What I'm not hearing

There a number of strong themes running through the many speakers and letters we're getting. Here are some that are not among them:

• No hablo ingles. Many of the students affected by this plan are "English Language Learners" (ELL) and their parents presumably aren't fluent in English. We haven't heard from them. Several latino parents attended the hearing last night but arrived too late to get a seat in the board room, having to listen from the lobby. I don't know if they were able to follow what was being said, none of them spoke before the Board. I wish they would. I'd like to know what they want.
• Don't split the triangle! A few neighborhoods, most notably the Lakes at Red Rocks, are testifying about the detrimental effect of sending kids from one neighborhood to two elementary schools. In the center of Leesburg is an area (the Triangle) no bigger than these other neighborhoods. It is split into six sections and parceled out to five schools. I don't hear anyone decrying the destruction of this community.
• We don't want our kids in school with their kids. I glad I don't hear this one. Some residents say that this is being said, in private or in coded language. I hope not, because the scars those words create take many years to heal.
• Get my kid out of that school! While some groups are lobbying for a new mix of kids at their home school, and some have said that they understand the need to move and won't protest it, I haven't heard anyone yet say that they want their children to be reassigned. Those must be some good schools.