What “Stakeholder Groups” Does the School Board Seek Input From?

In formulating policy, the Fairfax County School Board and administrators will sometimes seek input from “stakeholder groups,” i.e., community groups that have an interest in the policies under review.  Who are those groups?

In 2020-2021, the School Board undertook a massive review and revision of school curricula for the purpose of devoting more attention to “anti-bias and anti-racism education.”  In connection with that process, the relevant “stakeholder groups” were identified.  Fairfax Schools Monitor obtained the stakeholder list under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

The list can be found HERE

Dozens of “stakeholders” are listed, divided into three categories: Staff Groups, Student Groups and Community Groups.  The Staff Groups are mainly Fairfax County government entities and teachers unions.  There are about two dozen Student Groups on the list, only two of which might be expected to express conservative viewpoints.  About twenty Community Groups are listed, some of which are actually Fairfax County government bodies or committees appointed by the School Board.  Almost all the non-government “Community Groups” are associated with minority interests.

The School Board reaches out to the NAACP, Fairfax Anti-Racist Minds, Fairfax for Anti-Racism in Education, Latinos United for Educational Equity, and to groups that focus on students with disabilities or certain religious interests, but not to a single group associated primarily with traditional education or conservative values.

Why is this?  It could be because all twelve members of the School Board are from one political party that is closely aligned with left-of-center interests rather than more moderate and conservative voters.  Or it could be because minority groups have been vocal advocates in the school system whereas more conservative voices have been relatively silent.

In either case, the School Board’s “stakeholder list” should be a wake-up call to moderates, independents and conservatives who believe that public education in our community should focus on  reading, writing, mathematics, science, history and other topics of knowledge and skill, and not on race-based ideology.

If you are concerned about what’s happening in Fairfax County Public Schools, make your opinions known.

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