By Jung Byun: Growing up in an inner-city public school district sparked my passion and curiosity for education. I learned that not everyone is guaranteed access to a high-quality education. I was one of the few lucky students who tested…
Category: Issues
First Person: Want to know what matters most to Fairfax high school students? Let one tell you
By Trisha Rahman: As a student currently attending a Fairfax County Public high school, I am familiar with many of the issues high school students care about. Yes, we think about test scores, our football team stats, even Ariana Grande’s…
First Person: A visit from Dick Saslaw convinced me to support Yasmine Taeb
By Julie Galdo: Recently I had a visit from State Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-35) for the first time in 36 years living in Falls Church, and I was disappointed. Instead of sharing why he was running again, Sen. Saslaw spent…
Social issues in forefront of Dem. prosecutor primary debate
By Susan Laume: As the Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney’s office handles thousands of civil and criminal cases every year, and touches many thousands of lives in northern Virginia, the social policies of the elected official running the office demand the…
Our schoolchildren need expanded Enviro Ed – Melanie Meren
By Melanie Meren: For the kids, families, and our furry friends we bring to outdoor spaces, it’s critical to remember that it’s the hard work of county officials that preserves our environment and connects us with nature. I want to…
Upcoming appearance in Fairfax City by national leader against death penalty
By Paul O’Shea: Following recent passage in the state Senate of a bill to ban the death penalty for criminal defendants with severe mental illness, northern Virginia welcomes a leading proponent of a national movement against the death penalty on…
New law lets Virginia localities sell green energy back to power companies
By Susan Laume: Local governments in northern Virginia and elsewhere in the Commonwealth can now generate up to 30 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy for sale back to the power grid, thanks to recently passed legislation sponsored by state Del.…
Springfield school board candidate debate focuses on testing and teacher shortage
By Susan Laume: Two candidates vying for Democratic Party endorsement for Springfield District school board member faced off on Thurs. Feb. 28 for an hour-long debate before an audience of about 70. Laura Jane Cohen and Robert Walter, both education…
Parker Messick: Development in Hunter Mill is excessive
Ed Note: We invite all Democrats running for office in northern Virginia to submit an individual statement, maximum 500 words. This one comes from Parker Messick, a candidate for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Hunter Mill District. The primary election…
A sampler of Black History Month special events in northern Virginia
As Black History Month 2019 in Fairfax County draws to a close, here is a small sample of the many speeches, celebrations, exhibitions and events that have made it specially memorable. At left, Dontae Bugg, Esq., soon to take office…
Fairfax County Democratic candidates reach out to Muslim Community
Muslims are believed to be under-represented among Fairfax County voters, but outreach efforts by Democratic Party candidates for local office aim to change that equation. The latest such effort took place Saturday, Feb. 16, at Dar al Hijrah Mosque in…
Mark Keam draws a road map through the disaster in Richmond
Ed Note: Normally The Blue View prints original content only but we are making an exception in the case of a constituent letter dealing with the current turmoil in Richmond posted on Facebook by Del. Mark Keam (D- 35) on…
A Jew defends Samirah against charges of anti-Semitism
Ed. Note: Virginia House candidate Ibraheem Samirah recently apologized after a website published 5-year old Facebook posts by him criticizing Israel. Samirah, whose family is from Palestine, is the Democratic party candidate for the 86th District, including parts of Fairfax…
Last ditch efforts to get ERA passed in current legislative session
The struggle for Virginia to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment is not over, although the chances for victory in the current legislative session are slight. According to VAratifyERA, an activist group, there are three paths to getting the ERA ratification…