Blog Posts

Fox News reports what is happening in VB Schools and School Board Chair Rye and Vice-Chair Melnyk not allowing a resolution to be placed on the agenda to clarify equity training

5/19/2021

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Thank you to Fox News for getting the word out to the public regarding what is happening in Virginia Beach Schools. You can read their story here. It is difficult as a School Board member to get anything done when Chair Rye and Vice Chair Melnyk will not allow an agenda item to address concerns.

My colleague Carolyn Weems requested that a resolution be put on the agenda to address concerns regarding "equity" topics in Va Beach Schools, such as the concerns in this Fox News story. The resolution is below. Mrs Weems presented this agenda item well in advance of next week's meeting scheduled for May 25. Ms Rye indicated that she was concerned with getting this resolution out to the public in advance without context because it could cause "more misinformation and anxiety consternation". She said that if Mrs. Weems would like to make a request to add the item to the agenda at the May 25th meeting, she could but would need the Board approval to do so. So, why not add it now? Well, it appears that they don't want the public to have advanced notice. Perhaps the Chair and Vice-Chair want to prevent the public from having a voice. Total lack of transparency. Oh, and by the way, the public still cannot come to attend our meetings in person! I also believe it is a violation of the School Board By-Laws to disallow this agenda item.
ACTION NEEDED. PLEASE HELP:
We need the public to speak out. Please plan to attend the May 25th School Board meeting and rally in the parking lot AND SIGN UP to speak here. Here is the agenda. Please also write to the school board and tell them to add this topic to the agenda NOW!: vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com. Please also CALL the Chair and Vice-Chair and tell them to add the topic to the agenda. Their numbers are on the website here. Perhaps ask them what issues they have with the resolution?

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The Racial Healing Handbook: "Christian Privilege", "White Privilege", "Adultism" and more as a book study for teachers in a VA Beach School

5/18/2021

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My video on this can be viewed here.

A couple of months ago I was notified about a book study being conducted at one of our middle schools in Va Beach, using a book called The Racial Healing Handbook by Anneliese Singh. A citizen made a request under the Freedom of Information Act and received the emails on the topic. These e-mails revealed that over 25 teachers appeared to be participating in this book study that was led by the Assistant Principal and promoted by the Principal. When it was made public that this was happening, the School Board received a letter via email signed by 16 teachers at the school. These teachers were upset that their book study was discontinued.

So, I wanted to know first-hand what was in this book so I read it. I’m absolutely appalled by what is in this book and the public needs to know about this vile indoctrination that attacks Christianity, that attacks people because of the skin color they were born with, that attacks people who are heterosexual and monogamous, and more. Here are just a few of the outrageous topics:

Excerpts from the book on the topic of Christianity:

Religious identity (sometimes called spiritual identity) refers to the extent to which you identify or don’t identify with religion or spirituality—in essence your belief in whether God or some other higher power exists. Christian privilege is a hallmark of religious/spiritual privilege
In addition, people can enact religious privilege when they assume those under the atheist umbrella (e.g., agnostic, nonbeliever) are “wrong” or “misguided.”
Practice exercise for the reader: As you work to reduce religious privilege—either as a White person by using your racial privilege or as a person of color by using your own and others’ experiences of racism—what experiences, knowledge, or understandings do you need to keep in mind in terms of your religious identity intersecting with your race?

Excerpts on the topic of White Privilege and White Supremacy:

White supremacy is real, and the amount of melanin that you have in your skin signals something to the world about the societal norms that will be applied to your presumed race.
If you are a person of color, you have internalized negative messages and beliefs about your race, and if you are White, you have internalized a sense of dominance related to your race.
For White people, the phrase “internalized dominance” may be more accurate; racism, with its assumption of White supremacy, can lead to ignorance and disregard of other cultures and blindness to their own privilege.
When you are born, racism is already in place.
Denial about racism can look like White folks enacting White supremacy
Because racism is pretty much everywhere…. you will unexpectedly find yourself in what I like to call the “flow of racism.” (author’s words)

Excerpts on Adultism:

Adultism is the oppression of children, adolescents, and those who are perceived as young in society. Adultism manifests in the idea that children and adolescents must be controlled and don’t have agency over their own bodies and decisions

Now that you know a little about what is in this book, let me tell you what the teachers who wrote the letter to the School Board felt about their book study being discontinued (see full letter). They stated that they “know that Ms. Manning’s views are not shared by all of you (School Board), but we want to make you all aware..and express our concern about the future of equity, professional development and discourse in our school and the school system at large”. “Our nation and local community have been recently deeply impacted by racial injustice and unrest; though systemic racism has always existed, it is now impossible to ignore. We, as educators, must be part of the solution. How can we have conversations with our students if we cannot have conversations amongst ourselves?”

