洛威尔高中招生政策 可望重回择优制
世界新闻网
3/12/2022
在市长布里德（London Breed）11日任命三名旧金山联合学区新教育委员后，许多家长都想知道，这次政治洗牌对洛威尔高中（Lowell High School）意味着什么，以及新委员是否可能恢复洛威尔高中择优录取的招生政策。
布里德11日任命的三名新教委是创业家徐安（Ann Hsu）、政府政策分析师莫塔米迪（Lainie Motamedi）和移民权益法教授魏斯曼沃德（Lisa Weissman-Ward）。三名新教委表示，他们希望通过一个开放且深思熟虑的过程，来考虑是否让洛威尔高中恢复类似择优录取的招生政策。
旧金山纪事报（Chronicle）表示，在三名新教委中，以徐安最支持洛威尔高中以学业成绩为基础进行招生。徐安11日在宣誓就职仪式后说：「应该要恢复择优录取制，同时需要进行提高弱势社区孩子竞争力的工作。」
莫塔米迪表示，她希望启动一个公共程序来决定洛威尔高中的未来，但重点是要确保旧金山所有高中都能提供家庭想要和需要的东西，让他们对子女的未来抱持信心。
魏斯曼沃德表示，她不反对择优录取制，但真正的问题是必须提供更多学术性课程，并研究考试成绩是否是评估学生能力的最佳方式。
一项最新分析报告指出，洛威尔高中是产生此次教委罢免选举的主要原因。
在新冠疫情期间，旧金山学区教育委员会投票将洛威尔高中的招生方式改为抽签制，随后又将原本只打算实施一年的抽签制永久化，引起反对者不满，对学区提出诉讼。在法官否决了学区永久抽签制的决定后，学区又采取了一项短期的解决方案：将抽签制实施时间延长一年。
多年来，反对洛威尔高中招生政策的人士认为，择优录取制是歧视非裔和西语裔的精英主义、种族主义。被罢免的三名前教委高励思（Alison Collins）、卢佩思（Gabriela López）和莫力加（Faauuga Moliga）都支持将洛威尔高中招生政策改为抽签制。然而，支持择优录取制的人士认为，抽签制伤害亚裔和成绩优异的学生。
取代卢佩思成为教委会主席的林谦悦（Jenny Lam）表示，尽管洛威尔高中招生政策是教委会要解决的问题之一，但未来几周和几个月必须先解决一些更紧迫的内核问题，包括聘请新学区总监与深入研究学生之间的学习差距以及如何解决这些差距。
金山教委罢免成功 「亚裔票」成关键
世界新闻网
02/19/2022
当新冠疫情把旧金山公立学校5万多名学生送回家时，华裔家长徐安（Ann Hsu，音译）亲自感受到远距教学造成的差异。
徐安育有一对十多岁的双胞胎儿子，一个对远距教学还算适应，另一个简直是一场灾难，每天花十几个小时在网络上和朋友聊天、看YouTube，对功课置之不理。徐安试着帮助儿子后，对学区开始有更多的了解。她发现，在学区面临严重预算赤字、远距教学让学生成绩不断下滑时，学区只专注在重命名学校，让她十分惊讶。
徐安说：「我看到的愈多、知道的愈多，我就愈生气。他们一点都不关心学生。」
徐安是旧金山伽利略学院（Galileo Academy）的家长会会长，她成立的「华裔与亚太裔选民宣导项目小组」（Chinese/Asian Pacific Islander Voter Outreach Task Force）促成三名教委被压倒性选票成功罢免。项目小组从去年12月中旬开始到今年1月底召集到560位民众登记成为选民，大部分都是只会讲中文的华裔民众，其中418人是公民，142人是非公民。
根据旧金山市府公布的数据，截止16日，共有266名非公民登记成为选民，其中有142人在此次选举中投票，高于2020年11月选举时的非公民投票人数36人，和2018年选举时的65人。
维权人士和政治专家表示，旧金山重开学校的速度比其他大城市慢，以及取消洛威尔高中（Lowell High School）的择优录取制，是造成旧金山选民集体愤怒的主要原因，被罢免的教委员高励思（Alison Collins）的反亚裔推文也激怒了从不关心学区的旧金山居民。
根据美国人口普查的统计，旧金山36%的人口认同自己是亚裔，其中一半以上是华裔。不过，徐安表示，传统上，这个群体的政治参与度一向很低。
1989年来到湾区，在柏克莱加大主修电子工程、从事科技工作20年的徐安表示，华人文化并不鼓励人们参与公民活动，因为必须赚钱养家，华人比较关心经济问题，没有时间关心政治。比起政治和种族议题，教育议题更能引起华人的共鸣。
投票结果显示，洛威尔高中周围的湖岸区（Lakeshore）和麦赛德公园区（Parkmerced）超过九成的选民支持罢免三名教委，是这次罢免行动支持率最高的地区。
发起罢免运动的拉吉（Siva Raj）指出，在收集到的8万多个请愿签名中，约三分之一是亚裔，华裔家长是最热情的支持者。她指出，志工们利用中文报纸，如世界日报和星岛日报，和网络应用程序，如WeChat，向华裔民众进行宣传。宣传使用的语言除了普通话和粤语，还有韩语、泰加禄语和越南语。
拉吉说：「我认为，亚裔向来被视为次要公民，但我们应该得到平等的对待。这一次，亚裔站出来说：『我很重要，旧金山也必须关心我。』」
旧金山激进教委遭罢免…疫期失焦、无能 损害学生权益
世界新闻网
02/17/2022
喧扰一时的旧金山联合学区教育委员罢免投票结果16日计票确定，三名教育委员15日遭到选民罢免，主要理由是新冠疫情期间搞错教学优先级，把推动激进派政治理念摆在照顾学童需要之前；根据旧金山选务厅开票统计，在这次特别选举当中，罢免票占压倒性多数。
