Summary
Current Position: Teacher
Affiliation: Democrat
Candidate: Senate District 36
Growing up in a working class immigrant family, a former teacher, and mother to six children, Stella has always fought to ensure future generations have opportunities to achieve success. On the School Board, she has fought to increase teacher pay and successfully stood up to Youngkin’s partisan agenda to strip away local control of our schools.
A long-time Centreville resident and a small business owner, Stella and her husband are raising their six children in this wonderful community.
Source: Campaign site
OnAir Post: Stella Pekarsky
News
FFX Now, – June 21, 2023
n two upsets, Sully District school board representative Stella Pekarsky eked out a win over veteran state Sen. George Barker for the 36th District nomination, while Fairfax Young Democrats vice president Saddam Azlan Salim ousted Sen. Chap Petersen in the 37th District.
Currently in her first term on the Fairfax County School Board after getting elected in 2019, Pekarsky received 52.2% of the vote — just 662 more votes than Barker, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections.
First elected in 2007, Barker was pursuing a fifth term in the state Senate. Encompassing Chantilly, Centreville and Clifton, the 36th District was created by the Virginia Supreme Court during the 2021 redistricting process and includes just a portion of Barker’s former 39th District.
In a statement, Pekarsky thanked Barker “for a hard fought campaign on the issues.”
“Our constituents benefited from the conversation and I look forward to uniting behind our shared vision of standing up for Democratic values,” she said. “I am running to stand up for public education, protect abortion access, keep our community safe from gun violence, and build a brighter future for the next generation. I look forward to sharing that message with every voter in the district leading up to November’s election.”
About
A Lifelong Virginian & Daughter of Immigrants
My passion for education and its promise of lifelong opportunity began while I was growing up. The oldest daughter in a Greek-American working class immigrant family, I spent my early years between Greece and Virginia but ultimately found my home here. I would spend my Saturdays sitting in my mother’s Greek language class at our church. I would promptly go home and conduct my own class with my younger siblings and stuffed animals as students.
My parents helped me understand from an early age that a strong education would open up doors and opportunities for me as an adult. As a student whose first language was not English, I had to navigate the world of two cultures and languages, as so many of our neighbors do today.
After high school graduation, I pursued a degree in Government & Politics at George Mason University and completed it within 3 years. During this time, I worked and sought out scholarships to pay for my schooling. These early experiences sparked my passion for fighting for my community, which I have devoted myself to since.
A Teacher and Small Business Owner
I began substitute teaching in Fairfax County Public Schools, here in the Sully District. While substitute teaching, I earned a Masters of Ed. in Multicultural & Multilingual Education and certification as an ESOL teacher. I began teaching full time for FCPS. My husband and I chose Centreville to be our home in 2001 because of its wonderful schools and we are now raising our six incredible children here. Together, we co-founded Skyway Air Taxi, a local air charter company and I currently run the daily customer operations.
A Leader on the School Board and Beyond
While I took a break from the full-time classroom to raise my children and start our family air charter business, I never took a break from helping children and families. I began serving as your Sully District representative on the Fairfax County School Board in 2020, where I have fought for every student and guided our return to in-school learning. Additionally, I led the lawsuit against Glenn Youngkin’s attempt to steal our local control of our schools. Previously, I have served as HOA President, President of several PTAs in the Sully District, taught adult ESOL classes, and worked with underserved youth through Cornerstones.
In 2018, I was proud to be one of the parent leader advocates of More Recess for Virginians who successfully lobbied our state legislators to change the law that prohibited localities from providing developmentally adequate recess for our children. I have also served as an advisory board member to BRAWS (Bringing Resources to Aid Women’s Shelters), President of Rocky Run PTA, VP of Outreach for Fairfax County Council PTA, member of the NAACP Education committee, At-Large appointee to the Fairfax County Schools Student Health Advisory Committee, and Sully District appointee on the Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees.
Senate District 36
Contact
Email: Contact
Locations
Stella Pekarsky PO
Box 231191 Centreville, VA 20120
Web Links
Issues
Education
Investing in Teachers and Schools
Our students deserve great teachers and schools that create a strong learning environment.
- Too many teachers are leaving the profession due to low pay, which leads to overcrowded class sizes and hurts our students. We must increase teacher pay, and I am running for State Senate because the state government holds the greatest ability to do so.
- We must invest in modernizing our school facilities and expanding where neccesary to reduce overcrowding.
- We also need to fund early childhood education and work to alleviate the burdensome cost of healthcare
Stella’s Record: On the School Board, Stella has worked to use all available resources to increase teacher pay and facilities funding. Stella has allocated over $100 million in funding for teacher pay increases and for school infrastructure upgrades in the 36th District. Since the School Board relies on external funding, Stella is running for State Senate to finish the job of fully funding our schools.
