Virginia School District Shells Out Nearly $50,000 For Survey Crafted By Race Consultants

A northern Virginia school district shelled out nearly $50,000 to a racial consultant for a survey intended to direct its new “anti-racist” curriculum.

The concerned parent organization Parents Defending Education (PDE) uncovered that the Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) district spent $49,600 to conduct an “Anti-Bias Community Engagement Policy” survey. The survey was crafted by a New York City-based diversity, equity, and inclusion firm called Leadership Academy.

In response to a FOIA request, the school district confirmed that the cost of the survey was $49,600 and said it was “procured via an informal competitive process.”

PDE reported that the school district also “signed a four-year ‘Notice of Award’ on March 11 with the organization with a ‘pricing schedule’ of 21 items that could add up to a minimum of $702,700 of business and even into the millions of dollars.”

FCPS claims that the “Notice of Award” is valued at $80,000, though a single line item on the contract runs approximately $240,000. 

The survey asked parents to what degree they agree with the following prompts. Respondents could choose from four options, “Strongly Agree,” “Agree,” “Disagree,” and “Strongly Disagree.”

Examples included:

• “My multiple identities (racial, ethnic, gender, religious, etc.) are valued and within FCPS.”
• “FCPS staff are equipped to teach about race”
•  “FCPS staff are equipped to teach about racism”
• “Teaching methods (or teaching practices) address race as often as they should”
• “Teaching methods address racism as often as they should”
• “The curriculum used in FCPS should teach students how to challenge power and privilege in society.”
• “A curriculum and teaching methods focused on being anti-racist and anti-biased would support students’ academic excellence and accelerate learning.”

PDE claims that the questions were designed to elicit a negative response and help funnel more money to diversity consultants such as Leadership Academy.

“The survey was filled with leading questions that are clearly designed with one intention: to get more business for the consultant, NYC Leadership Academy, which was involved in creating the survey,” PDE said. 

In an email regarding the survey, Superintendent Scott Brabrand indicated that the district plans on removing its “Controversial Issue Policy,” which is designed to protect students and encourage educators to instruct impartially.

“One key strategy to achieve education equity is to analyze and address the beliefs and policies that inform teaching practices along with what is taught in schools,” Brabrand said. “FCPS will be revising the existing Controversial Issues Policy and developing a new Anti-Racism, Anti-Bias Education Curriculum Policy.”

Asra Nomani, the Vice President of strategy and investigations at Parents Defending Education and a Fairfax County parent told The Daily Wire that parents are angered by the proposal and survey.

“Scores of parents and community members have contacted us, angry and confused about the fake, rigged survey that school Superintendent Scott Brabrand sent to the community, opening the door for critical race theory indoctrination in one of America’s largest school systems,” Nomani said. “The questions were set up to get answers that will give school officials the excuse to bring critical race theory to students and staff.”

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