由于罢免案并事涉旧金山资优高中入学议题，同时被罢免的教委之一，在多年前曾公开发表侮辱亚裔的推文，因此相较于以往吸引更多亚裔的关注，包括华裔在内，许多亚裔选民甚至是首次参加市政选举投票。
旧金山联合学区有七名教委，均为民主党籍；美联社报导，遭到罢免的是主席卢佩思(Gabriela Lopez)、副主席高励思(Alison Collins)、莫力加(Faauuga Moliga)；虽然罢免案组织团体希望能罢免全体委员，但另外四名委员因在任时间未达门槛，而躲过被罢免。
由学生家长发动的罢免案是在2021年1月开跑，罢免理由是学区对于重启校园过于缓慢，学生受教权益受损，教委会不顾家长抱怨连连，却忙着处理学区44个校名的更名计划，并取消精英学校洛威尔高中(Lowell High School)招生制度，改为抽签等等，家长忍无可忍，展开罢免联署行动，终于成案。
旧金山5万名公立学校学生中，绝大多数在2020年3月至2021年8月间没有到校上课，超过一年，连市政府都曾为施压委员会尽快促成重启学校，而大动作向法院提起诉讼。
更让不少家长怨怼的是，教育委员会在学校关闭的去年1月，还以「易与种族主义、性别歧视或其他不公义思想链接」为由，拟议为44所以人物命名公立学校改名，这些人物包括开国元勋华盛顿、致力废除奴隶制的林肯等而让争议闹上全国；此提议后来撤回，但是来自家长「失焦、无能」的指控已愈来愈多。
教育委员会改变洛威尔高中录取政策也触怒不少亚裔家长，因为这所学校是全国最顶尖的公立高中之一，多数学生是亚裔，而委员会以「消除系统性种族主义，促成多元性」为由修改录取政策，结果让亚裔学生录取人数下滑，激怒许多亚裔家长。
更火上加油的是，高励思2016年一则推文还被挖出来，其中指亚裔有「白人至上主义思维」还「歧视非裔」；这是高励思从委员会主席被降为副主席的主因。
对于推文引发高度争议，高励思则澄清说，推文遭到断章取义，发文时间是在进入教委会之前；她拒绝删除推文，不愿为内容道歉，也未理会要求她辞职的声浪，反而控告学区及教委会，并求偿8700万元，但诉讼后来遭到法院驳回。
由于本次罢免案牵涉到亚裔学生入学问题，因此相对得到更多亚裔关注；组织亚裔罢免行动的许安(Ann Hsu，音译)说，教育委员会改革录取方式「明显只是因为洛威尔高中有太多亚裔学生」，这是「公然歧视亚裔」。
这是旧金山自1983年以来的第一次罢免选举，当年罢免案是针对当时的市长、现任联邦参议员的范士丹(Dianne Feinstein)而发起，但范士丹最后则挺过罢免危机。
旧金山市长布里德(London Breed)16日发表声明指出：「这个城市的选民已经表达明确消息，那就是教委会应该把重点放在若要创建运作良好的学校系统，必须做好哪些必要工作，这个目标应该凌驾于其他事物之上。」
他也说：「旧金山是个相信伟大愿景的城市，不过这些想法的建构基础，是一个先把基本事务做好的政府。」
布里德将任命三名教务委员递补人员，任期直到今年11月改选为止。
Parent group files petition to remove Loudoun County School Board chair
Parents are battling school board members over the teaching of critical race theory
By Tyler O’Neil | Fox News
11/10/2021
FIRST ON FOX: The parent organization Fight for Schools has obtained enough signatures to challenge all four of the remaining Loudoun County School Board members who were in the private Facebook group that launched a campaign against parents who oppose critical race theory in the classroom. The organization filed the petitions against Board Chair Brenda Sheridan on Tuesday.
Ian Prior speaks about latest effort to remove embattled Loudoun County School Board members
Ian Prior, a father and executive director at Fight for Schools, told Fox News that his organization has acquired enough signatures to petition the court to remove Sheridan (Sterling District), Board Vice-Chair Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian District), Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge District), and Denise Corbo, the at-large member.
