Your contributions are needed now

Your contributions are needed now!

Lawsuit to Stop Redistricting!

Stand up for your rights now!

FairfaxCAPS, Inc. directors are taking steps needed to file, on behalf of interested parties, a lawsuit requesting a court-ordered injunction to stop the redistricting. A local law firm with a special expertise about education law in Virginia is being selected.

Your immediate financial support is needed for this lawsuit to be successful. All parents and families and residents that want an injunction stopping the School Board’s February 28 decision need to support this lawsuit. This specifically includes all families and residents living within the following attendance areas: Floris, Fox Mill, Madison, and Navy. In addition, all parents and residents that want to help prevent the Fairfax County School Board from making future unfair school boundary decisions are asked to support this lawsuit.

The lawsuit must be filed within 30 days after the School Board’s February 28 vote for redistricting. Your financial contribution is needed immediately. Checks need to be in hand as soon as possible in order for the lawsuit to go forward.

If the lawsuit is successful, a court-ordered injunction against the redistricting in effect would block the February 28 redistricting decision and restore the previous high school boundaries. Future steps would be up to the School Board, but School Board members have acknowledged many flaws in their process, and would need to pursue other options, including potentially conducting a new boundary study with an improved and transparent and fair process.

Everyone wants to know what this legal action will cost. At this time a final cost is not known but it is expected to exceed six-figures. The focus has been on maximizing prospects of cost-effective litigation that is both time-sensitive and cost-sensitive.

Several people have asked how much they should give to this effort. Regrettably, given legal costs these days, FairfaxCAPS is asking for parents, neighbors, and residents to contribute as much as possible. Many Fairfax residents have already contributed in the four- and five-digit ranges per family (between $1,000 – 10,000). This is obviously a personal decision. We appreciate the value of every contribution and believe it is important to get as much support as possible to show that this truly is a community response.

Note that until this legal effort concludes, the vast majority of contributions to FairfaxCAPS will be used for the legal effort. A small percentage will also go to support minimal administrative expenses for other FairfaxCAPS efforts (web site hosting, paper announcements, printing, SCC and IRS organizational and incorporation fees, etc.). As in the past, every effort will be made to keep administrative expenses to a minimum. A parent with an accounting background will contribute services to help maintain our financial records.

Please send your checks and completed forms to FairfaxCAPS, Inc., P.O. Box 710426, Oak Hill, VA 20171-0426. Make your check out to FairfaxCAPS Inc. Forms can be downloaded from the FairfaxCAPS website at www.fairfaxcaps.org/images/donation_form.pdf . Financial contributions are not tax deductible. Every effort will be made to maintain the confidentiality of all contributions. Questions or comments may be sent to info@fairfaxcaps.org, or call 703-476-5259. For more information about FairfaxCAPS, link to http://fairfaxcaps.org .

Please forward this to your neighbors and ask that they also support this effort with a financial contribution.

FairfaxCAPS has been a strong and vocal advocate for parents and students and residents and neighborhoods throughout this boundary study. Many of your neighbors have volunteered their time and expertise to help advance the goal to stop redistricting. This is the first formal appeal to parents and families and area residents for funding. The timing is urgent. All families and residents are asked to take a moment from their busy schedules and send a check today to FairfaxCAPS. Your children, your families, and your neighbors are depending on your financial support. Thank you!