Thursday, February 23, 2012

Clement-Garvey AGENA Debate Reveals Garvey Ignores Parents, Communicates With Insiders Regarding School Capacity

Hello Yupette,

I attended the AGENA (Arlington General Employees Association) debate this afternoon between Audy Clement and Libby Garvey (Mark Kelly did not attend).

Libby stressed her management of Arlington's school system. Audrey Clement stressed the need for fiscal responsibility in County Government. Both disagreed with County Manager Barbara Donnellan's handling of the dispute between the County and AGENA over defined benefit vs. defined contribution retirement plans.

One part of the debate that was very interesting occurred when Audrey asked why Tuckahoe parents were left out of the loop regarding new classroom construction. Libby responded by disparaging Tuckahoe parents who did not agree with the capacity planning 'decision makers'.

One of Libby's Fairlington neighbors attended the debate and repeatedly asked Libby when the ambitious plans for Abingdon School (which does not have capacity problems) were going to be revealed to the Fairlington community and when she would appear at a Fairlington Citizens Accociation meeting to discuss plans for Abingdon School with her neighbors. Libby would not only not commit to discuss Abingdon School planning with her neighbors, she stated she already met privately with several members of the Abingdon School PTA.

So, folks, here's the deal...whatever deal is worked out among Democratic Machine insiders about school capacity is gonna be a done deal before parents learn about it.

BTW, Audrey won the debate. I gave her and A and Libby a B-minus.

2100

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for attending. Only re-affirms that Libby would conform to Zimmerman's agenda, and the County Board's practice of only listening to themselves and ACDC insiders.

Anonymous said...

Libby was largely responsible for causing W-L HS to be constructed with an inadequate number of classrooms. If you look at the architect's plans for W-L, something like 1/6 of the school's interior space is devoted to instruction. How much will 20 more classrooms cost?

fairgrrl said...

Libby is not running for another term on the School Board. Her neighbors want to know what her infrastructure priorities are. More state of the art sports and recreation infrastructure while we endure 3rd World streets and street lighting?

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know what the cost per classroom was for W-L and will be for Wakefield?

Anonymous said...

Cost will be at least $1 million per classroom for Wakefield, assuming the final cost of the school is about $85 million.

No one knows the final cost per classroom for W-L because they are buying trailers and deciding behind closed doors how to build more classrooms.

DES Employee said...

From what I was told about this debate Audrey Clement spoke about effectively and efficiently running County Government. Libby Garvey spoke about effectively and efficiently running the School System. Big difference. They are running for County Board, not School Board.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone read the Post lately? Weekdays it costs a dollar. The Metro Section is 6 pages, including obituaries.

Anonymous said...

The only time Libby has ever had anything to do with her neighbors, besides starting rumors about them, is when she's running for election or re-election.

Anonymous said...

Libby won't commit to ending wasteful and extravagant County Board programs.

Anonymous said...

Libby is rabid when it comes to guns...but guns are not a problem. Kids riding bicycles on third world streets is the problem.

TY said...

Yes, isn't it interesting that when anyone starts talking about pedestrian and bicycle safety at County Board meetings Jay Fisette starts talking about the bad Republicans and their firearms legislation?

Anonymous said...

Cost per student for the Arlington public school system in FY 13? Try $493.8 million divided by approximately 23,000 students. Roughly $21,470.

Anonymous said...

Libby Garvey deserves a D for her performance yesterday. The way she tells it someone else named Libby Garvey has been elected to the School Board for 15 years while one major problem after another occurred.

Anonymous said...

Education is not a priority with Libby. Playing politics with our children's education is.

Parent for Clement said...

I won't vote for Libby Garvey. I want classrooms for my kids, not trailers, not soccer fields, not live theaters, not community recreation centers.

Anonymous said...

It's worse than that. Garvey is promising the PTAs brand new $50 million schools with synthetic playing fields and community centers included if she's elected to the County Board

Anonymous said...

There are way too many closed-door decisions made by both the School Board and County Board.

Anonymous said...

Libby's Democratic Machine friends start malicious rumors about anyone who doesn't go along with the program - their program.

Parent for Fiscal Responsibility said...

Libby and the School Board and their pet planners and architects don't want to hear about modular classrooms.

Libby is LOL said...

She can't even tell the truth about per-student cost --- when the school system provides the total budget and projected student population.

fed up Dem said...

The Democratic Machine is to Libby as drugs are to rock and roll music.

Quincy Street said...

Libby Garvey has committed at least $500 million for new school-sports-recreation facilities to various PTA and Civic Association Leaders.

Anonymous said...

Make it $750 million.

Anonymous said...

Fiscal responsibility? I don't see it anywhere in County Government.