“Today, we just filed 1200 signatures to remove the chairwoman of Loudoun County School Board, Brenda Sheridan,” Prior told Fox News on Tuesday. “We decided that for the chairwoman and the vice-chairwoman, the buck stops with them, that we were going to draft new petitions. … We were able to finish those off in 13 days.”
“For six months, Fight for Schools has been out collecting signatures in the heat, the cold, the rain, and even hail,” Prior told Fox News on Monday. “To get 20,000 signatures during that time is a testament to the dedication of our volunteers and an engaged community that wants to see a change on its school board.”
“We are looking forward to the next steps and replacing school board members that are political servants with non-partisan public servants who will put the focus back on excellence in education,” he added.
In order to remove an elected official in Virginia, petitioners must acquire a number of signatures equal to 10% of the votes cast in the previous election for that office. If a judge approves the petition, the Commonwealth’s Attorney prosecutes the case. Prior told Fox News that Fight for Schools had obtained 1,217 signatures against Sheridan (152% of the required amount), 1,859 signatures against Reaser (153%), 2,979 of the signatures against Serotkin (137%), and 13,336 signatures against Corbo (124%).
Fight for Schools previously acquired enough signatures to challenge Beth Barts (Leesburg District) before she resigned. The court had allowed the case against Barts to proceed, but a judge barred Buta Biberaj, the county’s Commonwealth’s Attorney, from presiding over the case. Biberaj had expressed support for the district’s racial equity policies, which parents have faulted for inculcating critical race theory.
Prior told Fox News that he expects the court to bar Biberaj from the cases against Sheridan, Reaser, Serotkin, and Corbo, as well.
The petition effort began earlier this year, after reports emerged that members of a Facebook group called “Anti-Racist Parents of Loudoun County” had compiled a list of outspoken conservatives and opponents of critical race theory in order to track, hack, and “doxx” them.