When my colleague and I questioned the Superintendent, he stated that this study was done after school hours on the teachers’ own time. However, the emails that were obtained clearly show that this book study was done during the “instructional leadership team” meetings DURING the school day. The Superintendent told us that this was a voluntary book study; however, e-mails seem to indicate otherwise. We did confirm that taxpayer dollars funded this book study. I also confirmed that not all teachers who participated in this book study wanted to be there and it made them feel very uncomfortable.

The Superintendent told me that the book study has not been terminated but “paused” in order “to allow the DOSL (Dept of School Leadership) and DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) teams to understand its intent and use”.

I am disgusted that religious liberties and civil rights have been violated in this way and that there is still consideration for allowing this book study to continue. I don’t know if there is any legal action that can be taken but we must all speak up and make sure this ends and that it doesn’t happen again.

I am joining with a couple of other colleagues in supporting the resolution below. We will need the public to speak up if you want the School Board to adopt this resolution in order to stop these things from happening in our schools.

Folks, it is past time to speak up. Please contact the School Board via e-mail: (vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com), call: phone numbers here, speak at the next meeting and let them know that this radical indoctrination must stop now!

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Collective Bargaining Substitute Resolution

5/10/2021

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At tomorrow's School Board meeting, a resolution will be made to defer collective bargaining and authorize unlimited funding to study the topic.

I will be making a substitute resolution to prohibit collective bargaining. My resolution is supported by 3 of my colleagues so far. If you are opposed to collective bargaining and/or you do not want the Board to spend taxpayer dollars on this topic, please write the Board and ask them to support this substitute resolution to prohibit collective bargaining. You may sign up to speak at this link before noon tomorrow. The agenda can be found here. You can also email your thoughts to the full board here: vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com

Substitute Resolution

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Collective Bargaining up for a vote THIS Tuesday May 11, 2021

5/7/2021

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The Virginia Legislature passed a law last year that allows localities to determine if they will permit or not permit collective bargaining for its public employees.

THIS Tuesday, the Virginia Beach School Board has on the agenda a resolution up for a vote. The resolution will permit the Superintendent and/or the City Attorney to hire consultants or acquire services to study or develop collective bargaining or related services and defer a final decision on the topic until next year. There is no maximum dollar amount set in the resolution for the spending.

The Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) is an organization that is typically on the left side of issues pertaining to education but they are against collective bargaining. The chief lobbyist for the VSBA stated in The Center Square “We are particularly concerned the collective bargaining will drive up costs and divert resources away from classrooms to be spent instead on lawyers and arbitrations and protracted bargaining,” Haney said. “We are also concerned that collective bargaining will have an adverse effect on student performance and that it can also be used to protect ineffective teachers.”

Some districts have had to set aside millions of dollars just for increased staffing, overhead and legal fees to just to manage the collective bargaining process.

The VBEA is the local union that represents just a very small fraction of Virginia Beach employees, yet they wield a lot of influence as a subsidiary of the NEA. They have 3 union members who are also members of the Virginia Beach School Board (Anderson, Riggs, Holtz). One of their union members is still listed on the VBEA website on their leadership page. Will these members recuse themselves from voting on this topic? They didn't recuse themselves from the closed session meeting on the topic at the last school board meeting (Anderson was absent). Just a reminder that this is the same union who fought very hard to keep school buildings closed and held a protest rally with the "grim reaper" walking around the administration parking lot stoking fear. Are these the people you want having control over public education?

ACTION ITEM:
If you oppose collective bargaining for public school employees, please send an email to the school board and tell them to not spend any money on collective bargaining and to vote to not permit it in any manner. Voting to defer will still cost the taxpayers money that should be going to the classroom not legal fees! If you believe that school board members who are also union members have a conflict in voting on this topic, please also let the board know.
vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com.

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Children overheating in masks

5/5/2021

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The School Board has received a number of messages from concerned parents related to their children overheating during recess/PE since they are being required to wear masks outside. I spoke to several of our state legislators on this topic. Thank you to Senator DeSteph for trying to bring some logic to these very valid health concerns brought to us by parents. I believe the Governor NEEDS to relax the mandate, especially for our children!

