WASHINGTON — As districts prepare for one of the most contentious presidential primaries in recent history, a Fairfax County supervisor is asking schools to consider canceling class for voters.
Fairfax County Election Board Secretary Katherine Hanley agrees with County Supervisor Cathy Hudgins’ motion to request schools close on March 1.
“Many of our schools are locked during the day,” Hanley says. “At our elementary schools, you have to sign-in and some of the high school parking lots are closed and voters need to walk through those.”
The Fairfax County school board approved a two-hour delay, so many of the expected 250,000 voters may miss the kids arriving, but Hudgins says she worries for students safety, voters access and the ability for election workers to do their jobs.
Following the motion, Superintendant Karen Garza announced in a release to parents and staff that “there are no plans to close school.”
Hudgins’ requests the chair of the school board and Board of Supervisors sit down and discuss it.
As the school district hasn’t used any snow days yet this year, she hopes the calendar will allow for an additional holiday.