Many parents have opposed critical race theory (CRT) — a framework that involves deconstructing aspects of society to discover systemic racism beneath the surface — believing it to be divisive and racist. While many have insisted that Virginia’s schools do not teach CRT, various government documents contradict this narrative, including a contract showing that Loudoun County Schools paid more than $300,000 to The Equity Collaborative, which begins its trainings with an “Intro to Critical Race Theory.”
The petitions allege that Sheridan, Reaser, Serotkin, and Corbo failed to report “a campaign of targeted harassment sparked by Beth Barts’ March 12 Facebook post” in the Anti-Racist Parents group. The board members did not report the campaign to law enforcement, warn their constituents about it, denounce it, or abide by the school board’s requirement for transparency whenever school board members are gathered, the petitions claim.
The petitions claim that board members “focused board attention on open bathroom policies, renaming schools, removing class rank, issuing special proclamations… and other issues unrelated to the core issue of a safe environment that is focused on an education program of high quality.”
Education issues in Loudoun County took center stage in the Virginia governor’s race, which Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin won in part by championing parental rights in education, and pledging to ban CRT in schools. Youngkin has called for many school board members to resign.
If the cases go to trial, a judge or a jury will rule whether or not to remove the board members. If any board member is removed, the board would have 45 days to appoint an interim replacement and 15 days to petition the court for a special election.
The school board members did not respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
Loudoun County superintendent apologizes, board member resigns as backlash grows over alleged sexual assaults
Loudoun County Public Schools has faced intense public pressure after Scott Smith revealed his daughter was allegedly assaulted in a school bathroom
By Peter Hasson | Fox News
10/15/2021
The superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools issued an apology and a school board member resigned on Friday as the district faces mounting backlash over its response to two alleged sexual assaults, one of which was allegedly carried out by a skirt-wearing male student in a girls’ bathroom.
Superintendent Scott Ziegler apologized for saying during a June event that the Virginia district had no record of assaults taking place in its bathrooms. His comments came amid debate about policy changes related to self-identified transgender students. Ziegler said Friday that he misunderstood the question when he made the comment.
Ziegler also said he is “sorry that we failed to provide the safe, welcoming, and affirming environment that we aspire to provide.” He told affected students and families: “We acknowledge and share in your pain and we will continue to offer support to help you and your families through this trauma.”
Scott Smith, a Loudoun County father who was arrested at that June event, said this week that his daughter was sexually assaulted in a girls’ bathroom at Stone Bridge High School by a male student who was wearing a skirt. The Loudoun County sheriff’s office has confirmed that an on-campus sexual assault was reported on the day Smith says his daughter was victimized.
The boy accused of assaulting Smith’s daughter later allegedly groped a female student at nearby Broad Run High School after forcing her into an empty classroom, Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj told WTOP in an interview this week.
Board member Beth Barts announced her resignation on Friday, though she didn’t say whether it was related to the ongoing controversy. “This was not an easy decision or a decision made in haste. After much thought and careful consideration, it is the right decision for me and my family,” Barts said.
Barts has repeatedly butted heads with Loudoun parents concerned about critical race theory and similar left-wing topics being taught in schools, leading residents to seek her recall. Brenda Sheridan, the school board chair, thanked Barts for her service and said that the position is expected to be filled during the board’s December meeting.
LCPS didn’t immediately return Fox News’ inquiry on whether Barts’ resignation was linked to the current controversy.
“This could not have been an easy decision for Ms. Barts. We have made known our displeasure with her actions as a school board member over the past several months, but today she has done the right thing. Her former colleagues should take notice,” Ian Prior, the executive director of Virginia parent group Fight for Schools, said in a statement Friday.
“The community should know, however, that the problems at Loudoun County Public Schools and on the school board go well beyond one school board member,” Prior added. “We will continue to shine a light on Loudoun County Public Schools and will keep fighting until we have a school board of common sense, non-partisan members and a superintendent who is accountable to parents and tells the truth.”
