One Bad Apple for Fairfax County Schools

By: Kindler
Published On: 10/24/2007 7:00:00 AM

Students, teachers and parents need strong advocates on the School Board.  The Fairfax County School Board, dominated by Democrats, includes a lot of advocates - plus a few crusty Republican hold-outs.

One of those conservative leftovers is Tessie Wilson, the entrenched incumbent of Fairfax's Braddock District.  The following anecdote that I heard sums up why she deserves to be expelled:

At the Fairfax County School Board's Work Session on October 15, Superintendent Jack D. Dale presented a list of programs and their costs and asked the members to provide a "sense of the Board" to help him come up with a budget proposal to close the $105 million deficit projected for 2009.

Each member was asked to state their priorities by naming a few things that they would not be willing to cut.  Every School Board member, except one, named several budget items that they would defend. But not Tessie Wilson.  She was the only member who could not list a single thing that she would defend from the budget ax in defense of Fairfax County schools - not teacher salaries, not class sizes, not full-day kindergarten, nothing.
Time for an alternative to this Republican relic?  Luckily, there is one - Liz Griffith, a former high school teacher and a veteran of the Jim Webb campaign, is running against Wilson, with a full platform stating clearly how she will fight for our schools. Her priorities include reducing class sizes, keeping full-day kindergarten on track, and working for later start times for high school students.  As she makes crystal clear, she will not cut teacher salaries or cost of living raises.

Liz has run an energetic and intelligent campaign, including her listening tour of 16 schools and her thoughtful platforms on issues ranging from special education to No Child Left Behind.  No wonder that she has garnered endorsements from the Fairfax Education Association, Fairfax County Federation of Teachers and other key groups and officials. 

Good schools require good leaders.  That's why it's time to erase Tessie Wilson from the board -- and chalk Liz Griffith up to it!

Comments



Liz!!!!! (code - 10/24/2007 9:38:09 AM)
Liz is an incredible candidate! Hardworking, intelligent, highly educated, articulate, energetic... need I go on? She's a "good apple," and if you live in Braddock, she deserves your vote on Nov. 6.


Saw a Debate this week (Ben - 10/25/2007 8:17:27 AM)
Liz was great on stage, and is horrid one on one.  I've tried to talk to her three or four times in this campaign and everytime I leave the conversation disgusted.  Yet on stage, she was better than any of the other 11 school board candidates this year.  Weird.


A Good Crisp Intuitive Apple is our Liz (Tania - 10/24/2007 11:58:45 PM)
Thanks for this diary Ken.  I have been to many meetings with Liz as well as others handled by her opponent.  The difference between the two is that I have left demoralized during the meetings handled by her opponent and have been uplifted during ones handled by Liz.  This is because Liz is very intuitive and knows how to make people feel comfortable around her because she listens well.  I would like to especially point this out because I am very impressed and proud that she has received an endorsement from SLEEP.  As a former employer who sought out HS students that attended alternative schools so that they can make a difference in their lives as well as HS students who wanted to gain experience in the work force, I saw how tired these young folks would become by 9 or 10pm.  That is because they would be getting up at 5 am or so to catch a bus (not everyone drove) to be in class.  I used to feel really bad for them but our business was open till 10:30pm.  You don't have to take my word for it but next time you see a young person ask them how they felt about juggling their work and academic schedule. 

By not aggressively pursuing the concerns raised and solutions offered by SLEEP, the School Board's leadership is doing a huge dis-service to our young people who are ready to embrace a new world in their lives.  The SLEEP endorsement for Liz comes as no surprise to me as they mention in their endorsement letter "Liz Griffith is the clear choice for Braddock District parents, students and teachers who want to see reasonable, healthy school schedules for all of our students." [posted on www.lizgriffith.com]

Yes, unfortunately, it takes an intuitive person to get through the cloud and smoke of not having enough buses and difficult routes as excuses to step up and make a real difference in the lives of our future leaders who are eagerly waiting to embrace the rest of the world.  Let's give them a great send off by getting Liz elected as School Board Member from Braddock.  We all have friends and people we know in different parts.  Even if you cannot vote for her, call or write an email a friend or someone you know in Braddock and ask them to vote for Liz.

Not only is our Liz a good apple but she is intuitively crisp one!  This is why I have been volunteering and supporting Liz.  I hope you would take a moment to check out www.lizgriffith.com and vote for Liz Griffith and our slate of great Democratic candidates on Nov. 6. 

Thank you for reading this post.
Tania



Liz is okay but she doesn't get it (OrangeFish - 10/25/2007 3:45:28 PM)
Liz is okay but she doesn't get constituent service.  She doesn't get FAIRFAX COUNTY schools as every question that one asks her, she compares things to Chapel Hill, NC.  It's a pity that Liz didn't run for an at-large spot.  Tessie Wilson really delivers for the parents and kids of Fairfax County, and there are some at-large members that really need to get the boot.