Like many Fairfax County parents, Steven Stuban and his wifeentrusted their child to the nationally regarded public schoolsystem, believing that the people who ran the district would dowhat's best for its students.
Then their only child, Nick, committed suicide while beingpunished under the district's zero-tolerance disciplinary policy,and the Stubans got a troubling look inside a system that seemed tothem to run on autopilot, as if its administrators were sothoroughly convinced of its excellence that they no longer listenedto the families it served.
'There were so many instances where people could have done theright thing, and they did not,' Stuban said. Now Stuban, who hasnever sought elective office, is running for the Fairfax CountySchool Board, at least in part because of what happened to his son.
If successful, he would be responsible for overseeingSuperintendent Jack D. Dale, whose administration and policies hadsuch an impact on Stuban's son.
Stuban is one of several political newcomers whose entry into thenormally sleepy School Board elections has transformed them intothis year's marquee event in Fairfax politics in November,potentially overshadowing the races for the more powerful Board ofSupervisors, which governs the county of more than 1 millionresidents.
What's at stake is control over one of the nation's largestschool districts at a time when school reform is in the nationalspotlight. Although the races are nonpartisan, Republicans inparticular are hoping that some newcomers may lay the groundwork forfuture political gains in a county that tilts Democratic.
Elizabeth Schultz, who is also a first-time candidate, launchedher School Board candidacy in the wake of an emotional but losingbattle against closing Clifton Elementary School. Another critic-turned-candidate is Megan McLaughlin, who co-foundedFairgrade, anadvocacy group of parents who worked to overhaul grading policies.
Ryan McElveen, a recent graduate of the Fairfax public schools,is entering his first political campaign because, among otherthings, he said he thinks the district was wrong to impose a $100fee on students who play team sports.
'It's outrageous,' said McElveen, 25, whom the county'sDemocratic Party chief has called a 'rising star.' 'When we have anobesity epidemic, we want to encourage students to be active.'
Others could still step forward before the Aug. 23 deadline toregister for Fairfax offices. Almost all local offices in Fairfaxare up for grabs this fall, and an intense fight is underway forcontrol of the state Senate, but the School Board races haveattracted especially keen interest for a variety of reasons.
For one thing, even some Republicans acknowledge that their partyfaces challenging odds in changing the balance on the county'sgoverning body, with most interest focused on the battle overRepublican Supervisor John C. Cook's seat in the swing BraddockDistrict. Another reason may simply be the large number of openseats on the 12-member School Board, because half of its memberschose to step down when their terms end Dec. 31.
But government officials, party leaders, candidates and SchoolBoard members also say that the restive mood has been fueled by aseries of controversies that have arisen under the School Board andsuperintendent.
These include impassioned debate over the district's zero-tolerance disciplinary policy; the possible ill effects of its earlystarting times on teenagers' sleep and health; stringent grading,which, some argue, has hurt students' college chances; eliminatingsome honors courses; imposing fees for Advanced Placement andInternational Baccalaureate tests and sports; and the decision toclose Clifton Elementary School because of changing enrollmentpatterns.
Some of those policies have been rescinded or modified inresponse to criticism, such as the zero-tolerance approach todiscipline and charging fees for tests and sports. But critics saythe controversies have contributed to the view that the FairfaxSchool Board and superintendent have been repeatedly high-handed,resistant to public scrutiny and slow to change. Dale declinedrequests for an interview for this article but - in response tocriticism over the length of time that passed before the disciplinepolicy was altered - he has said that the district engages in a'continuous improvement process.'
'The outrage over the School Board is unlike anything we've everhad in Fairfax County before,' said Board of Supervisors member PatS. Herrity (R-Springfield), who has no opponent in his race thisyear. 'It's the schools' and the School Board's lack ofaccountability and transparency. That's what's driving thisunprecedented level of interest, if anything.'
Herrity predicts there could be as much as a 5 percent boost invoter turnout because of interest in the School Board races.
'I think you're going to see the battleground in the School Boardraces,' said Supervisor Jeff C. McKay (D-Lee). McKay, who is alsorunning unopposed, said the school district has too often shruggedoff parental concerns, potentially making itself vulnerable tooutsiders.
But he said Democrats also think voters will remember which partyhas been most supportive of public schools. 'At the end of the day,who do you really trust?' McKay said.
More than 400 people attended recent Fairfax County RepublicanCommittee meetings to decide which School Board candidates wouldreceive its endorsements, and about as many turned out for similarforums of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee. (Candidates donot run as party nominees on a party slate, but the parties choosepreferred candidates.)
As of Friday, 17 Fairfax School Board candidates had beencertified to run, including 10 seeking one of the three at-largeseats, and nine others had filed paperwork indicating they willenter the race, said Gary Scott, deputy registrar the county'sOffice of Elections.
Jane K. Strauss (Dranesville), who became head of the SchoolBoard last month, said she thinks more people are paying attentionbecause educational reform has been on the national agenda. In theera of No Child Left Behind, parents everywhere are reappraisingtheir public schools, and Fairfax, with about 75,000 students and22,000 employees, is the nation's 11th-biggest district. It consumesmore than half of all county revenue.
Strauss said people are more agitated because the schooldistrict, like public institutions at all levels, has had to weatherthe worst economic downturn since the 1930s. Since fiscal 2009, thedistrict has eliminated 1,400 positions, reduced pay for 3,200others and cut total spending by $465 million while enrollment hasrisen.
Yet, student achievement levels have risen, too, and the minorityachievement gap has shrunk. This year, the district also announcedplans to provide all-day kindergarten in all schools and boostteacher pay to keep the district competitive.
'My feeling is, people in general are happy with the schoolsystem's performance,' said Ilryong Moon, an at-large member seekinganother term. 'Are we a perfect school system? No, we are not.That's why I welcome feedback from the public.'
Others dismiss the heightened scrutiny as driven by a minority ofcritics. 'There is a group of people, and they're just angry people,and they try to pick a fight over everything,' said School Boardmember Brad Center (Lee), who is not seeking reelection.
But some say the board has sided too quickly with thesuperintendent and county staff and is too quick to dismiss outsidecriticism.
'One of the things I think our school board loses sight of isthat we're elected, and we're the trustees for the public,' saidSchool Board member Martina A. Hone (At Large), a frequent critic ofDale's who has chosen not to run again. 'We did not run for theSchool Board to protect the system. I ran to protect the kids.'
'If you just look at the candidates, a lot of them come from thisactivist place,' said Sandra S. Evans (Mason), a School Board memberand former advocate who co-founded SLEEP, the group seeking tochange start times.
Stuban, 52, a West Point graduate and retired lieutenant colonel,said that what galvanized his decision to run was what he called thedistrict's lack of responsiveness and transparency. He said that his15-year-old son acknowledged his mistake - he had bought an over-the-counter marijuana-like substance that was then legal - but thatthe school's discipline procedures were over the top.
Administrators seemed not to heed extenuating circumstancessurrounding Nick, an otherwise good student and athlete whose motherwas battling a progressive, debilitating disease. The school went bythe book in meting out punishment, including moving Nick from theonly social network he knew.
'Nick was ripped from the one environment where he got to beNick,' Stuban said. Even worse, Stuban said, was that the districtat first refused to reconsider its stance after Nick's suicide.
'I've been stunned by the intransigence of the School Board andthe superintendent even to discuss this,' Stuban said. 'That reallygalvanized my decision to run for the School Board.'
kunklef@washpost.com
