ms. Glothman for her work on it and I'm thankful for the opportunity to put money directly back in the classroom and to our valued employees. And I have a go back from Ms. McLaughlin. One of the things that I did want to emphasize is

121that while Fairfax County is trying to again move toward having our substitute pay rates more accurately reflect what the region is. I do hope that all of the teachers current and retired who have expressed their dismay at where that rate is understand that part of what we also need to be engaging in is a regional discussion because if you look at the school systems all here in the Washington area the rates one has to wonder really do they reflect what is appropriate for the professionalism and the skills and the capabilities. And so again, as we talked about tonight, that this budget amendment is just a step forward for this coming year. But I do, again, welcome the collaboration and the dialogue with our teachers in looking at this very carefully about if we need to

122be. leaders in that then with our other school districts in Arlington and Alexandria and Loudoun then that's what we need to do but please do understand the pressures and the challenges we face is you know what are we doing in a region to demonstrate appropriate and respectful compensation to our teachers so I just wanted to emphasize again that that is something we're going to need to really be looking at. Ms. Palachuk. Yes, I want to reemphasize thanking everyone who did send their input, emails, and communication. I do want to be clear I will be supporting this. This is a one-time. Fix for next year we do need to as we talk about strategic look at the impact I know we had talked to Miss Michaels about tracking the impact in our schools what happens this

123year with our substitutes and as we look at future years and a long-term you know strategy for how we compensate and how we work with our substitute so this is for next year and I do hope we continue the strategic conversation for the future. And I will take a moment to express, first of all, my compliments to Ms. McLaughlin for pursuing this and for getting us, and for our budget staff, of course, for getting us some great information. We had some very difficult decisions to make this year, and I don't think any of us were happy to be cutting anything at all. I do believe that it was the intention of the board to go to a regional average, which is what we did, but then when it was broken down, it became clear that

124we had gone beyond what I believe most of us had thought we were going to do, that creating an average to the jurisdictions that perhaps are more comparable to us made more sense. And as Mrs. Strauss said, this doesn't bring us all the way back up. but it does help. And moving forward, I'm looking particularly at the rates for the long term, and of course they are higher than for the short term. But I do want to thank Ms. McLaughlin for raising this, and I will be supporting it. Dr. Garza, did you have a, I thought I saw you. asking to be recognized yes I have visited with a number of you about this and I do think this is a good step certainly we do recognize we need great experienced teachers in classrooms when

125we have the regular teacher out so I think this is a good good step and I am committed to finding the money this next year as we look to the fiscal year 18 budget but we are looking at a more comprehensive in-depth study of our substitute pay overall and as Ms. McLaughlin pointed out we have already initiated the conversation with surrounding jurisdictions to have more of a comprehensive look so we'll see what we can do for fiscal year 18 moving forward and then I was going to comment on the screen but we're back in working order we actually lightning struck right outside so that's messed up our machine so we're back. So seeing no more discussion on the amendment I will read the amendment. I move to amend the main motion by A increasing the

126rates paid to substitutes who are FCPS retired teachers from $14.23 to $15.33 per hour for short term assignments and from $20.14 to $21.91 per hour for long term assignments for FY 2017 totaling point three million dollars be reducing the funding set aside for the FY 2018 beginning balance by point three million dollars all those in favor please raise your hand and that is unanimous the motion passes we now go back to the main motion is there more discussion on the main motion to move the final budget review All right. In that case, I will read that motion. I move that the school board approve the revenue and expenditure adjustments as amended. All those in favor? Oh, I'm sorry. There was a second. Yes. All those in favor? Raise your hand. And that also is unanimous.

127That passes. The motion passes. Mrs. Schultz, do I understand that we're ready for the resolution? I call on Mrs. Schultz. So I'm not a huge fan of spending some of this board's time doing a lot of recognitions, and so this is a rare one for me to bring forward. Recently, the Virginia School Board Association put out a request for inquiries or recognitions for local media. who cover school boards and the reason I think that this is very critical and very important is I have been a very long champion of being transparent and accountable to the public and we can't do that without freedom of the press but freedom of fair press which is a rare occurrence these days. And so even when it occurs on a local level, I think it's laudable and I think

128it helps add sunshine as the best disinfectant. And to get good stories covered locally in a world that is ever increasing down to a digital handheld device is difficult. and this individual came immediately to mind. I think the second I saw the email from the Virginia School Board Association, I shot something back to my colleagues and said that I think that we need to put up this resolution. So without further ado, I have a resolution. Would Mr. Peterson come to the front of the room? Come on, come on down to the... See, usually you're watching us, but now we're going to watch you watching us. That's okay, we'll figure it out. We're flying by the seat of our pants. We've done this before. So this is a resolution nominating Tim Peterson from the Connection Newspapers

129for the Virginia School Board Association's 2016 Media Honor Roll. Whereas Tim Peterson is a staff writer for the Connection Newspapers and whereas the Connection Newspapers serves as a critical Northern Virginia local news source reaching more than 200,000 readers online and in print. And whereas Tim has his print. journalism career for his high school newspaper, the Hayfield Orange Pearl at Hayfield High School in FCPS. Peel. Oh, yeah, you know, see? See, he's editing me live. He's really good. Whereas Tim is a conscientious reporter who seeks to tell stories that are important to the Fairfax community. And whereas his education writing has won numerous awards from the Virginia Press Association, including stories on the school board actions and on various policies, graduation of triplets, and a renovation of a local school. And whereas Tim is... written stories

130about FCPS that include the significant school board policy issues and funding decisions to more local interest stories such as a feature on South County High School 2015 graduate who kept perfect attendance from kindergarten to graduation and whereas Tim seeks to include all voices from all sides of an issue and present them in an unbiased manner that allows readers to make their own judgments and whereas in an era where local journalism is becoming scarce the dedication of the connection newspapers and more specifically to Tim Peterson to continue to serve the interests of Fairfax community is invaluable and now therefore let it be resolved that the Fairfax County School Board place the name of Tim Peterson on the statewide Virginia School Board Association media honor roll calling attention to the ongoing responsible and exemplary nature of reporting

131on our public schools we express our appreciation for your balanced and accurate approach to sharing with the community both the challenges facing our schools and the successes achieved by our teachers and our students. Do I have a second? Seconded by Ms. Palachuk. Ms. Palachuk, would you like to speak to your second? It's an honor as a fellow FCPS grad and cultural anthropologist. Being in public service for the first time, you know, sometimes you wonder, speaking to the media, you know, what do they do? And Tim has always been kind, open. He really does take full quotes. He cares about every single part of our community, sharing the positive stories, the great success of our students in their schools, as well as the challenges. So also... used to have the connection newspaper route when I was

132a child. So I appreciate you guys are still around. I don't get the connection in print anymore, but it really is important. Local government and local reporting is critical for us, for our kids as well. So thank you, Tim, for your service, and we look forward to many more years with you. And I didn't get to add earlier, I'm sorry, that not only is he an excellent journalist, but he's actually an excellent photojournalist. And so he adds and lends the visual component to his stories that so many, especially millennials, appreciate. Before I call for the vote, I just wanted to make a couple of comments. As a former journalist myself, I want to say that... I'm very pleased to be honoring Mr. Peterson. When Ms. Schultz brought this to me, I went back and reviewed

133some of your articles just to remind myself of some of the things that you had covered. And, of course, what's happening in our industry today, it's harder and harder to find the good, solid, local reporting that so many people rely on. So we are very pleased to have you covering us. And you are accurate, balanced, and fair. And as you know, that's the best thing you can say about a reporter. So congratulations. With that, I will let me call for a vote. Yes, I'd like to more. Well, I think Mr. Guilfoyle may have been taking some photographs, but I'm going to call for a vote on Mrs. Schultz's motion. All those in favor, raise your hand. And that is unanimous. Congratulations. That motion passes. Congratulations, Mr. Peterson. And if you would come up, we get

134to take a photograph with you. Next item of business is 4.05 fiscal year 2017 audit plan. I call on Mrs. Strauss. Thank you, Madam Chairman. I recommend that the school board approve the FY 2017 annual audit plan as detailed in the agenda item. Do I have a second? Seconded by Ms. McLaughlin. Thank you. Yes, we've had a work session on this. This was on for new business. This recommendation are the topics that the school board will be asking the Office of the Auditor General to perform on behalf of the school board for the year. It is the recommendation of both the Audit Committee and the AG that these topics be considered. Obviously, no promises to how the outcome will be. We will look forward to high quality work from the Auditor General. staff and to

135give us feedback to see if there are opportunities to improve effective efficiency in our overall work of the school system. So I encourage my colleagues to support this. Thank you. Ms. McLaughlin, would you like to speak to your second? I would just briefly, first of all, I wish to express my appreciation to our Auditor General, Ms. Goley-Trump. I very much have enjoyed serving on the Audit Committee with you and my colleagues on the Audit Committee, including our two newest positions that were also added, our citizen appointees, two tremendous subject matter experts. who for the audience, if you don't know, we're very fortunate that not only do four school board members serve on the audit committee, but two citizens that were selected by the board who bring with them their subject matter expertise on auditing. And