自定义厕所性别 美中学女生在厕所遭裙装”男生“性侵
文章来源: 综合新闻
10/13/2021
今年5月，弗吉尼亚州劳登县的一名父亲被告知，自己上中学的女儿在学校受到“攻击”，但是校方没有报警。
男子后来得知，一名穿着“裙子”的男孩在女厕所内对女儿性侵犯。
于是愤怒的父亲报警，但是校方表示从未接到过关于在双性洗手间发生性侵犯的报告。
48岁的斯科特-史密斯对于学校的态度十分不满，6月22日他走入了学校董事会的会议，并且当面指责女儿在学校女厕所被一个 “穿裙子 “的男学生 “强奸”，他想用发生在她身上的事情来说明他为什么认为每个人不应该自己选择使用哪种性别的洗手间。
但是后来在视频分享中，这位父亲向媒体透露，学校否认这一切，并在他完全分享他的观点前就将其拖出了会议室。
愤怒的父亲表示场面一度很混乱。6辆警察负责带我离去。
这位父亲说自己从未这么无助，他只是想保护自己的孩子。
史密斯说，这名男孩利用学校的变性政策，进入女生洗手间并袭击了他的女儿
事件发生两个月后，这名男孩，因强迫鸡奸而被捕。
就在10月，他因不同的指控再次被捕，据称他在不同的学校袭击了一个不同的女孩。
目前这么中学生被关在一个青少年拘留中心。
但史密斯说，劳登县的学校却仍在不遗余力地保护这个孩子–“一个性侵者”。学校目前没有发表评论。
据悉，这一家人在被赶出后，一直联系律师为这个案子10月14日的开庭做准备，但他们没想到就在10月6日这个男孩再次因为同样事件被逮捕。
劳登县警长办公室确实证实了10月6日的事件，调查确定在10月6日下午，这名嫌疑人强迫受害者进入一个空教室，在那里他违背她的意愿扣留她并不适当地触摸她，目前被指控对他人进行性攻击和绑架。
据称，该14岁男孩在警方的询问中已经承认了所发生的一切。
而这位父亲如今终于能再次站出来，他之前被校方指责为偏激的右翼分子，还将他的信息发送给所有学区的家长。
Hill’s report said that Montgomery County, which has about 1 million residents, received about $2.61 million in revenue in 2017. Hill’s report noted that the revenue would decline over time as customers start using reusable bags, although it will take several years.
He wrote that it would be difficult to estimate potential revenues because Virginia’s legislation applies only to certain retailers while Montgomery County’s applies to virtually all and doesn’t have certain exemptions.
Earlier this year, Prince William County supervisors began drafting a similar plastic bag tax but decided to wait until after the fiscal 2022 budget was passed.
Loudoun County responds after dad says school district tried to conceal daughter’s bathroom assault
Virginia school board under fire after father alleges daughter sexually assaulted in bathroom
By Jessica Chasmar | Fox News
10/13/2021
Loudoun father claims city concealed sex assault
Scott Smith joins ‘The Ingraham Angle’ to discuss his claims that his daughter was sexually assaulted in girl’s bathroom by boy wearing a skirt
The Loudoun County school district in Virginia issued a statement Wednesday saying it correctly followed all legal protocols, two days after a father – who was arrested during a June school board meeting – accused the district of trying to cover up an alleged bathroom sexual assault against his daughter by a skirt-wearing male student.
“Loudoun County Public Schools is aware of the media and social media reports concerning alleged sexual assaults at two of our high school campuses,” the school district said.
“While LCPS takes student privacy seriously and cannot reveal details concerning the actions of any specific student, we do want to clarify our investigative process. Principals are legally required to report to the local law enforcement agency any act, including sexual assault, that may constitute a felony offense under Va. Code § 22.1-279.3:1. That process was followed with respect to these allegations.”
