Pro-Public Schools Status Quo, Mediocre and White: Perfect DNC Candidates
The Cases of Karl Frish, Jennifer Boysko, Jimmy Bierman and Melanie Meren
What do Karl Frisch, Jennifer Boysko, Jimmy Bierman and Melanie Meren have in common?
The simple answer is a lot. All of them are vying for public office in the different echelons of political participation in the State of Virginia united by their loyalty to the Democratic Party and their blind support to the Fairfax County Public Schools despite its disastrous performance among minorities.
Political Ambitions Cemented on Their Loyalty to the Democratic Party
Karl Frisch is running for reelection as the Fairfax County Public School Board Providence District representative on the November 7th elections despite the disastrous academic performance of the schools under his jurisdiction.
Check the chart below. Students in general, but minority students in particular are the ones feeling the brunt of education loss in the fields of math and English. Addressing education loss has not been one of Mr. Frisch’s priorities.
He is a long-time Democratic Party operative sponsoring a radical gender-expansive agenda within the Fairfax County Public Schools based on his own sexual identity. The FCPS Gender-expansive and Transgender Students policy contradicts the recently issued Model Policies promulgated by Virginia Governor Youngkin.
Jennifer Boysko is running for reelection in the new 38th Senate District in Virginia. She has been in the legislature for the past eight years despite not having had any significant prior experience.
The highlight of her previous experience was when she was the vice president of the Herndon High School Parent-Teacher-Student Association.
She is an advocate for Fairfax County and Loudoun County Public Schools’ status quo as well as keeping parents at arm’s length from education à la Terry McAuliffe.
Jimmy Bierman is running for the Board of Supervisors Dranesville seat despite not having run anything in his life. Yes, he attended Stanford Law School and the most elite and expensive high school in the country, Sidwell Friends School, thanks to his parents’ wealth. However, the most important accomplishment of Mr. Bierman in reality is that he has been the Chair of the Dranesville District Democratic Committee for over two years.
I have reviewed his campaign website, and it appears that Mr. Briemman’s main concern is to please the teachers’ union, rather than to improve the education outcomes for our students. Not a single word about education loss and falling SAT scores.
Melanie Meren is running for reelection as the Hunter Mill representative with the Fairfax County Public Schools. I attended the FCPS working session on the infamous equity policy document during which she urged its rushed approval prior to the summer break because it would be nice to deliver it before the vacations!
In honor of Melanie Meren, I am including a glorious U.S. flag in the hope that I really trigger her.
All Four Are Backed by a Formidable Fund Raising and Campaign Machinery: The Democratic Party
Based on my brief experience so far as a political analyst and volunteer in political campaigns, I must say that the Democratic Party knows how to support their candidates, from pouring financial resources to hosting relentless fundraising events, to mobilizing their contacts in corporate America and their teachers' unions, to coordinating door-knocking efforts to crafting common messages, to using vile, anonymous, and cowardly trolls on social platforms to attack their opponents viciously.
Mrs. Boysko edited her Tweet to reflect the correct date for the canvassing effort on August 12th.
It is just a splendid demonstration of ruthless logistical organization and for that, they have earned my respect.
I wish the Republican Party could emulate to some degree this commitment to their endorsed candidates and deploy the corresponding resources.
The Fund-raising machinery
Karl Frisch is running his reelection campaing seated on a golden $329,699 bench. Just imagine what you can do with that kind of money! From paying vicious trolls on Twitter to polishing your failed policies through culture wars mailers.
But Mr. Frisch is not satisfied with what he already has as he continues raising funding, just in the month of June, he raised over $21,000.
Jennifer Boysko also has on her coffins a fabulous amount of over $206,000 and was able to raise over $21,000 in early June.
Jimmy Bierman’s financial health is looking bright not with the astronomical amounts that of his peers, but catching up.
Melanie Meren’s finances, on the other hand, don’t look as robust as those of her peers. In fact, she looks vulnerable as she has been able to raise just the paltry amount (DNC standards) of $41,964.
I note that Democrat operatives contribute to Democratic candidates.
Elaine Tholen, the current member of the Fairfax County Public Schools Board member representative of the Dranesville District has contributed to Karl Frisch’s campaign $500 and to Jennifer Boysko’s campaign $250.
Lesson Learned
Several weeks ago, I embarked upon supporting some candidates under the naive view that they will inspire and motivate voters.
I was wrong.
To run, let alone to win an election, is not enough to have a valid and noble cause. It is not enough if you are a good and solid candidate. It is not enough that the facts support you.
To run a campaign and to win what you need is MONEY and fundraising machinery to back you up.
Money talks in politics and for that reason the main lesson I have learned during this experience is that I am not planning on doing it again.
Norma,
Besides money campaigns need dedicated people like you.
Money can buy signs and ads but not dedication and hard work to go the extra mile.
Thanks Norma!
Leif Larson