The response from School Board leadership has been:
Governor Northam's most recent edition (#6) of Executive Order 72 eases restrictions in a number of areas, some of which impact school operations. These include increasing the number of spectators allowed in indoor and outdoor events, reducing physical distancing requirements (graduation), and easing restrictions on who must wear a face covering (two weeks after full vaccination) and in what settings (outdoors, with immediate family or others who are fully vaccinated). Unfortunately, the face covering adjustments do not include schools per se.
With regard to the question of face coverings and PE or Recess now that the weather has grown warmer, districtwide requirements remain that all students and staff must wear a face covering when outside--but may “relax” wearing of a mask when 6’ distancing can be maintained. Any student or staff member may pull down or remove their face covering for a short period as long as they are at least 6’ from anyone else. Administration has observed that keeping kids away from each other for any extended period when playing in Recess or PE is problematic. Our students and staff have learned in general how to make these restrictions work for them. With only six weeks left in the school year, division leadership does not deem it prudent to make any further adjustments to any of our health and safety mitigations. The rationale in short is that these mitigations are working, as evidenced by our weekly COVID data.

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Wokeness and the radical agenda in Virginia Beach Schools

5/5/2021

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WOKENESS CHECKER

In the past, I have supported the idea of culturally responsive practices. The idea that we need to teach ALL history, even if it is related to dark spots of the past, to include issues such as slavery, the Trail of Tears, indentured servitude and more. I also felt that we should have more diverse representations in our curriculum. However, culturally responsive practices has become about implementing radical ideologies and we must stop it before it tears our country apart!

The Virginia Inquiry Collaborative (VIC) consists of several school districts including Virginia Beach Schools that came together to rewrite Virginia Social Studies Curriculum.

"Facing History and Ourselves" is an organization that partnered with the VIC to hold professional development for teachers. During the 20-21 School Year a memo was sent to all secondary principals from the VBCPS Dept of Teaching and Learning looking for social studies teachers to attend a professional development series with "Facing History and Ourselves" to address "historically rooted disparities". The partnership team for the professional development series included VA Beach Schools.

Facing History and ourselves advocates for the 1619 Project and other leftist ideologies and providing those resources to teachers. Check it out for yourself! They state on their website that we have a "white supremacist culture".

Click on this link to see the Professional Development for yourself. Workshop II includes the slide below. "The manifestation of a dominant narrative of whiteness is "white privilege" and “Whiteness” is not about skin color but about a narrative of privilege and supremacy". Also, "if we live in America, we are racism-breathers".

This is shameful that VB Schools is involved in such divisive rhetoric and I personally believe it is discriminatory. The EEOC's definition of discrimination is "Race discrimination involves treating someone (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because he/she is of a certain race or because of personal characteristics associated with race (such as hair texture, skin color, or certain facial features). Color discrimination involves treating someone unfavorably because of skin color complexion". The civil rights act states that No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Furthermore, the Virginia Inquiry Collaborative has lesson plans for "Equality". Their suggested reference material is a Gloria Steinem video advocating for abortion and the Gay Manifesto by Carl Whitman which includes the following excerpt:

Slide from Session II of "Equity in Teaching and Learning"

The whole slide presentation can be found here. The video of the training can be found here

Memos looking for teachers to participate

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Reading Data for VB High Schools

4/21/2021

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We must not give in to the cancel culture.... it's time to stand up and speak up to stop indoctrination in our schools

4/9/2021

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This is a longer message than normal, but please read until the end....

At the March 23rd School Board meeting, a number of School Board members used the public meeting time to attack and defame me. I have been speaking out against the social justice indoctrination and critical race theory ideas being implemented in our schools and I believe these Board members were trying to silence and "cancel" me because I am speaking up regarding what is really happening in our schools.

Their narrative is that I am spreading "misinformation" and that I improperly accessed teacher training sessions by using someone else's credentials and by using my son's chromebook, and more. Those are blatant lies and it is absolutely abhorrent that they would try to publicly shame me and use my son to do so. I am working with my attorneys now regarding what actions can be taken against these board members.