Serving Every Student
No two students are the same, and every one ought to be set up to succeed.
- As a mother of six and former ESOL teacher, I know that a one size fits all approach to education really fits none.
- I support expanding programs to serve students with special needs, English language learners, and high-achieving students.
Stella’s Record: On the School Board, Stella has led the effort to create a policy for educational equity, expanded the capacity of programs to serve gifted students, and worked to close opportunity gaps. Prior to joining the school board, Stella advocated for enrichment programs and developmentally-appropriate recess time. Stella began her career as an ESOL teacher at Poplar Tree Elementary.
Fighting Youngkin’s Attacks on Education
I will fight back against Glenn Youngkin’s right-wing agenda to dismantle public education.
- Youngkin’s war on schools has been relentless. He has attempted to ban books and whitewash our history, made hundred-million dollar mistakes in the education budget, and sought to put control of our schools in the hands of political appointees, not parents, teachers, and community members.
- We cannot ban books simply because they expose students to diverse perspectives.
- I will bring a teacher’s voice, a mother’s voice, and a School Board member’s voice to the State Senate to stop this radical agenda.
Stella’s Record: On the School Board, Stella led the successful lawsuit against Youngkin’s overreaching attempt to strip local control from our schools during his first week in office. Stella has spoken out and fought back against attempts to restrict the teaching of our diverse history.
Human Rights
Abortion Rights & Reproductive Health
I am 100% pro-choice, and I will always fight for the right to access reproductive healthcare.
- As a mother to three young daughters, I will stand up to anti-choice Republicans in Richmond to ensure their generation has the same rights as mine.
- We must codify the right to an abortion in the Virginia Constitution.
Stella’s Record: As a volunteer with BRAWS (Bringing Resources to Aid Women’s Shelters), Stella helped expand access to menstrual products for women across Virginia. On the School Board, Stella has helped pass comprehensive sex education and Title IX instruction policies. Stella is proudly endorsed by Vote Pro Choice in recognition of her record.
Energy & Environment
Climate Change & the Environment
Every Virginian deserves a clean environment, and we must secure the same future for our next generation.
- I will not accept contributions from state-regulated polluters, such as Dominion Energy, and I support a ban on such contributions.
- We must implement and continue to improve upon the Virginia Clean Energy Act to secure a transition to 100% renewable energy.
- We should use the transition to clean energy as a chance to create high-quality jobs and lower energy costs for Virginia families.
Stella’s Record: On the School Board, Stella has supported electrification of the FCPS school bus fleet and invested hundreds of millions in new, more energy-efficient school facilities.
Public Safety
Gun Violence Prevention
No member of our community should fear losing their life, or their loved ones, to gun violence.
- I support an assault weapons ban and a ban on high-capacity magazines, because weapons of war do not belong in our communities.
- Background checks for gun owners are a commonsense safety measure. Virginia must end concealed carry reciprocity for out-of-state gun owners from states without strong, universal background checks.
Stella’s Record: On the School Board, Stella closed loopholes to ensure that no guns ever enter school property, and worked to expand the gun violence prevention curriculum. Stella is a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense candidate in recognition of this record.
Democracy & Governance
Voting Rights & Clean Government
Our democratic process should first and foremost serve our communities, not our corporations.
- I support recent reforms to ease registration and mail voting in Virginia and support the continued expansion of ways to register to vote and cast your ballot.
- Voters should choose their elected officials, not the other way around. It’s time to create a depoliticized process to end gerrymandering in Virginia.
- Virginia’s campaign finance laws allow corporate special interests to drown out other voices. I support campaign finance reform, including caps on gifts from lobbyists and a ban on donations from publicly-regulated corporations, such as Dominion Energy.
- We must also prohibit politicians from using campaign funds for personal use.
Stella’s Record: Stella has never accepted, and will never accept, contributions from publicly regulated utilities. On the School Board, Stella lowered the cap on acceptable gifts to FCPS staff members. Stella is endorsed by Clean Virginia, reflecting a shared dedication to reducing corporate influence over politics.
Economy & Jobs
Workers’ Rights
Every worker deserves a well-paying job and fundamental workplace protections.
- Unions are a powerful force for protecting workers. I support repealing Virginia’s so-called “right-to-work” law and I will work to facilitate collective bargaining agreements and project labor agreements that create high-quality jobs.
- Public jobs belong in the public sector. I oppose efforts to privatize public education and similar public services.
- Every worker should have the right to paid sick leave and paid family leave – and I’m proud to have the Family Friendly Virginia seal of approval in reflection of those values.
- We must raise Virginia’s minimum wage to $15 per hour.
Stella’s Record: On the School Board, Stella cosponsored a unanimously-passed resolution to give FCPS staff collective bargaining rights. Stella has supported paid family and medical leave for all FCPS employees. Stella is a former union member and a member of a union family.
