Outstanding Local PTA Advocacy Award—Fairfax County Special Education PTA (Virginia)
Fairfax County Special Education PTA demonstrated true dedication and leadership through their determined advocacy on the issue of restraint and seclusion in schools. The use of restraint and seclusion in schools has been shown to cause post-traumatic stress disorder, physical injury and even death. Additionally, these practices are disproportionately used against students with disabilities and students of color, making this an issue of racial equity as well as one of access to a free and appropriate public education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. To advance their advocacy, Fairfax County Special Education PTA collaborated with partners and adopted a position statement, utilizing National PTA’s 2015 resolution on restraint and seclusion as well as National PTA’s endorsement of the 2020 Keeping All Students Safe Act. Fairfax County Special Education PTA also engaged their community to call upon their school board for massive reforms regarding the use and documentation of restraint and seclusion in Fairfax County Public Schools. As a result of their advocacy, a new policy was passed on Dec. 17, 2020, banning seclusion and limiting restraint use in Fairfax County Public Schools.
Jenna Alexander (Hamilton, Va.)
Jenna Alexander serves as vice president of advocacy for Virginia PTA. Throughout her term, she built an advocacy committee that includes representatives for each of Virginia’s active districts. During COVID-19, Alexander engaged the advocacy committee to focus on issues facing the community, organizing a series of webinars, developing a social media toolkit, initiating an email campaign directed toward the Virginia General Assembly and federal legislators, and launching a social media campaign and virtual rally to call on legislators to restore funding for education. Alexander makes sure that all voices are heard and valued. Her leadership, compassion and determination to make the lives of all children better is what makes her shine.