136it really has enabled this board to move forward in its commitment to having more robust and meaningful audits, not just focus on fiscal auditing, but also on... performance audits and programmatic audits and Ms. Trump had a difficult challenge at hand in that we really were looking to really refine and strengthen the audit work that we're doing and so she had to work with us as we tried to almost create a whole new format for how we would develop the audit plan, identify some of those you know, highest priorities for us and very much respect the amount of time and effort it took. by Ms. Trump and her outstanding team in the Auditor General's office to really help advise and guide the board. And I do believe that this will be positioning us very well as

137we continue to strengthen the stewardship and oversight that this board is committed to doing for our community here in Fairfax County. Chairman Evans, I don't know if Ms. Trump wanted to speak at all to the audit plan since it is something that she's really tasked with doing, so I just wanted to check with you in case there's anything she wanted to add. Ms. Trump, would you like to comment? No, I would not, but thank you so much for the support and comments. Seeing no further discussion, I will read the motion. I move that the school board approve the FY 2017 annual audit plan as detailed in the agenda item. All those in favor, raise your hand. That is unanimous with Mrs. Schultz and Mr. Wilson away from the table. That motion passes. Next, we have

138item 4.06, school board liaison and committee assignments. I call on Ms. Hines. Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that the school board confirm committee liaisons and assignments as detailed in the agenda item. Do I have a second? Seconded by Mr. Moon. Do you have any comment? Just briefly, for those who might be wondering what we're doing. Every year about this time, we sort of play musical chairs with our school board committee assignments, and I want to thank Ms. Evans and Mrs. Strauss for solving that puzzle for us this year. I look forward to my own assigned tasks. Thank you. Mr. Moon? I think Madam Chair, working with the vice chair did a wonderful job. I know that probably all 12 of us wanted to work on. one-rebar sign to all five, six different committees. Thank

139you. Thank you. If there's no further comment, I will call for the vote. Actually, I need to read it again. I move that the school board confirm committee liaisons and assignments as detailed in the agenda item. All those in favor, raise your hand. And that is unanimous with Mr. Wilson and Mrs. Schultz away from the table. That motion passes. Oh, did you want to vote, Mr. Wilson? Yes. Okay, and you're voting aye? Excellent. So Mr. Wilson is voting aye, so it's unanimous with Mrs. Schultz away from the table, and that motion passes. For the next item, I'm going to pass the gavel to Vice Chair Strauss. Thank you. The next item is 4.07, motion to create a Jeb Stewart High School Renaming Working Group, and I call on Ms. Evans. Thank you, Mrs. Schultz. I

140move that the school board recognize the need for further consideration of community concerns about the name of Jeb Stuart High School. I further move that the board recognize that renaming the school to one more reflective of the community it serves may be a laudable goal. I further move that the school board approve the creation of an ad hoc committee on renaming Jeb Stewart to consist of students, parents, community members, alumni, and business and community leaders to be chosen by the superintendent in consultation with the board. The superintendent and FCPS staff will facilitate the group's work. The working group will weigh the pros and cons of a name change. Continue public engagement, explore public-private partnerships to finance any name change, ways to prevent added burdens on the school's booster clubs, PTSA, and Stewart School Administration. The

141best method for transitioning from an old name to a new one. proper record retention, and the best timing for such a change, if such a change is approved by the board. The working group will also provide ideas for ways to honor and preserve the school's history, traditions, and past achievements, and to memorialize its decades as Jeb Stuart High School. The working group will report on its findings and recommendations to the school board by March 2017. Is there a second for the motion? Mr. McElveen. Thank you. Ms. Evans, would you like to speak to your motion? I would, Madam Chair, Vice Chair. I'm going to ask my colleagues' indulgence tonight on this. My speeches are normally short, but this one is not going to be. For more than a year, a group of Jeb Stuart high

142school students More than a year ago, a group of Jeff Stewart High School students came to me concerned about the name of their school because it had been named for a Confederate military officer in 1958, a time when our school system and our state were grappling with desegregation and massive resistance to desegregation. I want to note that their advocacy preceded the horrible shootings in Charleston, South Carolina, which raised the issue of Confederate symbols in many minds. It also preceded petitions that were later created by some alumni supporting a name change, one of which garnered 34,000 signatures from around the country. I was impressed by the students' passion and their desire to change something they believed to be wrong. though I did not at the time know if I would ultimately agree or disagree with their

143advocacy. What I did know then and now is that change is hard, that the status quo almost always has the upper hand. It is so much easier to fight for things to stay the same than for change. After all, we remember it took us 12 years of advocacy to finally change high school start times. and more than 20 years to achieve full-day Mondays at our elementary schools. Since that time, I have spent more than a year reading and collecting emails, going through school board archives, reviewing research, meeting and listening to and talking with both supporters and opponents for hours at a time, listening to their arguments for and against a change, attending meetings, reading every one of the more than 500 comments made in response to our survey. and pondering the pros and cons of

144a name change. I did not come to my conclusions lightly. I did believe that the issue was one the community and the board needed to consider carefully and that it would not have been right to ignore the concerns that were brought to us. We've seen a lot of research about the naming of the school and what the school board of 1958 intended when they named the school. Unfortunately, the records from that time don't help us a lot. as to the rationale for the choice of the name. The official records are silent on that, other than the decision to name new high schools for some prominent American now deceased. What we do know is that the opening of the school and the naming of the school came at a time when Fairfax County, the Commonwealth of

145Virginia, and the nation as a whole were subject to to the 1954 Supreme Court Brown versus the Board of Education ruling requiring all public schools to desegregate and end the practice of educating white students and black students in separate schools. Some elected Virginia leaders at the time advocated for refusing to comply with the Supreme Court's ruling and started a massive resistance movement, which included the passage of state laws denying funding and threatening school closures in any school system that integrated. The first black students to attend Jeb Stuart High School were admitted in 1961, seven years after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, two years after the school opened in 1959, and a year after the U.S. District Court ruled that Fairfax County must integrate its schools in accordance with the Brown v. Board of

146Education ruling. The school was named for an individual prominent primarily in Virginia for his role in fighting for the Confederacy and all it stood for, including slavery. The school logo for many years was a horse and rider carrying the Confederate flag, and the Confederate flag was part of the logo painted on the gymnasium floor. The Confederate flag was eventually removed, though the rider in silhouette still carries a flag. And do we have any doubt what that flag is? We can't know what was in the hearts and minds of Fairfax County School Board members in the naming of Jeb Stuart High School. But the current Fairfax County School Board can make its own judgments on the appropriateness of this name today, whether it is reflective and respectful of all members of our diverse community. The community

147is divided on this and that is clear from the passionate emails and calls we have received from both sides. Some feel that's a reason to stop now, that this issue is too divisive. But I do not believe that our board stopping now would end this debate. It would only continue it in a different form. It has been much discussed in various venues. The Stewart PTSA has taken no position on this issue. Or at least that was the vote at the meeting that I attended. If that has changed, I have not been notified of it. It has been made clear that many members of our community find the name offensive. They have told us so. While many do not and advocate for keeping the name as it is, do we make that decision based on whether

148or not a majority find it concerning? A school name speaks to the community that it serves. When named for a person, it tells the world whom we revere and admire and who we expect to inspire our students. Is Jeb Stuart the best we can do for this school? Opponents have argued that the community doesn't want a name change, and cite our survey showing 56% opposed, 35% supportive, and 8% undecided. I want to point out that the survey was never intended to be the deciding factor, the deciding factor on this issue. It was intended to get a pulse of the community before a community meeting on the issue and before extensive public engagement. While the comments were instructive, this was not a plebiscite. If that survey was to be the deciding factor, we needed to do

149many more things, provide extensive background and research on the pros and cons of the issue, which we did not know, make sure we were able to reach all stakeholders in all neighborhoods, and other efforts to make sure we were informing and ensuring all stakeholders were given a chance to weigh in. But even taking the survey at its face, do we ignore those who tell us this name in their eyes? is inappropriate and discouraging. Of the arguments against the name change, the most frequent by far and this came out in both in emails and in the comments to the survey, the most frequent comment against is the potential cost to the school system and to booster organizations. I share that concern. That's why my motion has as a key element looking for ways to finance a

150change through a public-private partnership. The counter to this is that any money raised should go to higher priorities. But we have members of our community and beyond who have pledged to bring in new money that we would otherwise not see for this effort. A working group could explore the validity of that claim. If we are to go in this direction, what creative ideas can we find for financing it? At the end of the day, if we believe this is the right thing to do, then we have an obligation to find a way to do it. Will we be able to do it quickly? Perhaps not. Change often takes time. But that doesn't mean we ignore the concerns that have been raised and simply leave it to another board to deal with. I recently received an

