WJCC school board urges civility in wake of Charlie Kirk shooting
Good morning! The former head of the teachers' union and school board members disagree whether staff have free speech rights to go after the murdered conservative on social media.
In the wake of the shooting death of conservative speaker Charlie Kirk, Williamsburg-James City County school officials stressed the need for civility and respect in navigating disagreements, with one school board member saying there was no place in schools for staff who might stretch those bounds.
But the former president of the local teacher’s union warned against over-reacting, saying public employees have a First Amendment right to express private opinions on their own social media accounts, on their own time.
The comments came at Tuesday’s school board meeting after a series of controversial comments about Kirk’s death posted by school employees in Newport News and in Accomack, Orange and Chesterfield counties. There have been no reports of similar actions by WJCC staff.
Those incidents led to a public condemnation by Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Emily Anne Gullickson, who released a statement saying “anyone who would suggest the heinous murder of the father of two young children is acceptable should be disqualified from teaching or working with children again.”
“The issue I see with this is, how do we trust employees who actively publicly celebrate the death of someone speaking to students?” said Stonehouse school board member Michael T. Hosang.
Schools spokesperson Kara Wall told us WJCC schools expect respectful, civil interactions in any venue, “be it email or social media, or in-person.”
“If a concern is presented outside of these expectations, we will respond as appropriate in accordance with federal and state laws, and district policies and procedures,” she said.
Superintendent Daniel Keever made a plea for civility during his report to the board – without mentioning the Kirk case by name – saying “disagreement must never cross the line into disrespect or hostility…our educators, our staff members, our families and community members all play a role in modeling the values we want to instill in our students.”
The former president of the Williamsburg James City County’s teacher’s union, Marco Sardi, reminded board members during the public comments session after Keever spoke that a 1968 Supreme Court ruling said public employees had a right to free speech.
“Recently some WJCC employees have been practicing their first amendment rights to expression, not in their classroom, not in their work email but at home, on social media, on their own personal accounts outside of work hours,” Sardi said. He asked the board to keep the Supreme Court decision in mind if they receive complaints.
Jessica Anderson remains top local fund raiser
Democrat Jessica Anderson has become the area’s political fundraising juggernaut, raising nearly as much money since last year as the two Republican incumbents representing the Historic Triangle in the Virginia House of Delegates put together.
Anderson is challenging Republican incumbent Amanda Batten for the 71st district seat, which covers Williamsburg, much of James City County, and part of New Kent.
Since 2024 she has raised $741,837 in cash and in-kind contributions, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project.
Her report to the state board of elections filed this month shows she raised $384,924 in cash and in-kind contributions from July through August, with 1,124 small contributors who gave $100 or less.
Democratic support groups – including the House Democratic caucus and the PAC for America’s Future -- provided more than half her total funding in the past two months, according to her filing with the state.
Batten has raised $443,718 since 2024, with $137,856 coming in the past two months. The largest donation, $25,000, came from Clean Virginia, a group that says it fights the political influence of Dominion Energy and the Appalachian Power Company. She received another $20,000 from The Gilbert for Delegate campaign, set up by the former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert.
The area’s third largest fund raiser was Chad Green, the Republican incumbent in the 69th district that includes parts of James City, York and Gloucester counties and the city of Newport News. Green has raised $339,323 since 2024, of which $100,666 was raised since July.
His Democratic opponent, Mark Downey, has raised $223,562. He outraised Green in the last two months, with $118,913 in donations.
In local James City County races, Republicans outpaced their Democratic competitors in fund raising the past two months, according to the reports they filed with the state.
Powhatan District candidate Tracy Leigh Wainwright raised $9,820, with 38% coming from small donors who gave $100 or less.
Democratic candidate Ti’Juana Gholson brought in $850 in July and August, with $250 coming from four small donors.
The two are vying for the seat being vacated by Michael J. Hipple.
For the Jamestown supervisors’ seat, incumbent Jim Icenhour raised $3,171. His Republican challenger, John Slokovitz, outraised him by a wide margin, bringing in $11,324.
But Icenhour underspent his challenger and had a larger bank balance to start with and still has $18,899 in funds as of Aug. 31. Slokovitz had $10,031.
For the Jamestown school board seat, Democratic challenger Ty Hodges raised $2,069, of which 38% came from small donors.
Republican incumbent Sarah G. Ortego, who lagged Hodges in announcing her campaign, brought in $7,305 in campaign donations in the past two months.
York school board names Carroll interim chief
York County’s school board announced Wednesday that it has named the school system’s chief operations officer to serve as interim school superintendent, replacing Victor Shandor, who is retiring effective Dec. 31.
James Carroll has been with the county schools since 2014, serving in various roles including chief human resources officer before being appointed chief operations officer.
Although his retirement does not take place until the end of the year, Shandor will be stepping back from his day-to-day responsibilities at the end of September, according to a press release from the school board.
The board has retained the Virginia School Boards Association to conduct a nationwide search for a new superintendent.
Weekend Fun & Games
Expect road closings and parking restrictions in historic Yorktown during the We the People, A Yorktown Battlefield Event on Saturday.
Free parking will be available at York Hall, York-Poquoson courthouse and other designated public parking spots. The free trolley will run from there to the event all day until 9 p.m.
Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, flashlights, water, bug spray, sunscreen and coolers, but alcoholic beverages are prohibited. There will be several food trucks on site.
Rhythms on the Riverwalk, Sept. 18. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Riverwalk Landing Yorktown. Free.
Williamsburg Players presents Cabaret. Thursday-Saturday 8 p.m., also 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $22 adults, $12 students and children.
Community Art Day. Sept. 20. 10 a.m.- 6:30 p.m. Muscarelle Museum of Art.
We The People, a Yorktown Battlefield Event with a screening of Ken Burn’s The American Revolution. Sept. 20. 3-9 p.m. Yorktown Battlefield. Free.
Harvest Festival, Chickahominy Riverfront Park. Sept. 20. Free.
Waltrip Williamsburg Executive Airport 55th Anniversary Open House. Sept. 20. 10 a.m. Free.
Passings
Steve Danchak Jr., 61, Sept. 11.
John Marvin (Pep) Seymour, 93, Sept. 12.
Willie Mae McCracken, 84, Sept. 10.
Francis Joseph Rogers, 77, Sept. 11.
Richard Carrington Heath, 93, Sept. 12.
Candice Bresnahan, 59, Sept. 12.
It may not be in the press, but there are local school employees who wrote questionable comments on social media about Charlie Kirk.