Image from above showing the side view of the new high school prototype.Prince William eastern end school board members, most notably Lily Jessie (Occoquan), Loree Williams (Woodbridge) and Chairman Ryan Sawyers, essentially told Western Prince William residents they will get nothing from them in coming years.
Supervisor Pete Candland (R-Gainesville) offered that the BOCS could to help fund the PRICE model to the tune of $10.7 million. He also offered to find an eastern elementary site even if that meant selling off county land. Finally, he said his board would like to help to finance a new eastern elementary school.
However, that apparently was not good enough for some school board members. Ms. Jessie even called it “shameful” since she felt the supervisors had not done more to help elementary schools in her district, previously.
The editorial staff at Bristow Beat thinks it is high time the local elected officials start working together and drop the grudge politics.
I was going to write a straight-forward article about this, but that has been done before, and I feel a certain responsibility to be the voice of reason.
The PRICE model has been discussed three times before the school board, and each time, the same people had brought up the same issues.
I would, however, like to point out where the façade had begun to crack.
While Supervisor Candland told his board the objections to the school were about money, the school board discussion proved that untrue.
Some confirmed what we all had long suspected: that the pushback against the larger high school has always been a battle between east and west.
Williams, who previously said she was in favor of a better school design (likely, looking towards the 14th high school) admitted, Tuesday, that she is responding to a perception of inequity between eastern schools compared to newer, more expensive western schools.
Whether it is true or not, the perception is alive and well in her district.
That’s a problem. Because if parents in the eastern districts are screaming: “the west has everything!” it’s going to be near impossible to get anything the districts needs to accommodate their growing populations.
I do not think the eastern end of the county has been purposefully been excluded. The area has previously been built up, making it difficult to secure land for new schools to be built upon.
However, when I taught at an eastern high school, I too felt there was some kind inequity at work. Back even before Patriot was built, we called the Kelly Center the “Emerald City.”
I gave it some thought and came up with other ideas on how eastern schools could be given more. At that time, I didn’t feel I was qualified enough or knew enough to go to the school board and state my opinion. Now, I realize that was foolish. I had some good ideas.
When new schools open they are often equipped with the latest technology. Why not spend some of that money in the east as well?
When Colgan opened, there was so much talk of the cost of their new piano. Why was the same kind of money as never put into existing programs at older schools?
These are the questions the school board should be asking of the administration and then demanding the changes they want to see occur.
The truth is that denying the west an adequately sized, modern school, won’t do anything to improve conditions on the other side of the county.
It would be much more beneficial if everyone took a step back and realized everyone has needs. On the west, it is more seats for high school students; on the east, it is more seats for elementary students and the updating of older high schools (also needed at Stonewall Jackson.)
Candland was trying to meet those needs for all students. He is attempting to do something good, but he needs to be met halfway.
Chairman Sawyers said the board of county supervisors should have allocated more money during the normal budget.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. We can only go forward, and while going forward, try to build a stronger relationship between the boards so everyone can get more of what they want this budget cycle.
Many have said, children aren’t Democrats or Republicans, they are kids and they deserve a good education. That is all it really boils down to.
I’m not one to give up easily. I don’t believe that is how a representative democracy works. Citizens always have a voice; always have a say.
Contact your school board members, your supervisor and your school board chairman. Let them know you want them to work together for all students in the county.
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