151email from a board member of the Stuart Educational Foundation, a parent of a Stuart graduate. explaining why the name of that group, which provides scholarships to Stuart students, changed its names from Jeb Stuart Educational Foundation several years ago without fanfare. They looked at the impression it gave to potential donors and decided it hampered their efforts to fundraise. Here's what this board member said, emphasizing that he was not speaking for the foundation itself. Once we began in earnest to look for corporate and foundation sponsors, we quickly realized the task of getting our message out to and winning the support of corporations and foundations north of the Mason-Dixon line would be significantly hindered by the name of our foundation. So we legally changed our name to simply the Stewart Foundation. well before the shootings in Charleston, South

152Carolina and elsewhere that triggered, among other things, the removal of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina Statehouse. However, even without Jeb attached to our name, it still impairs our mission to explain to potential corporate donors, faced with hundreds of applications, that we are seeking funds to help graduates from a Virginia high school named after a Confederate officer. Frankly, the name conjures up a private military academy, not the ethnically diverse and financially challenged kids we are trying to help. So when you are considering the concerns expressed regarding the costs associated with changing the name of the high school, please also consider the cost of not seizing this one-time opportunity to change the name. So even the foundation at this school has recognized the concerns and dealt with it in their own way. Other groups have

153weighed in as well, including the NAACP and our own Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee, which have both asked us to make a change to one more respectful of minority students. The Steward community is a vibrant, strong, and diverse one. It's a caring place, and I believe it deserves a name that reflects that. However, my motion doesn't go so far as to say we're ready to decide now whether or not to change the name. That would be left to another time after the ad hoc committee comes back to us with its conclusions. We will soon have a substitute motion before us that calls for more exploration of the compelling evidence and sufficient support piece of this motion. It appears that the board would like to have more discussion and clarity on that before moving forward. And

154if that gives the board and the community more buy-in for this next step, I'm willing to support it. We will have much more conversation. To the divisiveness piece, I agree we all need to make sure that this discussion is conducted in a respectful and civil manner. And I do want to point out that of the hundreds and hundreds of emails and conversations that I have had in the last year, the vast majority have been extremely thoughtful and civil. But the fact that an issue is drawing passionate feelings isn't a reason to abandon it or to maintain the status quo just because the status quo is always easier and more comforting. I find it hard to believe that this school will have the name of a Confederate military officer in 20 years. The question for this

155board is will we take this small step toward moving in this direction? Like the 1958 board, the decision is up to us after consulting with the community. I saw no evidence, by the way, that the 1958 board asked the community for their ideas on a name or had a community vote on it, but they used their own judgment at the time. Ultimately, not tonight, but sometime, we will need to do the same and decide if we make a change or if we will accept the judgment of the school board of 1958. Thank you, Ms. Evans. Mr. McElveen, would you like to speak to your second? So I think it goes without saying that the issue we're addressing tonight is an emotional one for all of us. The names of our civic institutions are very personal

156things. The names of our schools, more than other institutions, are central to the identities of our communities. They become a part of us and stay with us long after we graduate or move away. The names of our schools are supposed to be sources of pride and achievement, places we can look back upon as being our second homes during some of the most important formative years of our lives. That is why this debate is so emotional and so personal, and that is why no one will walk away pleased with what this board will do tonight. There are understandable arguments on both sides of the issue for renaming Jeb Stuart High School, with some arguing that we should preserve the name and use it as a teaching tool. and others saying that we should change the name

157as an acknowledgement of the past mistakes made by this board and made by our society. Of course, we should not forget why we're even considering renaming facilities today in Fairfax and around the country. A little more than a year ago, in June 2015, a white supremacist took the lives of nine innocent worshipers in the Charleston church massacre. He was found to be in possession of Confederate memorabilia and later confessed that he had hoped to ignite a race war. In response to that event, the following month, the South Carolina Senate voted 94 to 20 to remove the Confederate flag from display outside of the South Carolina State House. Corporations like Amazon, Walmart, Kmart, Sears, and eBay stopped selling Confederate items. And around the country, civic institutions from K to 12 districts to universities to towns and

158cities have engaged in the same debate we are having tonight about how to remember the past while honoring and respecting our diverse communities. Now, as all of these developments have taken place nationally, in Fairfax, a group of what I've found to be very impressive students were already advocating that our board rename Jeb Stuart High School. This was not some politically orchestrated campaign. It was student advocates who have legitimate concerns about the name of their school and how it impacts the school environment and the community. If just one of our students doesn't feel comfortable in our schools, it's incumbent upon us as stewards of our system to do something about it. All of our students deserve to feel welcome and have access to the same high-quality public education. As has and will continue to be emphasized,

159the FCPS survey... of the Stewart community found that 35% of respondents want the school to be renamed. Some believe that because there is not a majority support for this change, we should just leave things as they are. But I would argue that having more than a third of respondents express concern about the school's name goes much deeper than just the concerns of a few students. 35% is a significant proportion of the community. If during the course of American history, Public officials had waited on public opinion to support causes of civil rights. We would never be where we are today as a society. Can you imagine if we waited on polls to show majority support for desegregation? Prior to Brown versus Board of Education, two-thirds of white people in America opposed desegregated schools. In 1955, just

160after Brown versus Board, more than 80% of Southerners opposed having just a few black students in their child's school. Does that mean we should have listened to those large majorities and stopped integration? What this tells us is that in the great arc of history of civil rights causes, the minority should never be ignored. And in this case, I stand with the 35%. Now, when it comes to the school's name, my primary concern is not Jeb Stuart the person, but the circumstances by which his name came to be attached to the school. We know the school was slated to be named Munson Hill High School until the school board changed its policy to honor prominent Americans immediately prior to the naming of Stewart. Occurring at the height of massive resistance in which Fairfax County Public Schools

161was fully complicit, the timing of that original school name change puts this board in an indefensible position. So this raises the question, given the circumstances of the time, If it was not appropriate for the school board to name a school after Jeb Stuart in 1959, and it would not be appropriate to name a school after Jeb Stuart today, then why do we keep the name? This is where the argument that we should use the school's name as a teaching tool falls apart. Sometimes it is up to us as leaders to correct for the mistakes of the past so they don't continue to impact future generations. Everyone makes mistakes. And yes, as all of us know, school boards make mistakes. But to have the opportunity to learn from and correct our collective mistakes and then not

162to take that opportunity, that is a terrible waste of a teachable moment. And this brings me to my final point about tonight's motion. By voting for this, we are putting our names to something that explicitly states that changing this name may be a laudable goal. May be a laudable goal. The fact that we cannot come together as a board to admit that renaming a school named for a Confederate general at the height of massive resistance is a laudable goal is astonishing. Now don't get me wrong, I understand that Ms. Evans had to compromise and revise this motion to get it to pass. And I appreciate and fully support her efforts and the desire to do this in the most transparent manner possible that fully engages the community. But in doing so, any meaningful substance has

163been completely stripped from the text. And frankly, this motion will make us look like fools in the eyes of history. This raises the question, what has happened to the conscience of our school board? More and more, I see a board more interested in political expediency than taking meaningful stances on issues. We are elected to be leaders, to make tough decisions when necessary. and to bring the community along with us when it's the right thing to do. This is one of those times when, as board members, we should feel compelled to look at ourselves in the mirror tomorrow and ask if, deep in our heart, we believe that we did the right thing. And to be honest, I don't think any of us will have done the right thing tonight. But at the end of the

164day, this motion is all that's left. I might not like it, but it does take us one small step closer to righting a historical wrong. So for that reason, I encourage my colleagues to vote for it. Thank you. I will call on Ms. Darrenette Koufax for a substitute motion. I move to amend the main motion by offering the following substitute motion. I move that the school board recognize the need for further consideration of community concerns about the name of Jeb Stuart High School. I further move that the board recognize the renaming of the school to one more reflective of the community it serves, more reflective of the community it serves may be a laudable goal. The process for evaluating whether the name should be changed should engage the community in a public and transparent manner.

