Former Falls Church City Councilman Lawrence Webb announced this week he intends to run for a slot on the F.C. School Board this November. Webb is currently actively circulating petitions to qualify for the ballot before the June 11 deadline.
The following is a statement issued by Webb this week about his candidacy:
“After much thought and deliberation with friends and family, I have decided to run for a seat on the Falls Church City School Board. My ten plus years of professional educational experience and my understanding of the city’s political process makes me a strong candidate.
“As a higher education administrator I know firsthand how important it is to have a strong educational system. As an Assistant Dean of Admissions I review applications from students at George Mason High School and it reaffirms to me that they are some of the brightest students in our region. For eight years I served the Commonwealth as a member of the Department of Correctional Education School Board with the last two years as its Chairman. During my tenure of the board we saw all seven juvenile schools attain state accreditation. We also saw an increase in the number of adults receiving GEDs and career and technical degrees, which studies show leads to a reduction in repeat offenders.
“As a member of City Council for four years I worked with and voted in support of fully funding the budgets that were presented to the Council. I have been a champion and supporter of a revenue sharing agreement between the city and the schools. A revenue sharing agreement would take the politics out of funding our schools and let the school administration concentrate on maintaining and improving upon the success that we see in our schools. I also feel that I can put my understanding of the budgeting process and relationship with the city staff to good use when the time comes to negotiate and advocate for our schools.
“We are in need of a new high school and if elected that would be one of my top priorities. I will work with all stake holders on a facilities plan that will make sure that we build a school that will fit all of the needs of our students. Then work hard to get it built. Dealing with our facilities issues is key to a successful future of our school system.”
