Really, who cares...this issue should have been resolved long ago...and before any formation of the Fairgrade initiative. We know the board and Janie Strauss held it up....and why? Why were the residents held hostage to the kind of stupidity? You should all resign...like Dale only don't take a year to do it.

As FAIRGRADE's Director of Communications, I have made available to the press the email communications from that time that detail FAIRGRADE's in-depth discussions with Brad Center. These emails demonstrate that Jane Strauss was AWOL on the FAIRGRADE issue and she had nothing to do with helping FAIRGRADE get the votes we needed to pass this critical initiative. Brad Center served at the whip for the vote count and it is a shame that Brad Center is choosing to exhibit "selective memory" during this election season. If Jane Strauss were as effective as she alleges, why did it take 10,000 FAIRGRADE supporters to force this change? FAIRGRADE and Louise Epstein delivered results for this county's students and taxpayers that mattered. Jane Strauss basically sat on the sidelines. And that IS a fact. Catherine Lorenze - FAIRGRADE Director of Communication & Campaign Manager For Louise Epstein for School Board

Louise was caught in a lie, and now her campaign manager is accusing a School Board member, one who by her own account was supportive of her organization, of lying. It shows just how ruthless Louise and Catherine are -- they will turn on their friends to accomplish their objectives.

And if it were so clear cut that Janie didn't support Fairgrade, why did Louise have to make up a story for the debate? Why not let the facts speak for themselves?

As I stated - the media has all the emails detailing FAIRGRADE's involvement with Brad Center Ms. Golding. You can't rewrite history - even in this forum. Jane Strauss' attempts to take credit for an effort driven by Louise, our FAIRGRADE team and thousands of parents demonstrates her vulernabilities this election. We're thrilled to remind the public about Louise's success in delivering grading policy changes that increased college admissions opportunities and receipt of merit-based scholarships for FCPS students. Louise will continue delivering results for our students and taxpayers. Louise's campaign is about improving our nationally-recognized school system through effective leadership that stays ahead of the curve on all issues impacting our schools - including FAIRGRADE issues. Jane Strauss' and Brad Centers negative attacks are unwarranted. This type of negative campaigning does not serve our students and teachers and taxpayers. Louise's record as a PTSA president, co-founder of FAIRGRADE and the bi-partisan Fairfax Education Coalition demonstrate she is the NEW, fresh leadership our area needs. And the teachers associations agreed which is why they endorsed her over 18-year incumbent Jane Strauss.

First of all, this letter is not negative campaigning. Louise publicly lied. And then apparently you expect Brad Center not to say anything. All the while Louise’s camp can bully on blogs, spit out untruths, and somehow that is not negative campaigning? And when has Jane Strauss EVER made an attack on Louise!? Catherine, you don’t think people have come out with horror stories of Louise? Because they have. But guess what, they won’t be used because THAT would negative campaigning.

I feel strongly that we need School Board leaders like Janie Strauss who are known and admired for their depth of knowledge, integrity, intelligence, honesty and their ability to work effectively in a collaborative and cooperative manner.
Shirley Bloomquist, Great Falls

Fairgrade garnered the FULL support of Janie Strauss fairly early in the process, and in fact accomplished almost every one of its goals. The only goal that Fairgrade (and Louise) initially sought and did not achieve was lowering to 60 the grade required to pass a course. This would have lowered the bar for student achievement. Only a crafty election-year strategy executed by an accomplished spin-meister would portray this victory -- achieved with Janie's full support -- as a reason to vote for the challenger. Bottom line: Fairgrade WON, and Janie helped achieve the victory.

I know many parents that are involved in other initiatives and activities and they tell me they don't hear or see Janie Strauss at their meetings. Janie gets on board too late in the process and the process shouldn't take soooooo long. It took 4 years to get Fair Grade signed off. Why did this take so long? Why wasn't this intiated by Janie...the parent's got this through NOT Janie. She finally succumbed to the wIll of the tax payers, and parents. Now let's see if they can get on board for the Sleep Initiative...before my son graduates.

Catherine, I would still appreciate clarification directly from Ms. Epstein, not her campaign staff, about her assertions during the forum about the vote on the grading policy. It was clear at the time that it was an important point of interest to many attendees.
While you say you have made the emails available to the media (I presume other outlets as well as the Patch), it really isn't incumbent on the media to clear this up. Also, as you know, these questions have been raised in places other than this site.
Why can't you post a statement signed by Ms. Epstein, and all the relevant, unedited emails on her own campaign website and simply post a link here to that information?

Catherine - I think you are missing an opportunity here to get Ms. Epstein's campaign back on the right footing, instead of leaving voters who haven't yet made up their minds with questions about your candidate's veracity.

You have said that e-mails that you provided to the media "demonstrate" that Janie Strauss was "AWOL" on the Fairgrade issue. These e-mails have not been published by the media, and you could readily make them available either on Louise's campaign web site or on your own blog. If you do not do so, the inference that most will draw is that they don't support your characterization on this blog, or Louise's statements during the debate.

Since you hold yourself out as an experienced strategist, you should know that one of the cardinal rules is "when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging." It's time to put up or shut up, and stop with the spinning, or many of us who do respect Louise's past civic involvement with FCPS and can see advantages to new faces on the School Board simply will not cast a vote for her as a matter of principle.

Catherine, I find your reply to me to be surprisingly rude and dismissive. I have changed my mind several times about which candidate to support, and when that happens I seek more information since I take my vote seriously. As a matter of fact, I was an early supporter of Ms. Epstein's campaign. Then I started to have doubts as the campaign became increasingly negative. I put my Epstein yard sign in the garage until I could make a decision.

I prize several qualities in an elected official. They are: honesty, transparency, and respect for their constituency. Since you have chosen to characterize my legitimate request to provide more information as "banging on a dead horse" I guess you really have answered my questions.

I'll drop off the sign next week.

Catherine Lorenze sent an e-mail message that she said were e-mails about this subject. We have no way of confirming the accuracy of the e-mails. We gently suggest that she publish the e-mails on her blog.

"my constituents in Lee District were not deeply involved in the debate. " How could you say this Mr. Center, if your constituents had no investment in the debate it was probably from a lack of knowledge of the proposal fairgrade presented to staff and the one actually voted on. The change affected high school students across the county. If they truly didn't know what was going on you weren't representing your constituents as effectively by not informing them on the issue.

Lying is unacceptable. Fairfax county needs school board members who care more about helping kids--and respecting parents--than about furthering their own careers. Janie Strauss now has my vote!