165I move that the school board approve the creation of an ad hoc committee to consider renaming Jeb Stuart High School to consist of students, parents, Stuart community members, alumni, and business and community leaders to be chosen by the superintendent in consultation with the full board. The superintendent and FCPS staff will facilitate the group's work. The working group will weigh the pros and cons of the name. change, continue to ensure public engagement and determine the extent of support for change, explore public-private partnerships to finance any name change, ways to prevent added burdens on the school's booster clubs, PTSA, and Stewart's student... student school administration the best method for transitioning from an old name to a new one proper record retention and the best timing for such a change if such a change is approved by the

166board the working group will also provide ideas and ways to honor and preserve the school's history traditions and past achievements and memorialize its decades as jeb stewart high school the working group will report on the findings and recommendations to the school board by march 2017. is there a second Seconded by Miss Corbett Sanders. Miss Darina Koufax, would you like to speak to your motion? Yes. I'm bringing forth the substitute motion to address community concerns about our board putting together a working group with a predetermined outcome. With this substitute motion, there are very few changes to Ms. Evans' original motion. The essence and purpose of the change with my substitute motion is one designed to respect community engagement and process. I am proposing to have the ad hoc group committee to consider renaming Stuart High School

167rather than mandate that the ad hoc committee be brought together to rename Stuart High School. I am looking for continued conversation within the community in hopes of finding common ground. As the motion states, it is my hope through this motion the students, parents, community members, alumni and business leaders will come together in a working group to engage in open and transparent dialogue with each other and report back to our board with their findings. I am hopeful that my colleagues can consider supporting this substitute motion in the spirit of compromise in which it was made. Ms. Corbett-Sanders. Thank you. As Ms. Staranak-Kofax mentioned, there are minimal changes to this motion. The primary change is to not predetermine the outcome of a working group that in the text. of the motion it clearly stated that there are

168specific items that the working group should evaluate and come forth with a community with a recommendation to the school board as somebody who graduated from a school in which the name of the school was changed and there was no community engagement when the school name was changed one of the biggest challenges was that there was not a manner in which to cover the cost of the name change and to ensure that uniforms were available for our marching band and other key components and so by taking the time to have a community engagement process that includes everybody to work together to build consensus I believe that this is a positive change in the motion So I didn't prepare written comments. I have talked to a lot of my colleagues over the last couple of weeks and

169at our last board meeting I intimated that I may be considering an amendment offering an amendment it turns out that even though I had sent my version of the amendment to Miss Evans only that Miss Darinette Koufax's amendment mirrors very similarly what I what I was originally going to propose. I feel that the language in the original language which I'll speak to later is far too determinative of an outcome even though the language has been improved. It presupposes a decision that we give to a working group. In the intervening time since then though although one of my colleagues has declared tonight that if even one person is uncomfortable, it's our job to make them comfortable. That's the antithesis of what a democracy is, is an antithesis of... of representative government and frankly to some degree

170I think it's a preposterous notion that has gotten us exactly where we are tonight. So when I look at what I had proposed which was to extend a working group and have it be a legitimate working group with all members of the community, in the end the notion of spending a year on a working group to arrive at something which we seem to be end running around the community anyway. seems to me to be the exact opposite of what this board is supposed to be doing and which I alluded to earlier during the recognition of our of our person for for media and the reason why this is so important is is that we have You know and I hear from my colleagues all the time that there's 53,000 kids on free and reduced meals

171and we have student achievement issues and we have to focus on stem and our our country's school systems are 30th in the world in the world i think why is our board you know and we've had working groups before we had a working group that spent i don't know six or seven months on student discipline reform that was really important that was that was you are affecting and changing the trajectory of kids lives and stopping the pipeline to prison and understanding that we're an education oriented body not an arm of the juvenile justice system. But now we're in a position where instead of spending time on student discipline or spending time on a working group related to a budget to help the superintendent, we're talking about diverting resources. And if they're fresh resources and they'll

172only come to us if we change a name, that's a bribe. That's not money that's meant. That's not money that's meant for for the education and the success of the students in the classroom And if we are not going to spend our time Coercing if we have to the community to submit That there are needs in the classroom that there are needs in an elementary classroom. There's needs in special education there's needs in communities of color, you know, I've got minority student achievement issues and I have students with disabilities issues, why not say let's go get 700,000 or 7 million or whatever. to address those needs and talk less about the fact that there's 22% of the kids at Stuart who are white, 14% who are Asian, 51% who are Hispanic, and 65% of the

173students that responded said they didn't want to change the name. 65%! And standing with the 35%, you know, This room has been filled many times with far greater than 35% who asked to be heard and we were tone deaf. So I don't understand why all of a sudden on one issue we're deciding to stand with the 35%. It doesn't fundamentally make any sense. No one here who won an election at 65 to 35 would hand over their seat to the other person because that person got a significant amount of the vote. They won handily in a landslide. And I am the only person still left on this board who went through a building renaming. I went through it with South County and I was in exactly, and I pleaded with Ms. Evans on this one

174issue. I pleaded with her that I went through with Mr. Stork, who's now on the board of supervisors, the renaming of South County Middle School. And I will tell you, I did not want to name South County Middle School, South County Middle School. I didn't. We have it sitting in the seat of history of suffragettes. We could have gone with any number of names that would have been historically significant. And for us at that moment in time, that would have been historically significant. To me, I love you South County Stallions, but that is an amorphous geographic location that means and references nothing. But the community asked to be named South County. They said this is what we want, and they said it overwhelmed. And so I held my nose and I supported my South County

175community because that's what representative government is about. That's what democracy is about. And I think that if we do anything else, we're perverting our understanding of what this role is and diverting the real resources of you as our taxpayers and as our boss and your money and your time. Instead of talking about the beautiful things that are going on in Stuart, among the students, among the community, of all colors, of all faiths, of no faiths. We need to get back to the education of our children and stop playing experimental politics from this board that fulfill an end. That's really where the politics are being played. And I think we need to go back to the community and say, you've spoken, you've spoken incredibly over the last year, and we're not going to continue to ask

176you to participate in our folly. Ms. Hines. Thank you. I have a question about where we are in terms of process here. So is it my understanding that we are debating whether or not to substitute the substitute for the main motion so that and the reason I'm asking is I have substantive comments about whether about whether or not I will support any motion that brings us forward. Right so should my comments now just be about the substitute motion? Okay, there are the substitute motion is what is on the table and it is a substitute if the substitute passes then that becomes the main motion If the substitute fails, there is no motion on the table at all. So that is what is before us. If people wish that we can, however people want to speak

177now, after we take the vote on the substitute motion, if that passes, we have to vote on it one more time. So there is, because it then becomes the main motion. And there will be an opportunity to speak again. So my colleagues, you may choose how you want to do. Madam Chair, just a point of order. Yes. You might just want to clarify and make it a little clearer that if the substitute motion fails, we still have a main motion on the table. Because substitution motion is being presented as an amendment to the motion. Just wanted to make sure that you all understood that. So thank you. I'm going to go ahead and make some comments then, okay? Because I might as well. Sure. Well, it worries me. Honestly, it worries me to be voting

178on a substitute motion that we only saw for the first time last night and got final language at 2.30 this afternoon. especially after Miss Evans has spent weeks in a transparent and an exhaustive effort to draft the main motion so I am not happy I don't think it is good work to vote on something that I'm not sure I understand so this is not good work for us but I think it's very important I think it's very important that we move forward on this I will support either the main motion or the substitute motion at this point because we do have to move forward. This is an important opportunity to improve on the work of past school boards and to right an historic wrong. We can give our predecessors on that earlier school board every

179benefit of assuming good intentions. They were people of their time and place acting in what they believed were the best interests of the community at that time. But that doesn't mean that we should accept decisions that they made which we now see as harmful. School board decisions rarely stand the test of decades. Look at the history of this board and you will see many instances of changing course. We are expected to reflect the values of our time and place in our decisions. And that's what we have the opportunity to do with this motion. A group of brave and thoughtful Stuart students have handed us this chance to rethink a decision made a half century ago by our predecessors in an environment of racial assumptions and beliefs that are abhorrent to us today. Our predecessors' decisions

180to name a new high school after a Confederate soldier in that environment deserves critical review in light of this community's values today. That's not to suggest that this is an easy conversation. Clearly it's not. It raises the specter of unwelcome change for some who feel, understandably, a deep and positive connection to the name of their high school alma mater. That matters. Those things matter. But we have also heard from many Stuart alumni who remember the name with shame and embarrassment. That matters too. We must do our best to respect all of these strong feelings as we move forward. but we cannot confuse sentiment with facts. This is, above all, a teaching moment, which means we must get the history right. And the history of the naming of Stuart High School is recent enough that with

181a little digging, we can agree on some fundamental truths. And I want to thank all who have helped uncover that history, especially our very bright students. The first inescapable truth is that Virginia and Fairfax County were very slow to integrate public schools after Brown versus Board of Education. Virginia's massive resistance to school desegregation is an infamous chapter in our nation's history. The Fairfax County School Board followed the trend in Virginia at that time of integrating schools slowly and reluctantly and only finally in response to court orders. In 1964, 10 years after Brown v. Board of Education, FCPS was admonished by a federal judge for continuing to run a, quote, segregated school system. That federal judge excoriated the school system for its foot dragging. Examples of that foot dragging can be found in the school board's

182own minutes from that time. For example, the board initially voted to integrate one grade per year starting in first grade. You almost can't imagine how they could go more slowly than that, right? But as if that pace wasn't slow enough, the board implemented the plan with a pupil placement program that required African American students to apply one at a time for admission to their own neighborhood schools. They live two blocks from a school, were being bused 10 miles away to a school, and they had to apply to go to their own neighborhood school because of the color of their skin for no other reason. In 1960, the year that Stuart High School opened, the school board voted to prohibit integration in sports, a decision they only reversed when the school system was once again taken