Furthermore, Beverly Anderson stated during the meeting that she would work to create a by-law to "police the members of this board". I will not allow my First Amendment rights to be attacked and as your duly elected representative on the School board, I will not give in and be silenced. The narrative is that I am lying about the social justice teachings and trainings being implemented. I believe the videos put out by the No Left Turn in Education organization and responses from school board members and administration speak for themselves and prove Social Justice Indoctrination and CRT are being implemented in our schools. I have spoken to a number of teachers who have endured these trainings and they fear reprisal if they speak up. I don't blame them, look at how I was attacked for speaking out!

In the March 23rd Board meeting, the person leading the implementation of the Equity Policy, the Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion made this statement: We have to get to a place in VA Beach where our teachers and our leaders and our school board members and OUR VIEWING PUBLIC understand that when we talk about privilege.... it's about acknowledging what it is, what is privilege, the rights that you have solely because of the color of your skin.

On March 19th, School Board member Beverly Anderson replied to a constituent's email that the intent of the teacher training was to help teachers understand their "innate racial bias".  Genesis 1:27 states that God created man(kind) in His own image. We are NOT innately racist and we should NOT be making those statements to teachers or to children. By the way, that particular training that told teachers they should "admit they are racist" was mandatory for Elementary Literacy Coaches, according to an email from the Superintendent!

Culturally Responsive Practices and Equity are being used as the terms of what is being implemented in VB Schools but I believe these are synonymous with the ideas of Critical Race Theory.

Many people have asked how they can help. Stay informed and keep the pressure on.
I encourage you to email the School Board (vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com). Let them know that their attacks against me are appalling. Let them know that they cannot restrict the free speech of an elected official and they should stop denying what is actually being implemented. I have proof on my website for all of the statements that I have made and it is not "misinformation" as my colleagues have accused. Read the information and watch the videos for yourself.

Some community members are organizing a rally against social justice indoctrination and critical race theory this Tuesday. Please consider attending and bringing friends. The details can be found here.

We need to stop the divisiveness and encourage unity among all people. We should be promoting equality for all and not using a person's skin color to degrade or divide. Our country is not perfect and the past sins should not be forgotten and should be taught in our history so we never repeat it. However, people of all skin colors fought and gave their lives to end the injustice of the past. We cannot perpetuate the narrative that we are an inherently racist country. We live in the greatest country in the world and people risk their lives daily to come here to this great land. We need to unite as Americans and stop the divisiveness of critical race theory teachings and ideas.

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What is the truth about CRT and teacher training in VB Schools?

4/2/2021

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CRT Fact Checker

At the last School Board meeting, there were many lies and hate spewed against me by my colleagues and about what is really happening in VB Schools. It is despicable that a Board who oversees the education of 65,000 children would act in this manner. I'm going to be releasing information that shows the lies that are happening. Here are just a couple examples:

During the meeting, my colleague Carolyn Weems asked these 2 questions of the Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI):

QUESTION 1:
--WEEMS: Is teacher training mandatory?
--DEI DIRECTOR: All teacher professional learning around culturally responsive practices (CRP) is optional.
--SUPERINTENDENT IN AN EMAIL TO A CONSTITUENT: The TRAINING THAT WAS POSTED by No Left Turn was a department level training for literacy coaches and it was MANDATORY. (However, he denies that it is CRP or CRT.) https://rumble.com/ve2wxb-vbcps-critical-race-theory.html

Question 2:
-- WEEMS: Is it going to impact a teacher's ability to get a promotion if they don't take the trainings for culturally responsive practices such as the Cultural Identity Master Badge?
--DIRECTOR OF DEI: All training is optional, it will not impact someone from receiving a promotion

THE TRUTH
DIVISION DOCUMENT FROM THE DEPT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING (DTAL)

"A demonstration of mastery in these areas, as identified by earning a master badge WILL BE A PREREQUISITE for job vacancies within the DTAL for coaching, specialist and/or curriculum coordinator positions. Furthermore, preferences will be given to teachers who have earned any of the above badges when applying for curriculum and/or textbook review committees or other DTAL-sponsored committees........

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Documents showing CRT & Social Justice Indoctrination in VB Schools

3/23/2021

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VB Schools leaders have stated that Critical Race Theory is not being implemented in our schools. I believe those statements are not truthful because I have proof that CRT IS taking place. I have also personally witnessed CRT classroom teachings. I will be providing links and documents that show CRT IS taking place in Va Beach Schools. I believe semantics are being used to cover up these teachings and trainings.
Here are just a few documents from trainings in VBCPS that mention Critical Theory.

This topic is on the agenda for discussion at this evening's formal meeting which begins 6pm. To provide your views to the board, send an email to vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com.

