Nine Questions and My Answers about LCPS

Two days ago, a neighbor picked up a flyer I put in his newspaper box and sent me nine questions. With his permission, I share our Qs & As here as a blog. I know these questions are also concerns of many.

1.  Where is money coming from for mental health and special needs?  I support those elements.

Sam: LCPS has a $2B budget for 2025 and the superintendent is making almost half million a year salary alone. There are a lot of waste that can be reallocated and repurposed. 

2. Merit based grading.  No "participation" award?

Sam: Why do we need "participation" award? Children need to know things are earned by hardworking, not deserved because of some entitlement or simply to make them feel good. That's called spoiling - what happened when the country and society need them to perform, to contribute? 

3. Explain position on discipline, including what infractions require suspension, expulsion.

Sam: students need to know wrong from right. Parents are responsible for educating their children at home, including discipline. They should agree that children will be disciplined for bad behaviors.    

4. How do you teach non-English speaking student while not slowing down teaching for English speaking students.

Sam: Thank you for this question. One idea came to me after I read your email. For Math and science classes, for example, why don't we hire STEM teachers from abroad to teach in Spanish to the ESL students, also to solve the STEM teacher's shortage?  I posted the idea on social media to see how people think. Again, thanks for the question.

5. Safety - would you consider having teachers armed that volunteer?

Sam: No. Teachers shouldn't and don't have to arm. We can have armed resource officers in each elementary school, like for each middle and high school. Gun issue cannot be solved in another one hundred years; we cannot wait for things to happen. 

6. No boys in girl's lockers or sports.  What is your position?

Sam: It's common sense, isn't it? the issue has divided our community, and we have lost focus on education.

7.  What is your position on student's right to free speech?

Sam: Don't interrupt routine education. They can join their parents in those political activities after school.

8. What are your thoughts of integrating trade school into school.  Loudoun has very limited access to trade education.

Sam: Eagle Ridge middle school just lost a wonderful, wonderful tech ed teacher due to retirement. He taught both my sons (11 years apart). I don't think we can find enough good tech ed teachers - nationwide. Just like STEM teacher shortage.  I think we have to work with the local business community, hiring back retired teachers as mentors. I really want to see some of the vocational classes at AOL can be moved back to each high school to allow more access, and open AOL to community college even.

9. What is your position on religious freedom in the school?

Sam: Students should be allowed to form religious clubs at school.