Observer Online | Time to Move Beyond School Boundaries

Posted March 7, 2008

Time to Move Beyond School Boundaries

The Fairfax County School Board performed its duty last week when it approved new attendance boundaries for South Lakes High School. The decision moves students from Floris and Fox Mill elementary schools to feed into South Lakes, and it leaves the attendance area for Herndon High School untouched.

The debate over how to change school attendance boundaries is always a difficult debate for a community, and the debate over changing the South Lakes boundaries was particularly divisive.

However, the School Board is charged with managing facilities in order to provide the best education it can for all of its students. The board was faced with a familiar challenge: South Lakes had too few students and other schools had too many. While parents complained that one plan or another would not be beneficial for them, ultimately the school board had to choose the best way of providing facilities and resources for all students in the area. The plans were subject to public hearings, and the board members listened to public input.

Some people favored one alternative over another. But ultimately, a decision had to be made, even if many parents would not agree with it. A problem needed to be solved, and the board solved it. The political and administrative process of changing school boundaries is over. It wasn't pretty, but the decision has been made.

Now is the time for the community to come together, participate, join others and become productive members of their school community.