The recent imbroglio between Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and the leadership of Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is another reminder that, in these polarized times, the default response to even minor disputes appears to be go to your corners and come out slugging.
A couple of weeks ago, it was brought to the attention of the attorney general’s office that Cooper Middle School had sent an e-mail to parents, encouraging students to participate in the school system’s College Partnership Program.
So far, so good.
But, whether by design or inadvertence, the e-mail then veered into dangerous territory by singling out certain racial, ethnic and socio-economic groups, suggesting (perhaps) that those were the only groups that could participate.
And Miyares, who like all state attorneys general everywhere loves nothing more than to bask in the spotlight as they attempt to move up the political food chain, pounced.
He fired off a letter to the school, making sure the press knew all about it, accusing Cooper Middle and FCPS of violating civil-rights laws of the commonwealth.
Which then provoked a response from the school system that was, if we are being charitable, designed to avoid the main question of the flier itself.
Rather, the school system noted (correctly) that the program is open to all students, and accused Miyares of “false and damaging public accusations” – which seemed to be a stretch, assuming the verbiage of the e-mail was as the attorney general’s office said.
In a different world, this could have been worked out by a phone call between mid-level staffers at the AG’s office and school system. But both sides decided to escalate.
Heckuva way to run a railroad, as one used to say.
