Williamsburg-James City County Schools’ superintendent drew sharp criticism last week for words he used in a meeting with high school students about the district’s pending school redistricting.
Daniel Keever apologized on Monday, calling his comment a mistake.
“That mistake was absolutely something that I would have corrected in the moment had I realized the way that it had been heard by members of the room,” Keever said at a town hall organized by the Village Initiative, which advocates for school equity in WJCC Schools.
“At the very core of my being, I believe that our schools should be diverse places.”
Several parents of students at Lafayette High School reported to news outlets that Keever, during the meeting last week, told them “we want” students to go to schools “with people who look like you.” Parents and community groups criticized the language as segregationist and racist.
Keever on Monday insisted that it wasn’t his intention and that he didn’t communicate his values well at that moment. But upon reflection, he said he needed to say he’s sorry.
“I wanted students to understand that they should see themselves in the schools that we work to create,” Keever said. “I intended to talk about and try to explain what demographics were related to the idea of redistricting and this idea that oftentimes in our schools we have the chance to experience students with similar experiences or not, that look like us and don’t, and this idea around how do we create schools that are affirming of all the different students that we serve.”
Several in attendance commended Keever for apologizing, but remained skeptical. They wanted to see what action follows.
“What I don’t want to see is one particular group or a couple groups driving what the decision is going to be,” said Eric Stone.
Keever said his comment at Lafayette “has served as a division point” in a school zone redistricting process that’s been controversial.
WJCC is adjusting school zones for the 2027-28 year as new preschool centers will free up dozens of elementary school classrooms at. The school board brought in a firm to consider how to do that and also look at middle school and high school zones in the process. The division released a first draft of zone maps in May.
The district is focusing on better use of buildings and making bus routes more efficient. Better building utilization and streamlined bus routes are a central piece of the discussion for the district. The Village Initiative, however, contends that new zones can create schools that achieve those goals and are socioeconomically and racially balanced, too.
“These proposed maps are going to deepen economic inequalities across schools,” said Amy Quark, board member, during an interview with WHRO on May 28. “They’re going to concentrate students with higher needs at certain schools over others; we already have that at the elementary schools and the high schools and these maps are going to exacerbate it.”
Under the proposed maps, DJ Montague Elementary’s would shift from 47% to 59% students of color; Matthew Whaley would jump from 47% to 56%; James River would increase from 54% to 60%. James Blair and Berkeley Middle Schools would see proportionate increases in the percentage of students of color and economically disadvantaged students as well.
“We’re talking about undoing what it’s taken us a long time to get to, a space where there’s somewhat some balance,” said Jacqueline Bridgeforth Williams, Village Initiative executive director, during an interview with WHRO on May 28.
Several parents are also concerned. Although Keever said he’d be open to adjusting teacher-to-pupil ratio caps, Bryn Ghio, whose children attend Matthew Whaley, wants a plan for addressing the concentration of more socioeconomically disadvantaged students at certain schools.
“I would be more than happy to go to another school if all the students had an equitable education,” she said. “As the map stands, it does not look like it’s going to be equitable.”
Brier Anderson also has a daughter in first grade at Matthew Whaley. Anderson recalled being excited about the school when she started to build her family. Under the proposed maps, however, her Kings Point neighborhood would be rezoned to Laurel Lane.
She’s worried the change could drastically impact school functions when parents active in parent-teacher associations are uprooted.
“We steward a budget of almost $50,000,” Anderson said. “We provide school supplies for all students who attend the elementary school.”
Keever said the division could release second or even third drafts with more community input before the maps go to the school board for adoption in mid-October.
WJCC Schools is a member of HRETA, which owns WHRO’s broadcast license.
