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70 years after Brown v. Board, many Virginia students separated by race, economic class
When the U.S. Supreme Court ordered school desegregation in 1954 in Brown v. Board of Education, the court hoped K-12 schools across the nation would give equal opportunities to both Black and white students. Many believed that tying the fate of Black students to the fate of their white peers would lift Black students because of white parents’ and legislators’ resources and political leverage to provide for their own children. But today, nearly 70 years after the landmark ruling, students in Virginia remain largely separated by race and economic class. While segregation is no longer mandated by public policy, it is reinforced by school attendance zones and segregated housing patterns.
Why Fairfax schools may lock student cell phones up during class
To help curb the growing concerns of what kind of impact cellphones have on children in school, officials at Fairfax County Public Schools are about to explore ways to further limit cellphone access. During a meeting to discuss student policies on Thursday, the board approved a motion by Member At-Large Kyle McDaniel for the superintendent to develop a plan for secure cellphone storage, such as lockers or magnetic pouches. The board would consider the plan for the next school year.
UVA’s last-minute update to tent regulations document creates confusion, frustration
In the days after police forcibly cleared a pro-Palestine encampment near the University Chapel, a last-minute edit to a list of guidelines — from the Office of Environmental Health and Safety — related to the use of tents on Grounds has been the subject of questions and debate. According to University administrators, a document on the office’s website outlining fire safety regulations for tents contained an inaccurate clause that exempted recreational tents from permit requirements. University officials said the document was updated for accuracy, as official University policy requires all tents to receive permits prior to their use on Grounds. Administrators said the encampment violated this policy.
Virginia’s Rep. Wexton endorses Subramanyam to succeed her in Congress
U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.) is backing state Sen. Suhas Subramanyam to succeed her in Congress, she announced Monday, an endorsement that is likely to give the Loudoun County Democrat significant momentum in a crowded primary race. “Suhas is a principled, effective leader who has a long commitment to service, and he is rooted right here in our community,” she said in an emailed statement to The Washington Post. He “will continue my legacy of getting things done for Northern Virginians.” Wexton, who has represented Virginia’s 10th Congressional District since 2019, is not running again because of health reasons. Her impending exit from Congress has drawn a packed field of 12 Democrats in the party’s primary, making it hard for any of them to emerge as a clear front-runner.
Fredericksburg-area officials tell state their transportation needs
The state transportation leaders’ annual nine-meeting tour across Virginia stopped in Stafford County on Thursday. ... Virginia Department of Transportation Commissioner Stephen Birch told the small crowd the state’s 2025-2030 six-year improvement program draft calls for $19.1 billion in funding for roads, with another $6.3 billion for rail and public transportation. The total funding is down $5 million from the current Six-Year Improvement Plan.
Fears grow as Mountain Valley Pipeline nears completion
The most visible scars from the Mountain Valley Pipeline are gone now from the pastoral property that Anne and Steve Bernard call home. But the Bernards remain troubled by what they can’t see. “Bottom line: I’m scared to death of that pipe sitting out there,” Steve Bernard said of the buried steel pipe, through which highly pressurized natural gas could soon begin flowing along a route that passes about 150 feet from the couple’s white frame house and adjacent art studio.
New ballpark? Unless poverty becomes our top priority, RVA will keep losing
In a city that’s so accustomed to losing, even the wins feel like defeat. After more than 20 years of handwringing and public debate, the Richmond City Council finally approved a massive, $170 million financing plan on Wednesday to build a new ballpark to replace the nearly obsolete, 40-year-old Diamond on Arthur Ashe Boulevard. ... It would also be paid for with city tax dollars, the same tax dollars that council members struggled to scrounge up just two weeks ago.
MVP fined again by regulators for environmental problems
State regulators again cited the Mountain Valley Pipeline for environmental violations, and are seeking another $31,500 in fines that total more than $2 million over the past five years. In an email sent Friday, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality informed the company that its inspections found at least 13 cases of non-compliance with erosion and sedimentation control regulations.
Some VCU students walk out of commencement during Youngkin address
Dozens of Virginia Commonwealth University students walked out of their graduation ceremony Saturday morning as Gov. Glenn Youngkin delivered the commencement address, demonstrating support for Palestinians and protesting some of the Republican’s crusade against efforts to promote racial equity in education. The selection of Youngkin as speaker drew criticism from some ahead of the ceremony. The university’s chapter of the NAACP [last] week urged VCU officials to rescind the invitation, and some students in recent days said they would hold a walkout during the ceremony.
Schmude: Amid expansion, Chesapeake Regional seeks unnecessary price hikes
Chesapeake Regional Healthcare recently announced more than $150 million in new construction across Hampton Roads. In the same breath, the system has demanded dramatic price increases for Tidewater’s people and businesses in its current negotiations with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia. I spend my time advocating for health care affordability because it is consumers and businesses that pay for health care, and they should not bear the burden of flagrant cost increases to fund Chesapeake’s expansion plans.