School Board member Margaret Lorber has apologized for comments she made last week over the cautious reopening of public schools in the city during the pandemic.
“I was just amazed at the level of venom that I received in some of the emails,” Lorber said in a school board retreat on Tuesday night. “Everything gets put on social media so whatever you have said, gets amplified and misinterpreted 50 different ways. ”
There have been calls for Lorber’s resignation in the wake of her comments supporting the cautious reopening of schools by Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. After Hutchings told the Board last week that the planned reopening schools to some students on Jan. 19 was not a certainty, Lorber approved of his approach and said, “Do you want your child to be alive or educated?”
Lorber made her brief apology as the board participated in a conversation on the Jan. 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol. Nearly all the Board members admitted that systemic racism exists, with Hutchings’ comments that he was not surprised, but saddened by the event, echoed by the board.
“I guess I’ll take this opportunity to just apologize,” Lorber said. “One of the things I’m feeling is depressed and embarrassed currently for my colleagues, because in a way I feel like some of the letters that came to me made it sound like they thought I read through a batch what our School Board thinks.”
School Board Vice Chair Veronica Nolan extended a “virtual hug” to Lorber, and said she had no doubt as to Lorber’s commitment to Alexandria’s children.
During the conversation, Board member Ramee Gentry said that the school system is now challenged with teaching children how to find truth in an era consumed by misinformation.
“This is about critical thinking,” Gentry said. “We need to teach children how to feel through this very complicated world, with all this information being thrown at them from all of these different sources, and we have to give them the critical thinking skills to understand what is true and what is a lie so that they can then make decisions.”
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If you had a chance to enhance a child’s future with a time commitment of less than 2 hours a week, how would you respond? You have that opportunity right now to join over 200 Alexandrians as a reading tutor volunteer with the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC).
ATC tutors work with one child in kindergarten, first, or second grade in Alexandria public schools who need extra help with reading. Tutors meet with their Book Buddy 1-2 times each week for 30 minutes October-May at school, during school hours. Many struggling readers only receive one-on-one instruction through this program, and it makes all the difference. Last year, ATC served 195 children, of whom 82% ended the year reading on grade level and 96% made substantial reading gains. But the need is great, and we are still seeing learning lags from the pandemic.
This year, ATC plans to significantly increase the size of the program to reach over 250 students and to serve every elementary school in Alexandria. This is very exciting news, but we will only succeed if we can recruit more tutors. ATC trains you, matches you with a child, and provides ongoing lesson materials and support.
If you have been thinking about buying your first home or haven’t owned one in the last three years, THIS IS FOR YOU!
In the DMV area, it can be difficult to save the downpayment necessary for you to get into your own home. We have a solution. The Funder’s Summit!
We have assembled a summit with different municipalities to tell you how to access their funds for your home purchase.
Family Fun Fall Fest
Mark your calendars and join us for the Family Fun Fall Fest on Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 11am – 2pm!
This FREE in-person event will be held at the Shoppes at Foxchase, located at 4641 Duke St, Alexandria, VA
2023 Alexandria Fall Festival
Food trucks, bounce houses, pony rides, magic shows and more at the 2023 Alexandria Fall Festival, an Alexandria Living event presented by The Patterson Group. Join us at River Farm on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
