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Omar Fatah for Fairfax County School Board

WardheerNews – Omar Fatah, a Somali American and a lifelong resident of Fairfax County, Virginia  announced on May 17, 2015  his candidacy for the Fairfax County School Board.

Omer Fatah
Omer Fatah

Mr. Fateh is a graduate of Fairfax County Public School system and George Mason University and will bring a new voice for the County’s undeserved and diverse students and families. We encourage the Somali Community who reside in Fairafax, Virgina to support Mr. Fatah for the School Board, At- Large, in the November 2015 General Election.

Fatah’s Platform:

As an At-Large Member of the School Board, my primary goal would be to more responsively serve the actual members of the entire community—from students and their families to teachers and staff—and to meet all of their diverse needs. I would seek, in particular, to provide more substantive representation to the County’s under-served populations, including minority students, disadvantaged students, and students with special needs, among others. In doing this, I would hope to make the County’s Student Achievement Goals realities for each and every student.

In order to make this possible, I’ll have to focus on three main areas:

1. Expanding Community Engagement

Many members of the community are unaware of what the School Board is or who their representatives are on the Board. We must be sensitive to the fact that the families of our diverse county face different realities, which obligates the School Board to reach out to parents on their terms. By effectively communicating with parents, students, and teachers to better understand their specific needs, we will be better equipped to serve the whole of the County, including the traditionally underrepresented communities.

As a Board member, I will also make it a priority to tap into the area’s valuable resources to benefit our students and the community as a whole. I will work to expand public-private partnerships, improving relationships with civic organizations, community leaders, as well as the Board of Supervisors.

2. Addressing the Needs of the Full Range of Students

For far too long, our low-income and minority students have fallen victim to the achievement gap, often from as early as before kindergarten. The county’s African-American and Latino student populations continually score between 20 and 25 percentage points lower than their peers on Math and Science SOL tests. Even worse, in my time as a college academic advisor, I witnessed countless students—even those with advanced test scores—enter college unprepared, some finding themselves placed in remedial Math and English courses, as well as starting their academic careers unsure of their strengths, passions and potential paths. I will work to provide students the support and resources they need to be better prepared to succeed in today’s ever-globalizing, modernizing economy, identifying their interests and potential career paths in an all-out effort to close the achievement gap.

3. Equitably Managing the County’s Rapid Growth

Working within the constraints of our County’s budget, I’ll seek to ensure that all students are provided with the necessary environments in which to learn, the best possible resources, and the most-qualified and fairly compensated teachers. I’ll treat our students and their educations as an investment rather than an expense, working more collaboratively with the community and its leaders, including the Board of Supervisors, to fairly and fully address the most pressing needs. As a School Board Member, I will put students first, investing in early childhood education, providing additional resources to those students who are the most at risk to fall victim to the achievement gap, and providing a stable and safe environment in the face of overcrowding and cost-cutting.

To support and volunteer for Mr. Fatah’s campaign, please visit his website for more information.

Omer Fatah for Fairfax County School Board, At-Large

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