183to court. Stuart High School itself was all white for its first couple of years. It's clear from these and other historical records that the Fairfax County School Board of the 1950s and 60s was captive to a culture that for all its other strengths was marked by blatant institutional racism. Some of their decisions did not even bear scrutiny at the time, and they certainly would not stand today. We now have an opportunity to review that school board's decision to name a high school after a man whose claim to history was his service in the Confederacy. It is a great honor to have one's name on a school building. It's an honor that should celebrate the values of the community and inspire the students. In late 1950s Virginia, it is fair to assume that Jeb Stuart's service

184to the cause of the Confederacy gave him that sort of stature back then. In today's Fairfax County, the name raises concerns that we cannot ignore. Now, I hear the worry about a slippery slope. If we change Stewart, where will we stop? Virginia has a troubled history that catches a lot of other names. But in fact... It is the uniqueness of the Jeb Stuart case that I think demands our attention. Unlike our founding fathers, Madison and Jefferson, or the Lee family with its deep roots in the history of Virginia and the Revolutionary War, Jeb Stuart is only in our history books because he fought for the cause of the Confederacy. Whatever else might be said for the man, that is the only reason his name is on any building. That matters because we now are presented

185with an opportunity. choice whether to continue to honor his legacy by leaving his name his likeness and the silhouette of his Confederate flag on every symbol of one of our high schools it is not a choice we would make today so I support the motion I much prefer the main motion but I will support either because it moves us forward I want to thank Miss Evans very much for her considerable efforts and to the community members and alumni who have weighed in thus far on both sides My only hesitation with the main motion and this one is that we may be giving the impression that this board is not the ultimate decision maker and we are. We will decide whether to change the name, what name to choose, the timeline and how to pay for

186it. Community engagement does not mean that we ask the community to make tough decisions for us. The public engagement that Ms. Evans and staff have conducted to date in accordance with our policy and regulation has given us some important information. On an initial survey, before any discussion had really begun, more than a third of those who participated expressed enough discomfort with the school's name to support changing it. Through a follow-up community meeting and hundreds of comments, it has become clear that the primary reason for resistance to the name change is cost. How much and who would bear the cost? That is a problem that can be solved without taking resources away from the school, the PTA, the boosters, or needy students. That is a false choice. The work of the task force will further enlighten

187the school board as we make final decisions. So in closing, I caution this board to provide oversight of the task force formation to ensure that its members reflect the Stewart community and the county as a whole. This full board will make this decision. Representatives from the county as a whole have to be on the task force. If we are to reconsider our predecessors choice in light of today's values, we must make sure that the task force reflects the diversity of today's Fairfax County. Thank you. Ms. McLaughlin, followed by Ms. Evans, and then I will speak. Thank you. As someone who has an undergraduate degree in American history, I personally appreciate what it means to study and understand history, which is that it is never clearly distinctive. There are complexities to history. And one of the

188things that I hope we model as a board is that we are helping our students, especially, to understand that you have to... truly understand that in order to learn from history you have to be very careful about demonizing history as one way or the other. And that is one of the concerns I've had about the dialogue that's been brought forward to the board. We have heard from those in the community who view the name of Stewart differently and they have found that they're being labeled as racist as you know insensitive to their their fellow classmates and students and and many have said that they have they have felt very intimidated and bullied and I don't believe that that's been the the goal nor the intent of some tremendous people in our community who have been

189very dedicated to raising awareness about what this name means in the community. But I do want to ask my colleagues on the board that as we continue to help our community in this dialogue, that we help model for our community what it means to have respectful discourse. And one of my colleagues mentioned earlier about where's the school board's conscience. And that's the kind of judgment. that actually not only is divisive in the community, it's divisive among the board. I believe that all 12 of us have very deep consciences, and that's why we actually serve on this board, because we care deeply about every single student, we care about our employees, and we care about having strong public schools. This is a complex issue, and I mentioned earlier when we first broached the idea of whether

190or not the school board should entertain a name change. I mentioned Georgetown University, where I worked and where I have a son who attends, and how much I respected President DeGioia for his working group at looking at the names of two buildings at Georgetown named after former Jesuit presidents of the university, but in the historical uncovering of history, they were associated with the selling of slaves that were owned by the Maryland Jesuits who also at the time also operated the university. And Georgetown's approach of saying, let's have a working group, let's have a thoughtful... robust examination about the appropriateness of honoring yes they were our former university presidents but what's their history and their legacy and the things that they did and is it hurtful having their names on the buildings And I look at

191that as a model because this is what I believe Ms. Dernot-Kofax's substitute motion is trying to bring us toward. That we want the community to know that when we as a board make a commitment through our policy, through our regulations and the school system of what it means to engage in this type of work, what can the community count on? And I will remind everyone that specifically in that regulation 8170, under section four, renaming existing school facilities. Section A reads, the school board may consider a change in the name of a school for reasons where there exists some compelling need. I voted that we should embark in this effort. I do think there's compelling need to embark in this examination of the name of Jeb Stuart High School. Section B then goes to... The action

192will be initiated by the school board in asking the division superintendent to begin community engagement process for a possible name change. And the process will include at minimum meetings, surveys, and other tools to determine the extent to which there is community support for changing the school name. The next bullet says, if there is sufficient support to change the school facility name, proposed names for consideration will be solicited. I believe that's our greatest challenge that we're facing here tonight as a board. I don't think it's a crisis of conscience. I don't think anyone's caving to any political pressures of any kind. I think we are trying to be incredibly thoughtful and careful about this decision. And there is not right now, I believe, a consensus on this board on what it means to say that there

193was sufficient support. Some say 35% means sufficient support. Others say we had 60% saying don't change the name, another 5% who didn't weigh in. So that's where, in my mind then, in order to demonstrate the board's... recognition that this is not easy and that some of the public dialogue right now has not allowed us to be our best selves as Fairfax County residents. We live in a county named after Lord Fairfax. Lord Fairfax was a prominent slave owner. So when we talk about history and the names, George Washington owned over 300 slaves. And yet we talked and heard earlier about how Jeb Stuart was a racist, a white supremacist. I actually don't know where Jeb Stuart was on this. I'll look forward to reading more firsthand historical accounts of who Jeb Stuart was. And I

194think all of us on the board and the community have to have that conversation. But what's more important is that we do have... more dialogue with a working group that isn't going about labeling one another of whether you're this or you're that. It's understanding that we have not just Jeb Stuart, we have Robert E. Lee High School. We do have Lord Fairfax for the Fairfax County. We have Thomas Jefferson High School. We have James Madison High School. We have over 188 high schools and schools around the country that are named after Confederate leaders. I agree with my colleague, Ms. Hines. We are living in a time now where we have to say, is it appropriate to have these names on our buildings? Not just here in Fairfax County, but nationally. But I do believe that

195looking at the model that Georgetown used, where you have a working group that wants to come together and examine this as objectively as possible. And then, yes, Ms. Hines is correct that our board then is going to have to make the ultimate decision. But when we're not even clear yet on whether we got sufficient evidence of support for the change, then we are in need of this working group. One of my colleagues also talked about that we can't be afraid to make changes if mistakes happened in the past. And I embrace that as well. I say that we actually probably made a mistake when going out into the community with some meetings and some surveys, and what should have happened is a working group to begin with, where you could have had, in my mind,

196what now Ms. Koufax is proposing. And finally, I will say this. When I ran for the school board over five and a half years ago, I promised the community that I recognized that we owe it to every single one of you to honor community engagement, but also that we be committed to transparency and to accountability. And I do believe that Ms. Koufax's proposal provides an essential compromise for this board to demonstrate to the public that we respect all 3,500 people. who participated in that survey and the hundreds of people who are in the community meetings. And there isn't enough clarity yet for this board, I believe, at this time to make a determination. And so we've got some work ahead of us. And I thank every single one of you who's here tonight and for

197those who are at home watching. And all I ask is that please, in your emails to us, in your public comments to one another, Show respectful dialogue because I do believe every single person who has invested time in this issue so far, it's because they care about having strong schools and strong community. We can't tear each other apart. We need to come together and have a better understanding of what will help our community. and to my colleagues and especially to Ms. Evans. We've been friends a long, long time and I know that you are doing your very best to represent your community and to represent the best of what Fairfax County Schools is to its community and so thank you for all your hard work on this. I hope that you recognize that how much

198I respect the work you've done. But I do also want to say to my colleague, Ms. Koufax, who represents one of our other high schools that is named after a Confederate general as well, that you also understand in a very deep way because of your district that this is a complex issue. And so thank you for working tirelessly to find the compromise. And I really do hope all of my colleagues will join in supporting this substitute motion. because I would like to see as many of us on this board move forward in support of the working group. Ms. Huff? Thank you. I've thought about this topic a lot since I've been on the board. I've attended the community meetings. I've met with individuals who have asked. I've looked at the survey and read the comments.