The statement comes two days after Scott Smith, who was arrested for disorderly conduct during a June 22 school board meeting, alleged that the school district tried to cover up a sexual assault by a gender-fluid individual against his ninth-grade daughter in order to further its transgender rights agenda.
Smith told The Daily Wire on Monday that weeks before his arrest, his daughter at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn was sexually assaulted by a boy wearing a skirt who entered the girls’ bathroom on May 28.
“We can confirm a May 28, 2021 case that involved a thorough 2-month-long investigation that was conducted to determine the facts of the case prior to arrest,” the sheriff’s office previously told Fox News. “This case is still pending court proceedings. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is not able to provide any documents that pertain to a pending case.” The sheriff’s office confirmed that the case involved sexual assault.
All juvenile records are sealed, but Smith’s attorney Elizabeth Lancaster told The Daily Wire that the boy was subsequently charged with two counts of forcible sodomy, one count of anal sodomy, and one count of forcible fellatio.
The school district said in its statement that it contacted the sheriff’s office on May 28 within “minutes of receiving the initial report.”
“Once a matter has been reported to law enforcement, LCPS does not begin its investigation until law enforcement advises LCPS that it has completed the criminal investigation,” the school district said. “To maintain the integrity of the criminal investigation, law enforcement requested that LCPS not interview students until their investigation is concluded. LCPS has cooperated and continues to cooperate with law enforcement.”
The statement differs dramatically from Smith’s account, who said school officials told him on May 28 that the matter would be handled in-house, and that they actually called law enforcement on him for creating a scene on campus.
According to The Daily Wire, the school sent an email to parents later that day saying there had been an “incident in the main office” that required sheriff’s deputies to respond. The email made no mention of the alleged sexual assault and said there was “no threat to the safety of the student body.”
Smith told The Daily Wire that he was arrested at the June 22 school board meeting shortly after LCPS Superintendent Scott Ziegler declared that to his knowledge, “we don’t have any record of assaults occurring in our restrooms.” Smith said he then flew into a rage after a local progressive activist said she did not believe his daughter’s story.
On Aug. 11, nearly two months after Smith’s arrest, the school board voted to approve its transgender rights policy, which requires teachers to call students by the pronouns they identify with and requires bathroom renovations in order to make them more private.
Smith said he received a letter before the Aug. 11 vote informing him he was banned from the school board building.
Then on Oct. 6, the sheriff’s office said a 15-year-old boy was charged with sexual battery and abduction of a fellow student at Broad Run High School in Ashburn. In an Oct. 7 press release, the sheriff’s office said the suspect forced a female victim into an empty classroom where he held her against her will and inappropriately touched her.
The Daily Wire, citing a government official, reported that the boy accused in the Broad Run case had the same name as the student who allegedly assaulted Smith’s daughter.
Elizabeth Lancaster, Smith’s attorney, also told the outlet the suspect in the Oct. 6 incident was the same boy who allegedly attacked Smith’s daughter.
Smith’s wife, Jess, said prosecutors told her the suspect’s court date had been postponed from this Thursday to Oct. 25 in order to handle both cases together. The sheriff’s office declined to confirm or deny to Fox News that the same male student was suspected in both cases.
The school district said in its statement that it is “prohibited from disciplining any student without following the Title IX grievance process, which includes investigating complaints of sexual harassment and sexual assault.”
“LCPS does impose interim measures to protect the safety of students involved in the original incident, deter retaliation, and preserve the integrity of the investigation and resolution process,” it said. “LCPS has complied and continues to comply with its obligations under Title IX.”
The school district added that board members were “not aware of the specific details of this incident until it was reported in media outlets earlier this week.”
Loudoun County parents demand resignation of $295K-a-year superintendent who DENIED school had any reports of sex assault by a trans kid in a restroom – one month after girl, 15, told teachers she was raped by a ‘boy in a skirt’ in women’s toilets
Ziegler took the job in Loudoun County in January after working in HR for years. He is paid $295,000 a year.
