Blog Posts

Children overheating in masks

5/5/2021

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.

Wokeness and the radical agenda in Virginia Beach Schools

5/5/2021

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

Reading Data for VB High Schools

4/21/2021

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

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.

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

4/2/2021

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........

Documents showing CRT & Social Justice Indoctrination in VB Schools

3/23/2021

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

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

3/22/2021

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.

Stop the Marxist indoctrination of our students!

3/11/2021

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

Update on Budget and Poll Results

2/24/2021

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.

Budget Poll-- Need your input

2/18/2021

Please consider providing your input.

School Reopening Update

2/11/2021

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.

Governor's Statement on Reopening Schools

2/5/2021

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.

2021-22 Budget Discussion

2/3/2021

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.

Education Empowerment Scholarships

1/18/2021

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.

Return to school further delayed

1/13/2021

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

Physician letter of support

1/11/2021

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

New study shows that it is safe for both students and staff to return to in-person learning.

1/10/2021

I have received quite a few emails from physicians in support of returning students to the classroom. They have indicated that it is safe for both students and staff. Here is an excerpt from one of the messages I received from a local ER Physician not associated with the current medical team advising our School Board.

There is also another new release from Harvard Doctors on the topic

THERE WERE NO CASES OF CHILD-ADULT WITHIN SCHOOL TRANSMISSION.

From a local ER Physician:

I was actually surprised to find that the evidence is overwhelming in demonstrating that in person learning is SAFE for both students and staff. In fact, a new study just came out on January 8, 2020 in the American Journal of Pediatrics that I believe is very relevant to the opening of schools. I want to the highlight the following from that study:
-      This study examined 11 school districts in North Carolina (with nearly 100,000 students/staff) open for 9 weeks of in-person instruction.
-      The study tracked secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the local health department.
-      Through contact tracing, NC health department staff determined only 32 out of 773 infections were acquired within schools.
-      There were no cases of child-to-adult within-school transmission.This means not a single child gave a teacher an infection.
-      Most of the cases of secondary transmission in ABC district were related to absent face coverings.
-      The counties housing the school districts had considerable community transmission at the time.
-      The author concludes,“Our data indicate that schools can reopen safely if they develop and adhere to specific SARS-CoV-2 prevention policies.”
During an ongoing pandemic with widespread community transmission, cases of COVID-19 will occur regardless of whether schools are in- person or not. A key question exists for the Board: Is the within-school spread of COVID-19 greater, equal to, or less than that observed in the broader community??? I can tell you with certainty that studies unequivocally demonstrate that it is less and it is actually safer for children and teachers to be in school, where mitigation is consistent.

Workshop on Jan 5th-- Reopening Schools and Union Demands

1/1/2021

The School Board will meet and discuss proposed changes to the "Fall 2020 Reopening Plan" on Jan 5th at 4pm. The proposed changes have not yet been presented to the Board. However, we have received the demands from the VBEA Union (see below).* The VBEA is a subsidiary of the NEA and has been fighting hard to keep our students out of school. The most recent list of demands are arbitrary, unreasonable and not based in science. Several current School Board members have very close ties to the VBEA including continued membership in the organization.

Multiple physicians recently advised our Board that keeping children out of school is causing harm and that COVID spread is NOT occurring in schools. VBCPS, through the CARES Act, has spent millions of dollars to be able to safely return our students back to school (plexiglass, PPE, cleaning supplies, and more). Yet our classrooms remain empty and our children and families are suffering.

Nowhere in this message below from the VBEA President does it mention the long lasting negative impacts of continued closures on students. Achievement gaps continue to widen, anxiety and depression continue at all time highs and obesity in children will all have a lasting impact.

I do not blame teachers for the decisions that have been made. Most teachers want to be back in the classroom and I do not believe the VBEA represents even close to a majority of teachers. I believe most teachers are making lemonade out of lemons. However, students are continuing to fall behind and are NOT receiving the same type of instruction they would in-person. Especially our students with special needs and students in specialty programs such as Vo-tech.

**** The VBEA wants to "adjust curriculum standards and pacing guides"! Our students are already behind and the VBEA wants to continue to lower the bar??

**** VBEA wants parents/taxpayers to pay for childcare for employees. How many other employers are paying childcare expenses for employees while parents have to be home with their kids? The funding comes out of the taxpayers' pockets--- it doesn't grow on trees! What about parents and students?

You can provide your input regarding the VBEA demands to the School Board at vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com.

*I always get comments that state: "VBEA is not a union". They are a subsidiary of the NEA (National Teacher's Union). If you are a member of the VBEA, you are automatically a member of the NEA. See photo

Winter Sports-- Action needed

12/21/2020

As an athlete and the parent of athletes, I know first hand how important the sports season is to our teens. I fear what will happen if the winter season is canceled. Our teens are already at the brink and many haven't been in a classroom for over 9 months. Parents and coaches, this is a good segment on WAVY to watch.

VBCPS is planning to cancel the winter sports season, a final decision will be made tomorrow.

It is my viewpoint that our youth athletes are safer in school and safer playing their sports. Physicians advising our Board told us that it is causing harm keeping our kids out of school. I have read about teens around the country committing suicide after their sports seasons were canceled.

If you believe our youth should still have a winter sports season (even if you don't have a HS athlete), please email (ASAP) the
VB School Board: vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com
Superintendent Aaron Spence: aaron.spence@vbschools.com
Chief Schools Officer Donald Robertson: donald.robertson@vbschools.com

MOST IMPORTANT: PLEASE HAVE YOUR ATHLETE SEND AN EMAIL!!!

click "Please allow Winter Sports to Move Forward" below to send an prefilled email.

Please allow Winter Sports to Move Forward

Meeting Summary 12-15-20 Reopening Schools

12/16/2020

Physician Presentation-- 3 local doctors on our advisory panel (2 pediatricians and 1 ER physician) are strongly in favor of school reopening. They stated that science now shows closings schools causes harm. Childhood obesity caused by isolation will have long lasting negative impacts on health, ER departments are overflowing with mental health patients due to psychiatric facilities being at their highest levels ever (increasing at the highest rate ever). Pediatric mental health problems, suicides and suicidal ideations are at all time high. They felt that students are safer in school and that they are not transmitting the virus to each other or to staff. They also favor keeping the virtual option and continuing with the mitigations that have been put in place.
Director of VB Dept of Health- Dr Demetria Lindsay also gave her point of view. She said that she wasn't opposed to reopening schools but felt that it had to be done in a measured approach and was concerned about the community numbers.
The Superintendent seems to want to get schools open but also wants the support of Dept of Health. He also presented an idea of having a safety audit team that would monitor schools compliance with mitigation measures. I thought that was a good idea.
Several Board members still seem opposed to reopening.
Sports: A decision will be made by Dec 22nd regarding whether or not to cancel Varsity winter sports. It does not sound promising that they will happen.

The next scheduled school board meeting will not take place until Jan 12th. It was asked if the board could meet sooner and the chair is contemplating that question. If you want our kids back to school asap and want winter sports to continue, please email the school board. vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com