Thanks for the great reporting. I’m disappointed but not surprised that School Board members Kay and Bailey wouldn’t even take the time to comment to The Advance. I’m curious what Mr. Bailey learned in Hawaii? Has he provided a detailed report to the School Board? And where do I start with Ms. Kay’s entitled comments—not to mention her vote against minimal transparency. Ms. Kay, you say that you and other SB members should be able to travel with taxpayer-funded credit cards to cover meals, gas, etc.? If it’s such a hardship for you to travel without a taxpayer-funded credit card, why haven’t you proposed providing credit cards to teachers and principals as well? You say you rent a car because you feel unsafe riding a taxi or uber. Fair enough. Are women teachers and principals afforded the same opportunity to rent a car when they travel? If not, have you at least advocated for this? These are minor expenses in the grand scheme of things, but that’s not really the point. I’ll be sending an email to the entire Fredericksburg School Board requesting more info.
That's some wasteful spending. How long has it been going on? I doubt that's the first time.
I also just found out that Mr. Bailey's son is the Asst. Principal at one of the schools in Fredericksburg. How did that happen? There are nepotism laws. The superintendent's sister hired her-Malvina Kay is Catlett's sister, now this.
Ms. Kay abstained during vote to name Ms. Catlett superintendent. (I wonder if she’s abstained from subsequent votes that increased her sister’s salary?) But it’s not a good look when she’s using her sister’s taxpayer-funded credit card and getting rides to the airport from school employees.. And I’m still amazed that she wouldn’t even vote for minimal transparency on SB travel. Can’t imagine how demoralized Fredericksburg teachers must feel when reading about Ms. Kay’s entitled comments. And don’t get me started on Jarvis Bailey. I’m sure he had a great time at the ocean-front resort in Hawaii. (Wonder if he brought his spouse?)
If FCPS hasn't already had a policy in place to set precise standards for use of school-issued credit cards that surrounding school systems in Planning District 16 have had for decades, then what else is missing in the FCPS Policy Manual?
Right now, the FCPS School Board needs to ensure that this Code of Virginia law is in the policy manual and that it does not allow any political activity on its grounds, including political yard signs, a School Board candidate soliciting colleagues in the school parking lot to sign her petition to be on the Nov ballot, a candidate putting free pens to 'vote for me' in the staff mailboxes, holding a voter registration drive that provides a local party's political lit near the table.
All of this info is spelled out in detail in county school board policy manuals or in Voter Reg rules. Search in FCPS School Board Policy Manual came up 'no results'.
Here's just one of the Code of Virginia citations related to no political activity on school property (there's additional language that defines the allowable use of school sites on Election Day):
§ 22.1-79.3. Policies regarding certain activities. A. Local school boards shall develop and implement policies to ensure that public school students are not required to convey or deliver any materials that (i) advocate the election or defeat of any candidate for elective office, (ii) advocate the passage or defeat of any referendum question, or (iii) advocate the passage or defeat of any matter pending before a local school board, local governing body or the General Assembly of Virginia or the Congress of the United States.
Thanks for the great reporting. I’m disappointed but not surprised that School Board members Kay and Bailey wouldn’t even take the time to comment to The Advance. I’m curious what Mr. Bailey learned in Hawaii? Has he provided a detailed report to the School Board? And where do I start with Ms. Kay’s entitled comments—not to mention her vote against minimal transparency. Ms. Kay, you say that you and other SB members should be able to travel with taxpayer-funded credit cards to cover meals, gas, etc.? If it’s such a hardship for you to travel without a taxpayer-funded credit card, why haven’t you proposed providing credit cards to teachers and principals as well? You say you rent a car because you feel unsafe riding a taxi or uber. Fair enough. Are women teachers and principals afforded the same opportunity to rent a car when they travel? If not, have you at least advocated for this? These are minor expenses in the grand scheme of things, but that’s not really the point. I’ll be sending an email to the entire Fredericksburg School Board requesting more info.
That's some wasteful spending. How long has it been going on? I doubt that's the first time.
I also just found out that Mr. Bailey's son is the Asst. Principal at one of the schools in Fredericksburg. How did that happen? There are nepotism laws. The superintendent's sister hired her-Malvina Kay is Catlett's sister, now this.
Ms. Kay abstained during vote to name Ms. Catlett superintendent. (I wonder if she’s abstained from subsequent votes that increased her sister’s salary?) But it’s not a good look when she’s using her sister’s taxpayer-funded credit card and getting rides to the airport from school employees.. And I’m still amazed that she wouldn’t even vote for minimal transparency on SB travel. Can’t imagine how demoralized Fredericksburg teachers must feel when reading about Ms. Kay’s entitled comments. And don’t get me started on Jarvis Bailey. I’m sure he had a great time at the ocean-front resort in Hawaii. (Wonder if he brought his spouse?)
Thanks for shining the light on these school board members' actions.
If FCPS hasn't already had a policy in place to set precise standards for use of school-issued credit cards that surrounding school systems in Planning District 16 have had for decades, then what else is missing in the FCPS Policy Manual?
Right now, the FCPS School Board needs to ensure that this Code of Virginia law is in the policy manual and that it does not allow any political activity on its grounds, including political yard signs, a School Board candidate soliciting colleagues in the school parking lot to sign her petition to be on the Nov ballot, a candidate putting free pens to 'vote for me' in the staff mailboxes, holding a voter registration drive that provides a local party's political lit near the table.
All of this info is spelled out in detail in county school board policy manuals or in Voter Reg rules. Search in FCPS School Board Policy Manual came up 'no results'.
Here's just one of the Code of Virginia citations related to no political activity on school property (there's additional language that defines the allowable use of school sites on Election Day):
§ 22.1-79.3. Policies regarding certain activities. A. Local school boards shall develop and implement policies to ensure that public school students are not required to convey or deliver any materials that (i) advocate the election or defeat of any candidate for elective office, (ii) advocate the passage or defeat of any referendum question, or (iii) advocate the passage or defeat of any matter pending before a local school board, local governing body or the General Assembly of Virginia or the Congress of the United States.