Reid vows to address fights at Jackson MS

Several parents raised concerns about fighting at Luther Jackson Middle School during a “community conversation” for the Falls Church pyramid with Superintendent Michelle Reid Sept. 13.

“Jackson has a bad reputation for drugs, alcohol, and fighting,” said the parent of a Westlawn Elementary School student.

There are fights in the cafeteria, which students record on their phones and post on TikTok and Instagram, he said. The videos show teachers standing by and failing to intervene. And at the end of the school day, some students get on the wrong bus and start fights in other neighborhoods.

“We need to do something about this,” Reid responded. She said she hadn’t been aware of the problem before and promised to discuss it with Region 2 Assistant Superintendent Fabio Zuluaga.

Parents are fleeing

A Jackson parent said she’s heard lots of reports about fights. Another parent said some families have transferred their children to private schools – or are considering transferring – because of frustration over the behavior issues. “This is a huge issue that needs to be addressed,” she said.

Following the meeting, an eighth-grader at Jackson told Annandale Today he’s seen numerous fights with students punching each other. Just the day before, he said, three girls attacked another girl. He’s also seen students watching porn on phones in class.

The student says he’s been bullied repeatedly at Jackson, with other students making fun of his clothes and shoes. When he complained to a counselor, they changed his schedule.

School board member Ricardy Anderson (Mason) urged Reid to address the fighting and other safety issues because “our families are fleeing our schools.”

Anderson called on Reid to focus on Mason District schools because “we have needs here that are significant and deep and that are very different from the rest of the county. … If Mason District schools can thrive, the rest of the county will soar.”

Early start times

Among other issues raised at the meeting, several people complained about the early start time for middle schools. Some students have to wake up at 5:30 a.m. to get to school on time. There was general acknowledgement, however, that FCPS can’t do much about it unless it could add many more buses.

Reid agreed that without more funding “there isn’t a good answer.”

“We don’t have enough buses, so they have to run three tiers,” she said. Middle schools have the earliest start times, 7:30 a.m.

“The only solution would be to rotate the early slot,” she said. “That would be difficult.” Elementary school students would be the most amenable to an early start, but that would raise childcare issues.

“We’re locked in at the moment. Maybe there’s a solution down the road,” Reid said.

Related story: Reid starts job as FCPS superintendent

A Jackson parent called for FCPS to reinstate middle school sports. Students on private leagues end up playing until late in the evening, she said, which is problematic with the early start times.

Reid, who came to FCPS from the Northshore School District in Washington state, said she was surprised to find Fairfax County middle schools don’t offer sports.

“It’s an equity issue,” Reid said, noting that many families can’t afford the fees for private teams, clinics, and travel to games.

Grade configurations

Another parent asked for Reid’s perspective on the grade configuration of middle schools. The three middle schools in Mason District are the only ones in the county with grades 6, 7, and 8. All the others just have grades 7 and 8.

The best practice, based on lots of research, is to have grades 6-8 in middle school, Reid said. When schools only have two grades, “it’s difficult to build community when there is so much turnover.” And with over 200 schools in the county, it would be difficult to change the structure, she said.

When asked about the lack of equity when all schools don’t offer the same courses, Reid said FCPS will look at that when reviewing the strategic plan.

A retired teacher working as a substitute asked how to address the staff shortage. The solution is getting more people to choose teaching careers, Reid said, and that means making sure this profession is better respected. “We need to think about how to change that narrative.”