If you want a good definition of Critical Race Theory, please watch this video.

The Equity Policy promotes "Culturally Responsive Practices (CRP)". I've been asking for a definition of "CRP" but was given vague answers. This shows that CRP is actually Critical Theory.

Here are more examples of screenshots from teacher training in VBCPS in which Critical Theory is being pushed.

These are two documents given to teachers in a recent training of Virginia Beach Elementary School literacy teachers.

More VBCPS teacher training (Teaching Tolerance is from the radical Southern Poverty Law Center)

This is a VDOE training that teachers across the state participated in (including VB Teachers). Talking about "Interrogating Whiteness"

Documents provided to teachers during Feb 2021 teacher training

Statement from a VB Teacher

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Victoria Manning VB School Board Campaign Statement in response to the Virginia Beach Democrat Committee

3/22/2021

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We condemn the baseless and false statements made on March 13th against Victoria Manning by the Virginia Beach Democrat Committee. This organization claimed that Mrs. Manning made "incendiary racially motivated attacks" against a fellow Board member. These claims have zero basis in fact and it is egregious slander against Mrs. Manning who is an esteemed member of the Virginia Beach School Board.

Mrs. Manning previously spoke out against a statement in the Virginian Pilot that stated: "it has been “very frustrating” to hear speaker after speaker at school board meetings — a largely white crowd — push for in-person learning, arguing it will most help the kids who are on the wrong end of the achievement gap."

Mrs. Manning felt that statement was marginalizing certain citizens and students based on skin color. Mrs. Manning has taken a stand against teachings in Virginia Beach Schools that she believes are racist and divisive. For example, recent teacher training told teachers they should "admit they are racist" and they should recognize the "privilege" they have based on their appearance. Mrs. Manning has seen first-hand Social Justice and Critical Race Theory types of teachings and trainings happening throughout Virginia Beach Schools at all levels. She will continue to stand firm against this radical leftist indoctrination and fight for all people to be recognized for the content of their character and not the color of their skin. School Board members and administrators are denying that CRT exists in our schools. Either they don't understand the definition of CRT or they are trying to hide the truth.

If you would like to stand with Mrs. Manning against the radical indoctrination of our students and teachers, send an email to the Virginia Beach School Board: vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com. If you have specific examples of Critical Race Theory or Social Justice teaching/training happening in VBCPS please speak up.

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Stop the Marxist indoctrination of our students!

3/11/2021

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Please sign this petition and share. Details in the petition on what is happening in Virginia Beach and throughout the Commonwealth!
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopCRT

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Update on Budget and Poll Results

2/24/2021

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Based on conversations in last night's Board meeting, it does appear that a vast majority of School Board members support the administration's recommendation regarding the proposed $1 billion budget and a declining student enrollment. It appears that a vast majority of the Board supports all employees including the Superintendent and Senior administration to receive a 5% raise.

While I believe that we need to remain competitive in teacher/employee pay in order to recruit and retain employees, I also must consider the burden placed on those whose pockets the money is being taken. I am always aware that the funds being used come from the taxpayer and I take very seriously that fact.

I can't forget that many citizens have suffered over the last year. Businesses have closed and people have lost their jobs. Parents have had to sacrifice financially to be at home with their kids or to pay extra day care costs because our schools have been closed. Housing costs/assessments have increased and put a higher burden on citizens to pay their property taxes.

I pray that we can sustain this level of spending and that it is not a future burden that will be harmful to students.

The results from my poll are below. Unfortunately, I received a low response and we only had a handful of speakers and messages on the budget issue over the last couple of months.

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Budget Poll-- Need your input

2/18/2021

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Please consider providing your input.

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School Reopening Update

2/11/2021

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At Tuesday's Board meeting I asked the Superintendent several questions that I have been receiving from the public and I wanted to share the responses with everyone.

1. What are the plans to return all Option 1 Middle and High students to 4-5 day a week in person learning for this school year? Answer-- no plans to do so unless VDH/CDC changes guidelines

2. What plans are being made to return all students to in-person learning this fall? Answer-- cannot make those decisions now

3. What are plans for this year's graduation ceremonies? Answer-- We have reserved the convention center and must give a final answer to them by March. Alternate plans being made by principals at individual schools.

4. When can other in-person activities (non-athletic) resume? The Board will be provided an update on this plan at our board meeting in 2 weeks.