199When I first began my term, Ms. Evans asked if I could support the idea of community engagement around changing the name of Stuart, and I said absolutely. After being involved in the process, I have heard a majority of the community saying they do not want to talk about the name change anymore at this time. All the people I have talked to are from the Stewart community. They have shared real concerns about the divisiveness this has caused in their community, a community that otherwise is very cohesive and proud of the diversity that it represents. I appreciate Ms. Durn at COFAX's motion and her effort to fix the issues with procedure and regulations on the original motion. Unfortunately, I still don't think it represents the many constituents who have reached out to me. I have great concern

200that this is top-down governance. It is evidenced by both motions up for consideration. There is not compelling evidence at this time for a name change. If there was, I suspect there would be a motion on the table to change the name. Given the community has discussed this for a year, I do not feel at liberty to mandate further conversation when there is significant constituency saying they feel it is polarizing and counterproductive to the great work in which the Stewart community is engaged. This conversation can always be brought back to the table, but once we dictate what the community has to do and how they have to do it, after having spent a year on it already, we cannot go back. I do wonder if this is about having a working group to examine the pros

201and cons of a building named after a Confederate general, why is the working group limited to Stewart? If the working group is to talk about the worthiness of a building being named by a certain person, why are we only examining one of the hundreds of buildings in FCPS named for a person? What I have heard from the community is a desire to return to the time and resources to the students inside the building. And while the minority should never be ignored, nor should the majority. What I have heard from the community, and while the minority, I'm sorry, so I will not be supporting either of these motions. Mr. Moon. Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to focus so much on the table as a substitute motion. and comparing the substitute motion with the main motion

202from Ms. Evans, the only difference seem to be, only difference seem to be, it basically name of this ad hoc working group, which is not really part of the motion. That's not even part of the, you know, a language in the motion, but that's the heading somehow. So that's the only, that's one difference. The second difference is the Mr. Alkoffax, the substitute motion, wants to include this working group to determine the extent of support which Ms. Evans' main motion does not have. I think those are the only differences. And as we know that, as we all know that, as the public knows, there are 12 of us. In order for anything to pass, it requires seven votes. When Ms. Evans initially brought up a resolution a number of weeks ago, I had shared with Ms.

203Evans about my thoughts on a resolution. And she subsequently changed her resolution to a motion. which has three different parts, three different parts. I also shared my thoughts on our latest motion, which, by the way, we didn't get that until just a few days ago. So I don't want to blame Ms. Delana Koufax on not being able to come up with her own substitute motion until last night. And I didn't have a chance to talk to Ms. Delana Koufax until today about what I thought about our motion. and I gave her my own feedback and she might have incorporated some of my suggestions to a latest version of her substitute motion. My initial preference, which is still the preference at this point is, have a straight forward motion and discuss the merits of that motion

204up or down. We have had this going on for more than a year. We have received hundreds of emails, a lot of information, pros and cons, information related to the extent of support we have all that information. I thought that we could, we could make a decision. rather than postponing this for another eight months or a year, it's been, I heard, pretty divisive in the community. And I thought that we don't need to continue this divisiveness in the community. We have all the information we need to have and then make a decision. If the board decides to change the name, then the board would not have done that would not be doing that without finding compelling need and sufficient support but once the board if an unstable does decide to change the name we should

205be prepared to pay for it not asking to go out the community to do something that the board fears there being a compelling need to take a certain action That was my preference, which I had shared with Ms. Evans many weeks ago. But if people ask me, then why did you not come up with a motion of your own that way? I want you to give my colleague from Mason District a privilege to continue working on something she's been personally working on for so many, so many months. Give her the first opportunity to craft a motion for a debate. The motion, unfortunately, on table right now, both of them, is not exactly what I was looking for. However, both of them still preserve an opportunity for us to have a real soul-searching debate we need

206to have on this issue. For that reason, I was prepared to support both. But we're gonna have to do with a substitute motion first, you know, comparing substitute motion with the main motion. Substitution motion seems to be a little more neutral than the main motion. And also, based upon my conversation until this evening with my colleagues, that main motion might not pass. But I want to preserve an opportunity again to have a real soul-searching debate on this pretty difficult issue. That is why I am supporting the subsidy motion. If the subsidy motion fails, I'll be supporting the main motion. Thank you, Mr. Moon. Before we go to go-backs, I would like to share my opinion. I will support. Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Wilson, you didn't get a chance to speak first. No, you are next.

207I am sorry. Thank you, Ms. Strauss. Wow, really interesting conversation, and I've been watching our students up front hanging on every word. They're like a mood meter on them as they listen to us talk. I want to talk just a little bit. I support Ms. Derenak-Kofax's motion, but I do want to talk about a couple of things because one thing that is, I think, maybe getting lost in this is that this really is a teachable moment, as Ms. Hines pointed out. We will fail the Jeb Stuart community and the students at Jeb Stuart High School if we don't explore... the whole discussion of the Civil War and how heroes were made and why they were venerated by the, so long after the war ended. Just, I mean, keep in context, Jeb Stuart actually wore the

208uniform of the United States prior to the Civil War. He was a West Point graduate. His ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War. His He died in battle. His son again put on the blue and fought in the Spanish-American War. I don't think there's any question in terms of patriotism, but we're looking at it through 21st century eyes and the decisions that he made as a person. You know, the concept of a union as we think of it today didn't exist prior to the Civil War and frankly... he made that decision based on, I think, his own personal judgment as a soldier. And I say that as someone who served myself for our country in war. My own father served two tours in Vietnam. My own father served two tours in Vietnam at a time when

209it was very controversial to participate in a war that many people viewed as unjust. I would find it very offensive if somebody wanted to judge my father based on his commitment to serving his country in Vietnam. I appreciate the support, but in the light of the time, let's please hold applause if you would. My own brother flew a combat mission and dropped a payload of bombs during the Gulf War. He did it out of duty to his country. I wouldn't want some future generation to judge his character based on a decision that they might not think that war was a just war. Another brother of mine was walking a road in Iraq and was nearly blown up by an improvised explosive device. He also served two tours during the Iraq War, and I would not

210want his character judged. in the future by people looking back and saying, wow, that was an unjust war. And I think everybody sitting here would not want Colin Powell judged based on his appearance in front of the UN Security Council where he explained why we needed to go to war in Iraq based on information that probably was just false, but at the time he was being a good soldier and serving his country. And he made a very strong case to go to war. And many people might say that war was unjust and many thousand Americans lost their lives and hundreds of thousands of the people who lived in Iraq lost their lives. I would think that we would not want to say, well, we cannot name a school, Colin Powell Elementary School. That was an

211unjust war. So I think we, all I'm saying is this, is that soldiers are soldiers because they've committed to serve. They're not making political decisions and political calculations. I don't believe. I didn't. I don't think anyone in my family did. And I think to judge an individual man, a man that was, frankly, such an outstanding cavalryman that other countries named their tank vehicles after him. I think that we're being a little unfair, and we're doing a disservice to our students if we don't explore this question. And I come to this issue, and I've said this as an agnostic on names, and the very first conversation I had as a school board member was with somebody talking to me about Jeb Stuart High School and wanting to change the name. And I heard the story that

212they told me, which was appalling. And I had conversations with Sandy Evans about the resolution that she put forward and had given her many, many comments on it, looked at it very seriously. And I think that this discussion needs to continue, and it needs to continue, as Ms. McLaughlin has said, with civil discourse. We can disagree on how we should interpret the history. We can disagree on whether or not we think Jeb Stuart was an appropriate name at any point in time in our history, but I think we should recognize that there are valid and different viewpoints that we need to share and communicate with each other because we shouldn't be in the business of judging people, even if they're long since dead. We really should look at this from a historical perspective and allow

213this to take its course. And we do need to bring in on the working group, as Ms. Hines said, members from the entire Fairfax community. We live in an area with perhaps the greatest experts on American history right here. They can contribute a great deal. We have clearly had elected officials, current and past, weigh in on this. Perhaps they want to join that conversation. So I think we do have the opportunity to have a wonderful, robust discussion. I would disagree that we are ready to take a vote tonight, but I'm also, at the end of the day, the community named Jeb Stuart. If the community decides to rename Jeb Stuart, then we should do it. But we need to let that process take its course and at this point I think what we all we

214know is that There was there was a group of dedicated students who's brought this to our attention there spent some polls in the done in the community and You know our own policy should be followed in this case So I'm gonna support mr. Nax Koufax's motion or amended motion or I mean substitute motion and I urge my other colleagues on that board to do as well thank you I then have two Kovacs miss Schultz miss Evans and then I will share my views the Schultz I'm reminded when I was a younger mother I didn't say young I'm still young younger and a trend started in my children's athletic youth athletic clubs. On the first or second practice, whoever was the team mom would collect the money for the end of the season for the trophies.

