Northern Virginia Muslim Omar Fateh is running for one of the three Fairfax County school board member-at-large seats. He announced his candidacy at the March 24, 2015 general membership meeting of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee.
Born in Washington D.C to parents who immigrated from Somalia in the 1960s, Fateh was raised in Annadale Virginia where he attended public school from K-12. A graduate of Falls Church High School, he graduated from George Mason University with a degree in Public Administration. Currently he is a campaign finance analyst for the Federal Election Commission and plans on completing his Masters in Public Administration in May.
As the second youngest in a family of six siblings, Fateh is grateful for the support of his family, his masjid and his community who came together to help a student like him. ìThis is a personal. I failed [a] standardized test and had to take it again,"he told the Muslim Link. He can connect with emotional devastation a student experiences upon failing. Students start thinking that maybe they are not smart and that increases the likelihood that they would not pursue a college degree, he says. Intimately aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the Fairfax County Public Schools system, he is cognizant of the opportunities given to him and also the gaps that need to be addressed. "I am grateful for the chance that my community college gave a student like me, "he said.
Fateh said he was motivated to run for the school board by the lack of representation on the board for the underprivileged, minorities and those with special needs. As an academic adviser at Northern Virginia Community College's Pathway program, Fateh said he noticed minority students were often placed in remedial classes and that many of the county's African-American and Latino students scored between 20 and 25 percentage points lower than their peers on Math and Science SOL tests.
"[The Board's] activities can tell you that its members hardly reflect the diverse make-up of the County in either composition or values,"he said. "There is a lack of representation, no one identifies with them and it is hard to come up with a viable solution if you are not from the community affected by your policies,"he said. At 25 years old, Fateh feels confident he can connect with students and understand their needs.
Those making policies fail to realize the realities of underprivileged families. "Many parents cannot afford to attend parent teacher meetings during the day as going to work to provide for family means daily pay - we need to provide resources that are needed [by these families] to succeed,"said Fateh.
"I will be making lots of phone calls and knocking on doors- engaging people who previously have not voted before,"he said of his campaign efforts. Only 28 percent of registered voters actually came to vote; many residents of the area don't know about the school board elections and are generally disconnected, explained Fateh. "These folks don't know their school board members. They need to know them like [they know] their senators,"he said. He hopes to give them a reason to vote- the future of their children. Hopefully, we can work together for their success."
Fateh will be knocking on the door of churches, synagogues and as many religious centers as possible. At a leadership meeting at Dar al Hijrah in Falls Church, he discussed his goals and and campaign platform. He plans on focusing on expanding community engagement, addressing the needs of a full range of students and managing growth in the county while working within the constraints of the budget.
"This is an expensive race and I will need the support of the entire community to spread my message,"he said.
The endorsements will be released on May 26, 2015 and the election is on November 3rd 2015.
To learn more about Omar Fateh's campaign for the Fairfax County School Board visit www.fatehforschoolboard.com
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