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Governor's Statement on Reopening Schools

2/5/2021

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I have received a lot of questions related to the Governor's comments over the last couple of days regarding reopening of schools. Today was the first time I have received any correspondence from the Governor's office on this recent topic. Attached is the letter I received today. I am thankful for this statement by the Governor but I believe it should have come months ago. As he said in his press briefing, our students are suffering from a loss of learning and mental health impacts of isolation (and have been for a while).

At this point, I do not have any further information but I will continue to advocate for our students to get back to school for more in-person learning as soon as possible.

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2021-22 Budget Discussion

2/3/2021

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Attached below are a few pages from the SEON (Superintendent's Estimate of Needs). The full document can be found here. First a summary of how the budget process works.
1. Feb 2: The Superintendent along with his staff presents the SEON to the School Board
2. The School Board begins to review the budget documents and to ask questions.
3. Feb 9: The public is provided an opportunity to share their input at a public hearing-- (signups are not yet open but when they are (probably Thurs evening) you can find them at this link). Citizens can also share their input to the whole board via e-mail at vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com.
4. Weekly Tuesday workshops are held on the budget topic for Board members to discuss and have questions answered
5. March 2: The Board votes on the Operating Budget and the CIP (Capitol Improvement Program).

I have not had an opportunity to dive into the information yet but here is a brief overview of the proposed SEON:

--All employees: proposed 4.5% Cost of Living increase and a .5% step increase for those reaching or below top of scale.
--Increased allowance for advanced degrees
--Upgrade School Counseling Department Chairs
--Move all custodians up one pay grade
--Additional guidance counselor positions (13 ES and 3 MS)

--Total SEON is just over $1 billion, an increase of almost 10% from last year's budget of $915 million
--2020-21 per pupil expenditure was $13,204. 2021-22 proposed per pupil expenditure is $15,020.
--2019-20 student enrollment was 66,816. 2020-21 enrollment is 63,836

UNMET Needs
--There is a list of items in the document attached that are not funded in the current proposed SEON. For the last several years I have been advocating for increasing additional duty supplements and this was at the top of my list. It still remains on the Unmet needs list.

When I am reviewing these budget documents, I am trying to balance what is most important for our students and also how it will impact taxpayers. The Superintendent highlighted in his presentation that we have served millions of free meals to the children of our district over the course of the last year. We also have approx 40% of our population on free and reduced lunch. I want to be sure that increased spending does not negatively impact our citizens who are already struggling and the spending must be sustainable.

I also value the community's input on this topic. I just ask that if you are making a request for additional spending, please provide a suggestion on where to find that additional money. I will say up front that I will not support a tax increase with an already 10% budget increase.

Please email the Board with your feedback: vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com.

*I will address the CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) separately.

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Education Empowerment Scholarships

1/18/2021

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Click on "Education Empowerment Scholarships" below to send prefilled email to all Delegates on the Education Sub-Committee in support of HB 2225. You can also amend the email with your own verbiage. (Please be sure to add your mailing address to the email so they know you are a resident of VA)

Education Empowerment Scholarships

In order to provide direct comments on the bill, just go to this website and select the box HB2225 and then press next. You will be able to provide direct comments. Additionally, I have been informed that this will first be heard in subcommittee.

Del Glenn Davis of Va Beach is sponsoring a bill (HB2225) that will allow state tax dollars to follow the student. Specifically, it would allow state money to be allocated to students with special needs and students of active duty military members who choose to remove their children from public school. Currently, the average per student State allocation is approximately $4100.

Students with special needs often do not receive the services they need in order to succeed. Additionally, military students often do not have a choice of what school they can attend and may be forced into failing schools without any other options. Under this legislation, these students would have an option. With these Education Empowerment Scholarships, parents could use this money for their children to attend private school, homeschool, therapy services, tutors, etc.

This legislation will soon be heard in Sub-Committee. Please consider sending an email of support for this legislation. Full bill details can be found here. HB2225.