215And your first couple of seasons, there's a buy-in, and then something clicks, and you start asking questions about why is it that we're... paying now for the outcome that's undetermined. And everybody was doing it. It was popular, that's what we did. And it took year after year after year of saying, why are we presupposing the outcome here? Why don't we talk amongst ourselves and decide if we can just have the kids sign a lacrosse ball? if we could just have pizza after the last game. What is the need to show a deference and protect kids from everything that's wrong? That if they're the one uncomfortable kid, if they didn't win, we somehow have to get ourselves to the point where it's okay. And frankly, I think a lot of what we're seeing on our college

216campuses these days with the inability to have tolerance for other points of view comes back to what we're seeing right here, right now, which is it's okay for people to have a different opinion. And when I hear from kids who are being intimidated or bullied by community members or frankly even people in FCPS staff that they can't speak out to support the name of their school because the people who don't agree with them, tell them they're the bad ones. We have gotten ourselves so wrapped around the axle here as if we've lost our way. We have spent, and you can shake your head at me all you want, that's okay, but we can just have differences of opinion. That's why I thank Mr. Wilson for bringing us back to, you know, Is it that we're

217going to, and somebody else, maybe Ms. McLaughlin, brought up, you know what, if we're going to do this, you can't pick and choose which buildings you're going to go after. You either claim the moral high ground and confirm it with your community and say, we own this moral high ground. And I'm going to harken back to a comment that was made about 16 months ago. Whose morals? Whose morals? Taoist morals, your morals, Christian morals, whose morals? That if this is about moral high ground and it's right, then there's absolutely no way that we can do this one building at a time. You got to talk about Lee Highway. You got to talk about Fairfax County. You got to talk about Woodson. I got to talk about James Madison University. I got to talk about Lee

218High School and so on and so on. You don't get to pick and choose. If you have the moral high ground, you have it. And this is the absolute slippery slope of making the name on the building. And isn't it ironic that I just went through the stats of the kids that are made up in that building of 22% are white, 51% are Hispanic, 10.2% are black, 13.8% are Asian. 2.29% are something else, other. I don't know what other is, but it's other. Isn't that the victory? Isn't that where the moral high ground is? That kids are playing, going to the bathroom, on academic teams? best friends riding the bus together, creating a community that is diverse and robust that they themselves said 65% they don't want to change the name. That's the victory. We've

219arrived at the victory. So, you know, because I myself had created an amendment that looked very much like this. You know, I understand the notional understanding of wanting to go there, but you can't go halfway because if the resolution to rename the school is right, maybe Mr. Moon is right, you either name it, you vote right now, we're going to change the name, we know best, it doesn't matter what the community says, if 65% of the community says it and we claim the moral high ground and we're right, by God, we are going to rename that school. It doesn't matter what. But then the very next thing is put on our schedule, Lehigh School, Lehigh Way, go to the Board of Supervisors, petition every road, every building, every university in the Commonwealth of Virginia and

220the name of our very own county. Because you can't be, you can't split the moral high ground and claim one without going all the way to the other. And I think you're never going to get there. So let's get back to education. I have two more people who have not spoken yet. So I'll go to Ms. Palchak and then Ms. Chu. Palchak. Well, I was going to wait to speak on the main motion, but it does seem that very likely we will be voting on the substitute motion. So I will share my comments. A constituent of mine, Daniel Zim, who offered graciously that I could share his words, said, I know that a majority of those polled responded in favor of keeping the existing name. While that is some data to take into consideration, popular

221opinion should not be a single litmus test that determines the vote by a school board. As a political decision maker, I believe it is your duty to protect the weakest constituent members of the school district. At the time of the Brown v. Board of Education was decided in 1954 and even later during the 1960s when the Federal Civil Rights Act was enacted, segregationist laws and policies were overwhelmingly popular in the United States. That's according to poll data collected during those years. Yet neither the Supreme Court nor Congress nor President Johnson considered the popularity of these policies when voting to expand equal rights. The arguments that I have heard in favor of maintaining the name Jeb Stuart High School relate to the expense and inconvenience of changing the name. Yet when considering the expense, you should

222also consider that years of racial discrimination have exacted and continue to exact a very high economic cost on African Americans and other minorities. We no longer have segregated schools, but do we still have issues of discrimination and equity in our system? Absolutely. Will we always continue to struggle with limited resources for the needs of our students and our staff? Unfortunately, yes. Should those be reasons to not make the difficult decisions to ensure that our values are reflected in the names that we place in our buildings, on our athletic fields, and our diplomas? I don't believe so. As someone who believes strongly in linguistic relativism, the language that we use and the names that we place in prominence matter. As Ms. Evans stated and as she knows so well from her tenacious efforts to honor the

223work of our students and the improvement of our community change is hard. Being a change maker is hard. It happens with the work our advocates teachers staff and administration do every day to ensure our students have what they need with increasing pressure and decrease support for our teachers and for our families from our commonwealth. As we showed tonight in our vote in support of our retired substitutes, our teachers and all of our educators are the foot soldiers in the front lines of the battle toward a brighter future for every child in every one of our schools. Let us not forget that our budgetary challenges will not cease as our commonwealth, the same commonwealth that led our districts in massive resistance, continues to underfund our schools and lower the standards of quality for our students. Let

224us not forget that while we feel that deeply here in Fairfax, it is even more acute in the poorer school districts in Virginia. While we receive a smaller percentage of funds from our state, we are fortunate to live in one of the wealthiest counties in this nation, where we can raise local funds for our schools and public services. Tension is as difficult as change, and it sometimes divides our groups and our communities. But it is often a necessary part of change. Or can you and our nation are facing an unsettling time of racial tension and difficult conversations? Will we join in those conversations and be leaders in embracing a difficult look at our past as we shape our future? Or will we take the road of least resistance and leave history as the face of

225our future? There are ways to study and honor our past and grow and learn as a community. I hope that my fellow board members will join in leading our county to a more inclusive and respectful future and to support a working group to look at these issues and to help us find a more appropriate name for our schools and to help us find a way to support that. Thank you, Ms. Chu. I'm going to try to keep my comments brief, but I do think that the discussion has deviated from the main focus and the issue has been filtered down in that we're not trying to achieve some of a moral high ground, but the fact that students brought forth this comfort overrides other concerns in terms of monetary cost or... simply making change, but the

226fact that students brought forth the issue came in groups and our representatives of a group called Students for Change is something that should be recognized above all else. And we can look at the history of Jeb Stewart. We can look at the history of every name that the roads and the schools are named after. I come from Thomas Jefferson and I recognize that Thomas Jefferson was an owner of slaves. And we can look at the history of that, but the focus should still be the students of the now and not the students of the future. of 1954 or the students of centuries ago. So just again, keeping it brief, our main focus should be those who came forward to us today and a whole year ago, but still haven't seen a meaningful group put together

227like this. So, even though I can't vote, I do urge the group to consider having these representatives and the people of the now and the students of the now to put their opinions into a more meaningful place. Thank you. Everybody who has wanted to speak has been able to speak at least once. Yes? All right. We have a go back. Ms. Evans and Ms. Corbett-Sanders, and then perhaps I will take a turn. Well, I want to focus first on what my colleagues and I agree on, and we agree on a lot. One thing we can agree on is that Stuart High School is a wonderful place. It's a highly diverse and caring place, and I think we can all agree on that. We can all agree, too, that we value the continuing conversation to be

228respectful and civil from all sides. I did want to correct an incorrect figure that was used earlier in our survey. The percent of students who said they opposed the name change was 54%. So, and like the other groups, parents and community members, the number one concern that was voiced in the comments, as I said, I did read all of the comments, was cost. And the working group, whether it's Ms. Darinette Koufax or mine, they're very similar, dealing with the cost issue is key to moving forward, figuring out how to do it. But I did want to correct that figure. I do think that down the road it would also be wonderful if the school bore a name that engendered pride and enthusiasm in 100% of the students. Ms. Corbett-Sanders? I wanted to go back to

229what we're really talking about here. Neither one of the motions has a name change for Stewart High School on the table. Both motions have the establishment of a working group to evaluate a name change. The difference between the two motions It's really a few words that I think are important because they go to the core of how the school board makes decisions. This school board has a commitment to public engagement and community input. And so Ms. Darinak-Kofax's amendment states that the The two are consistent until you get to the addition of the process for evaluating whether the name should be changed should engage the community in a public and transparent manner. The second addition is that it says approve the creation of an ad hoc committee to consider renaming Jeb Stuart High School. The third

230change is to determine the extent of the support for change as was mentioned by Mr. Moon. And so as you can see, what this substitute motion does is really bring the motion to be consistent with the regulation and to support a community process that allows people to come together to build a consensus around this effort. And so I just wanted to make sure that people understand that this is really a motion to make it consistent with our regulation and to address some of the concerns that have been raised by community members that they were not engaged in the earlier process. They didn't understand what was going on. And so this really, to a certain extent, allows a broader engagement process for everybody to come together around an issue which is important to the Stuart community.

