What follows is from Rich Meyer.  He’s a friend and regular contributer here.  Schools are a hot topic so without further ado:

An Open Letter to Mayor Parrish, the Manassas City Council, the School Board and Superintendant Pope Regarding Our Schools

I have had the pleasure of attending Manassas Education Forward Committee meetings and related citizen discussions concerning alternatives offered to the Committee by the Superintendent relating to the future direction of Manassas City public schools. I write with the admitted naivety of a Manassas citizen who cares deeply about our schools but who is not a professional educator.

It does not surprise me that some alternatives are seen as unaffordable while others are seen as disconnected to the challenges facing us. I have nevertheless sought to identify a thread of interrelated recommendations that could be effective but would not break the bank.

First, uniformly and firmly enforce tardiness and attendance requirements. No matter how good a school may be, students cannot learn up to their potential if they are not there. Medical situations aside, if parents cannot ensure that their child gets to school daily and on time, then perhaps they should be required to formally explain themselves in person to school officials or even to a local judge. If they believe this is too much of a hassle then maybe they should live elsewhere. If there are better ways of enforcing tardiness and attendance requirements, it is fine with me if another method is chosen.

Second, uniformly and firmly enforce behavior requirements. Unruly and disruptive students interfere with the learning of others and are themselves unable to learn while being disruptive. As with the first recommendation above, formal pressure needs to be applied for increased parental involvement — parents need to know that this is what is expected of them if they have a child enrolled in a Manassas City school. In addition, our teachers need to know they will be backed up by the administration when dealing with disruptive students.

Third, implement much smaller classes — eighteen students max — for English and math. English and math are the building blocks for all other subjects for all students. This will likely cost money to implement but will be worth it when SOL scores increase and maybe even soar.

I hope that you will each move forward with these core issues in mind, or at least a variation of their themes, as you seek to navigate the waters ahead of you during the coming months.

Respectfully,

Rich Meyer
Old Town Manassas