3 Comments

Return to school further delayed

1/13/2021

7 Comments

Summary of 1/12/20 School Board meeting on the topic of returning Option 1 students to school:

* Original motion made was to approve the Superintendent's amended plan that was changed just a few hours prior to the meeting. There was consensus among Board members that we didn't want to give him the authority to make changes to dates that would be set. Original motion was never voted on

* I made a substitute motion to approve the plan presented to the Board last week that has been supported by over 30 local esteemed physicians. Failed 4-7

* Ms. Weems made a substitute motion to approve Dr Spence's amended plan provided a few hours before the meeting to change the start dates by 2 weeks but to remove his authority to change the dates. I made the second to approve. Motion never voted on

* Ms. Owens made another substitute motion passed to her in a note by Bev Anderson. This motion was to approve the amended plan with start dates for first group of Feb 1 and second group Feb 22; however, there are stipulations. All 5 mitigations strategies must be met AND infection rates must have a 7 day decline before students are allowed to return to school. No details were given in the motion regarding the details of how those 7 days are measured. Motion passed 6-5 (nay votes-- Weems, Rye, Manning, Hughes, Franklin).

At the last minute, just hours before the School Board meeting, the Department of Health Director changed her view and stated that she could not support the plan proposed last week because her office could not do proper COVID tracing during the current metrics. Dr Spence told us late in the night that prior to the holiday break, he asked the VB Dept of Health if there was anything that VB Schools could do to help with contact tracing. It is now weeks later and he still has not received an answer from them. I fear that this organization will continue to prevent our students from returning to school and feel that we are letting 1 person's voice drown out the advice from over 30 other physicians who have indicated that students are safer IN school and that they believe community metrics could decline with students back IN school. Additionally, Chesapeake has already begun their employee vaccinations. VB will not even begin for at least 2 more weeks (possibly more) and there must be 4 weeks between the 1st and 2nd dose. City Council in their meeting last night expressed their frustration with the VDH vaccine rollout in VB.

If you want to get students back to school contact your state legislators to let them know this is not acceptable. Legislators on both sides of the aisle have called for not approving additional funding if students do not return to in person learning

7 Comments

Physician letter of support

1/11/2021

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I just received permission from these physicians to share this letter publicly. I have received numerous additional letters of support similar to this.

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Fox News reports what is happening in VB Schools and School Board Chair Rye and Vice-Chair Melnyk not allowing a resolution to be placed on the agenda to clarify equity training

The Racial Healing Handbook: "Christian Privilege", "White Privilege", "Adultism" and more as a book study for teachers in a VA Beach School

My video on this can be viewed here.

Collective Bargaining Substitute Resolution

Substitute Resolution

Collective Bargaining up for a vote THIS Tuesday May 11, 2021

Children overheating in masks

Wokeness and the radical agenda in Virginia Beach Schools

Furthermore, the Virginia Inquiry Collaborative has lesson plans for "Equality". Their suggested reference material is a Gloria Steinem video advocating for abortion and the Gay Manifesto by Carl Whitman which includes the following excerpt:

Slide from Session II of "Equity in Teaching and Learning"

Memos looking for teachers to participate

Reading Data for VB High Schools

We must not give in to the cancel culture.... it's time to stand up and speak up to stop indoctrination in our schools

What is the truth about CRT and teacher training in VB Schools?

Documents showing CRT & Social Justice Indoctrination in VB Schools

More VBCPS teacher training (Teaching Tolerance is from the radical Southern Poverty Law Center)

This is a VDOE training that teachers across the state participated in (including VB Teachers). Talking about "Interrogating Whiteness"

Statement from a VB Teacher

Victoria Manning VB School Board Campaign Statement in response to the Virginia Beach Democrat Committee

Stop the Marxist indoctrination of our students!

Update on Budget and Poll Results

Budget Poll-- Need your input

School Reopening Update

Governor's Statement on Reopening Schools

2021-22 Budget Discussion

Education Empowerment Scholarships

Return to school further delayed

Physician letter of support

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My video on this can be viewed here.​

Substitute Resolution

​Furthermore, the Virginia Inquiry Collaborative has lesson plans for "Equality". Their suggested reference material is a Gloria Steinem video advocating for abortion and the Gay Manifesto by Carl Whitman which includes the following excerpt:

​Slide from Session II of "Equity in Teaching and Learning"

Memos looking for teachers to participate

More VBCPS teacher training (Teaching Tolerance is from the radical Southern Poverty Law Center)

This is a VDOE training that teachers across the state participated in (including VB Teachers). Talking about "Interrogating Whiteness"

Statement from a VB Teacher

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Archives

Categories

My video on this can be viewed here.

Furthermore, the Virginia Inquiry Collaborative has lesson plans for "Equality". Their suggested reference material is a Gloria Steinem video advocating for abortion and the Gay Manifesto by Carl Whitman which includes the following excerpt:

Slide from Session II of "Equity in Teaching and Learning"