231Thank you. I think I will share my thoughts. I want to thank the students for bringing this forward and I agree with Mr. Chu. This is worthy of us to consider seriously. Our own students brought this forward. You've done your historical research. Another colleague of mine who has brought all the newspaper clippings of the 1950s. Thank you. We've had many people weigh in. on all sides of this issue. I do believe it is worthy of a continued conversation. I'm aware that Judge Clark in Stewart, Virginia, last summer removed a painting of Jeb Stewart from the courthouse. He didn't ask that his town be renamed or his courthouse be renamed. And he didn't ask that history be rewritten. But, quote, he said, He removed the picture to provide a trial setting that is perceived by all

232participants as fair, neutral, and without so much as a hint of prejudice. One of our student speakers tonight said that when she goes to the weight room and sees the painting of Jeb Stuart, she said, quote, this sends a message to me that what he fought for... is deemed heroic and patriotic, while my ancestors, being bought and sold like cattle, is okay because Jeb Stuart was a patriot. During the period of the 1950s and 60s, it was a sad time, it was a difficult time, and it was a dark time in Virginia. Brown versus the Board of Education partly began in Virginia. Prince Edward schools were closed. rather than integrate. To the credit of Fairfax County, while they dragged their feet, they went forward, but very slowly. In the 1950s and 60s, I was the

233same age as the young black students who with great courage had to begin the integration process. That was my first introduction to the making of history. I was frightened by those children. And I remember the pictures of the dogs and the water cannons. And those are the pictures that I have in my mind. Some years ago, Fairfax High School on their own got rid of their mascot, Johnny Red. And they got rid of the Confederate flag. The surname of Fairfax has historical history in our county, and that's fine. I certainly would not support changing a lot of names in history. Stuart has a surname, it's a fine Scottish clan name. There were many Scots who came as farmers, some of the early Europeans, to settle in Virginia. There was even a Governor Stuart, and he

234was back in the early 1800s, I'm not sure. And of course, there were kings and queens of England who were Stuarts, and in fact, their reign was at the dawn of the Enlightenment. So there are many names that are historical. in Virginia. We don't have to go back and change any of that or erase that. It is important that we tell history as it was because we learn from history. I do support continuing the conversation. Students brought it to us and I think we owe it to you to continue to talk about it. We know that some don't want to change, some want to change. I don't know if there is some agreement somewhere in the middle, but I think it is a worthy conversation. As hard as it is to continue. So I will

235support the substitute motion. And seeing no further folks wanting to speak, then I will call for the vote on the substitute motion. I don't think I'm going to reread the entire thing unless somebody wishes that. It is on the screen. So the motion on the table is the substitute motion as presented by Ms. Derenick-Colfax. All those in favor, please raise your hand. It is Ms. Hines, Ms. Palchak, Ms. Corbett-Sanders, Ms. Strauss, Ms. Evans, Mr. Moon, Ms. McLaughlin, Mr. Wilson, Ms. Darinat-Kofax, Mr. McElveen. Those opposed? Ms. Hoff, Ms. Evans. I'm sorry, Ms. Schultz. The substitute motion passes. So the substitute motion becomes the main motion. We need to take another vote on that. There is an opportunity to speak again if anybody wishes to raise something that has not already been spoken to. Seeing no more

236wishes to speak, then we will take the vote again. The substitute motion has become the main motion. So all those in favor of the main motion, please raise your hand. It is Heinz Palchak. Corbett Sanders, Strauss, Evans, Moon, McLaughlin, Wilson, Darinette Colfax, McElveen. Those opposed, Hoff, Schultz. The motion passes. Thank you very much. And I will give the back over to Ms. Evans. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Mrs. Strauss. We next move to the consent agenda. Our adopted rules of parliamentary procedure, Robert's Rules, provide for a consent agenda listing several items for approval of the board by a single motion. Many items listed have gone through board review and documentation has been provided to all board members and the public in advance. Items may be removed from the consent agenda at the

237request of any board member prior to the meeting. Item 5.01, appoint individuals to serve on committees as detailed in the agenda item. 5.02, approve policy 1810, benefits for school board members as detailed in the agenda item. 5.03, approve policy 2202, eligibility for enrollment as detailed in the agenda item. 5.04 award a contract for the West Potomac High School Chemistry Biology Labs Interior Renovation Project to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Webb Construction Company, Inc., in the amount of $572,000, and authorize the division superintendent or the assistant superintendent of facilities and transportation services to execute, deliver, and administer the contract on behalf of the school board. 5.05, accept the Virginia Department of Education designation of Fairfax County Public Schools as the Governor's Regional School for Science and Technology in Northern Virginia for 2016 and 2017. 5.06,

238approve the changes for 2016-17 for the following school board citizen advisory committees, adult and community education, advanced academic programs, career and technical education, facilities planning advisory council, FCEP head start, minority student achievement oversight, school health, students with disabilities, and title one district advisory council as detailed in the agenda item. 5.07. appoint Il-Young Moon voting delegate and Tammy Darinette Koufax alternate delegate to the Virginia School Boards Association 2016 annual conference. 5.08 confirm the separations for the period beginning June 1st 2016 and ending June 30th 2016 as detailed in the agenda item. 5.09 confirm the appointments and separations for the period beginning April 1st 2016 and ending June 30, 2016 as detailed in the agenda item. 5.10, motion to amend the closed session motions approved by the school board at the July 18th work session to add

239the phrase regarding a proposed regulation pertaining to transgender students at the end of the motions. Is there any objection to approving the consent agenda? Hearing and seeing no objection, the consent agenda is approved. Item 6, new business. The following are new business agenda items. There will not be a vote tonight on these items, but action is scheduled at a future meeting. 6.01, approve the policy on commercial, promotional, and corporate sponsorships as recommended by the governance committee and as detailed in the agenda item. 6.02, change family and early childhood education program, FCEP, head start from a board advisory committee to a superintendent's advisory committee. And we now turn to item seven, which is superintendent matters. I call on Dr. Garza. Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the board. My comments will be very, very brief. I

240just wanted to, you know, it's been a very fast summer already. Next week is our kickoff for the 2016-2017 school year. So we hope to see board members joining us for that wonderful event. We do have a great day, actually two days planned. for that day. We are focused on our portrait of a graduate and very innovative practices and 21st century skills and we have some national leaders on those topics who will be spending the day with us so we invite you all to come. We'll have over 2,000 of our school-based leaders and also central office leaders there learning together so we're looking forward to that. And I just returned from with Marty Smith. We went to the FAESP, our Elementary Principles Association, summer conference and enjoyed very much opportunity to learn. I think there

241were about 200, maybe 100 people, 200 people there. Enjoyed learning with all of them and having opportunity to get to know all of them even better. And then I just wanted to comment too that we were noted, we were notified that ERFC. Our educational employee supplemental retirement system has received a certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association. This is the highest form of recognition in government accounting and financial reporting. And that concludes my comments. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Dr. Garza. We now turn to board matters, and I call on Ms. Hines. I will pass tonight. Thank you. Ms. Palachuk? I... We'll pass except also want to remind us all here and in the community as we have emotional topics that we continue to be civil and

242in our civil discourse and to remember that our children are listening. Thank you. Mrs. Sanders? Mrs. Strauss? I am looking forward to the leadership conference next Wednesday. I will be there, and I hope to be there all day long. The school board now has our only recess for the year, but the school system is getting ready to get up and running for our children. So good luck to everyone. Dr. Garza, I wanted to share something that was sort of interesting. Part of my early years as a teacher, I taught in a private school over in Maryland called Green Acres. I just got their wonderful update for the year, and part of their lead-off is a portrait of a graduate of Green Acres. So the leadership that we have provided in Fairfax County and the Commonwealth

243of Virginia, and I hope in the nation, it seems to be going to some of our fine private schools as well. Thank you. Ms. McLaughlin. I just want to share with my colleagues that, you know, especially those of us who are truly at a full school board calendar year of having gone from September 1 all the way now to July 31st, that I hope you can enjoy the August recess, a chance to really recharge your batteries and spend some quality time with our loved ones that we do give up a lot of time. in terms of how much we love our work for the school system and so enjoy the extensive amount of time we spend with each other. But I do also hope, Dr. Garza, that what it means for you and your leadership

244team that your inboxes might be a little bit quieter from all of us as well. And I really do look forward to the start of the new school year in September, but encourage. All of my colleagues to think about your auto reply and at least give yourselves a week to decompress Mr. Wilson I just want to wish everybody an enjoyable break I look forward to the what you did this summer stories when we return for our next meeting so enjoy your break Mr. Nako back Ditto enjoy your break. Mr. McAveen Would you like to add to board matters? I yield my time to our superintendent. So I would just say that my heart goes out to the Stewart community due to the loss of two greatly beloved students. One is a former student, Austin Fitzpatrick,

245class of 2015. And shortly thereafter, Jeremy Munga. Both of them, he was a rising senior in the class of 2017. The Stuart community continues to mourn those students and former students. I want to compliment the Stuart administration for acting so quickly during this time to bring in counselors. to help students who needed extra help during that time to go through the grieving period. So I want to say on behalf of the board that our hearts go out to the families and friends of those two students. With that, this meeting is adjourned.