Parents Beseiged by Horrible School Policies
It is amazing what students can achieve when they are placed in a learning environment without any of the social engineering that prioritizes misguided philosophies like Critical Race Theory (CRT) or “equity” policies above standard learning objectives, and are given a variety of opportunities to help them excel.
Consider the 12-year old prodigy from North Carolina who will be graduating from not only a private high school next month, but also from community college where he earned an associate’s degree, simply because he used his spare time during the pandemic to take additional courses. In just one year, he completed two years of high school and two years of community college.
Now consider what’s been happening in Virginia’s public schools over the past year:
Many schools have remained in a virtual-only learning environment since March 2020. (A year into COVID, Virginia school re-openings still in doubt)
A Loudoun County Public Schools diversity council seeks to intimidate parents who object to the dangerous “Critical Race Theory” (CRT). (Loudoun County Crazy: Diversity Council Says ‘We Can And We Will Silence The Opposition’)
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) published its Model Policies for the Treatment of “Transgender” Students in public schools that undermine parental authority and endanger student privacy and safety. (VDOE Transgender Policies Dangerous to Both Children and School Personnel)
In the name of “equity,” the VDOE is proposing a “restructuring” of the math curriculum for math classes prior to the 11th grade that would essentially eliminate accelerated classes for many students. (Virginia Eliminates Accelerated Math Courses Because Equity)
The ideal remedy for parents is more education opportunities, but since 2012 Virginia has been unable to pass legislation that gives them more choices in education. In 2016 and 2017, former Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) vetoed bills that would have created education savings accounts for parents to use at any public of private school. This year, legislation that would’ve created vouchers to be used at another public or a private school in the event that in-person instruction was not available was defeated by a Democrat-led committee.
As Virginia’s majority in the General Assembly and our executive leadership continue to oppose more education opportunities for families, other states are now creating more learning environments for children. In West Virginia, the legislature passed, and Republican Governor Jim Justice signed into law, a bill creating the state’s first education savings account (ESA) program to be effective by July 2022. Georgia’s state legislature just passed a bill that would expand eligibility for the state’s voucher program for special-education students, which Republican Governor Brian Kemp is expected to sign. Also, last month a super-majority of Kentucky lawmakers overrode Democratic Governor Andy Beshear’s veto on a bill that creates a $25 million tax-credit scholarship fund – very similar to Virginia’s scholarship tax credit program for low-income families – that gives parents the option to send their kids to different school districts or private schools.
Virginia, which historically has been a leader among other states in education standards and innovation, is now falling behind other states in providing more education opportunities for students and families. The reality is this pattern will not end until we elect legislators and a Governor willing to promote education competition by giving parents more options when it comes to their child’s education.
November 2, 2021 is Virginia’s next chance to do just that. Register to vote HERE, if you are not already.
