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FairfaxCAPS redistricting suit scheduled for July 3
A lawsuit to stop a controversial school redistricting plan in Fairfax County is set to be heard July 3, and the suit's plaintiffs are ready.The suit was filed March 31 on behalf of 11 parents of children affected by the redistricting plan, with the support of The Fairfax Coalition of Advocates for Public Schools (FairfaxCAPS).
“We have done everything possible to get ready for this legal action,” CAPS President Nick Pesce told an audience about 40 people assembled at Fox Mill Elementary School on Monday night.
According to Pesce, the group of about 800 people has raised $100,000 for legal fees and lacks only about $12,000 to meet its financial goal.
At Monday's meeting, fund-raising efforts were in full force as the group held raffles and a silent auction and took a break to pitch cleaning products, all in an effort to finance its projects.
CAPS member and attorney Tom France laid out contingencies and a worst-case scenario for the suit. He told those assembled that the court could file a stay and potentially take the case to Virginia Supreme Court.
“But they will have to figure out what they want to do by September,” he said.
“I think we have a real good case,” said Pesce, who added that a state court recently ruled against the Arlington County School Board in a redistricting case on May 26.
Scott Chronister, communications committee chairman, said the suit against the Fairfax County School Board is only one aspect of the CAPS coalition and that there are several other issues to be addressed.
“We are not a one-issue coalition and we are not going away,” he said. “Fairfax County Public Schools does not want an informed public. One way or another, the lawsuit will go away, but what doesn't go away is what we are doing and the scrutiny that we will continue to put on their decision making.”
Budget Analysis Committee Chair Lisa Capalbo said a new “Coppermine” elementary school planned for the Floris area will be FairfaxCAPS' next subject of focus.
“Students from Herndon, McNair, Floris and Hutchinson elementary schools may be affected by its implementation. We need to send the message that we are watching,” she told the coalition.
The coalition is also active in Richmond. Carly Mannava, head of the coalition's legislative committee, said the group has approached both Democrats and Republicans in the state legislature about school board reform.
“There was great interest on both sides,” she said.
“Whatever the outcome, the lawsuit will always be remembered because FairfaxCAPS was borne of this action,” Chronister said. “We need to continue to scrutinize all the School Board's actions and scratch the surface to see what they don't want us to see.”
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