Letter: Bloggers Present Misinformation about Prince William Schools

Dear Editor,

As a blogger myself, I’ve come to realize that the best part about blogging is also the worst part about blogging. In a world without editors, information can be posted instantly without regard for validity, content, or tone. This is great news for things that I post, mainly fliers and events provided to me by organizations, but I also take great pride and personal accountability for the information I post, because my name is on it. At the end of the day, PWCMom is me, Kristina Schnack Kotlus, and because I value my reputation, when there is an error or an oversight, I apologize and make it right.

In Prince William County politics, however, we currently have a few bloggers who are either so afraid of backlash or so uncomfortable with their positions that they aren’t willing to put their names on their work. I would caution readers that authors hiding behind a mask are frequently not operating with a level of journalistic integrity that merits an audience.

As an example, the author behind “Our Schools” recently incised Facebook followers with the news that an unnamed source told her that they spoke to Dr. Steven Walts, Prince William County’s Schools Superintendent, at a pool and he encouraged them to support the building of a pool at the next planned high school. Our Schools further stated that “The truth is board members are being told I did this for you and now you owe me,” providing no evidence, quotes, or emails to their claims. On March 15, Our Schools again tried to incise readers giving a source this time! Unfortunately, the source was The Derecho, another blog that doesn’t list information for the author.

When considering your involvement in county schools, please consider a source that’s providing reliable, accurate information. Potomac Local News is a great place to start. Reading through “Our Schools” Facebook page clearly provides insight that the author supports spending as much as possible of our education budget on special education. The author is also “disgusted” by anyone who supports initiatives, again such as the pool, that they disagree with.

Here’s the thing folks: I’ve been to enough school board meetings to know that for every decision the school board makes, some kids will benefit and others will suffer. New math approach? It’s probably great for the visual learners and horrible for the auditory learners, or vice versa. More money for special education or the gifted program? Great, but that money is coming out of your “average” student’s allotment somehow. If it’s affecting your child, get involved after carefully reading actual press on the issue, school board commentary, and reputable outside resources for background.

If there’s one thing you learn from this, skip getting upset about a nameless blogger trying to share her anger without backing up what they “heard” from a “source.” In fact, Our Schools says it best-

“The owner of this site is not responsible for the writings of other posters nor does this site guarantee accurate reporting on shared materials.”

Kristina Schnack Kotlus
Lake Ridge, Va.

*Editors note: Kristina Schnack Kotlus is the owner and publisher of pwcmoms.com and is a contributing writer for Potomac Local News.

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