{"id":252,"date":"2021-08-23T01:01:29","date_gmt":"2021-08-23T01:01:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whatistandfor.co\/conservativecitizen\/?p=252"},"modified":"2021-08-23T01:01:30","modified_gmt":"2021-08-23T01:01:30","slug":"loudoun-now-education-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/whatistandfor.co\/conservativecitizen\/loudoun-now-education-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"loudoun Now (Education Plan)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Youngkin Unveils Education Plan at Rally in Ashburn<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Republican gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin unveiled the first phase of his education plan, vowing to ban Critical Race Theory in schools, among other measures, during a campaign event last night outside of the Loudoun Public Schools Administration Building in Broadlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first phase of Youngkin\u2019s plan focuses on standards of learning in schools. He said the next two phases of the plan, addressing funding and empowering community members, will be shared in coming weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin greets supporters after a campaign rally outside the Loudoun County Public Schools administration building Wednesday, June 30. [Renss Greene\/Loudoun Now]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opposition to Critical Race Theory has been a galvanizing issue for conservatives across the county, amid claims that the academic theory is influencing curriculums throughout the division. The crowd of several hundred Youngkin supporters cheered when the candidate shared his plan to sign an executive order banning CRT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the School Board has gone to great lengths to dispel that misinformation surrounding its equity efforts, Youngkin insisted that there is evidence of CRT being used to train school staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLoudoun County is ground zero for the fight to return our schools to a curriculum that prepares students for the future,\u201d Youngkin said. \u201cThe classroom is not a place for a political agenda. \u2026 We must start teaching our children how to think. Not what to think.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Youngkin spoke to reporters after the rally and was noncommittal on the school division\u2019s proposed Policy 8040, which is intended to comply with a new state mandate providing protections for transgender and gender fluid students\u2014the other electrifying issue for many conservatives in the county.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think we need to listen to parents and gather all the data, which they haven\u2019t done a good job of. I would encourage school boards across Virginia to make sure that they have listened to families. \u2026 This is a tough issue,\u201d Youngkin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Youngkin said that policy makers are only discussing the issue, in 2020 the Virginia Assembly did pass legislation and the Department of Education created a model policy for school boards to use, which is very similar to the proposed Policy 8040.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The School Board has been accepting feedback on the policy over the past several months, and has heard hundreds of public comments from parents and activists. The board is required by state law to implement the policy before the start of the upcoming school year, and will vote on it during its Aug. 10 meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Youngkin also said that, if elected, he would appoint a new Secretary of Education, a new Superintendent of Schools, and appoint an entirely new State Board of Education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He emphasized school choice and the creation of more governor\u2019s schools for excellence, such as Thomas Jefferson High School. He said he hopes to work with the private sector to avoid diverting funding from public schools to magnet and charter institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also excoriated the impact his opponent, former Democratic governor Terry McAuliffe, had on education throughout the state during his term from 2014-2018. Youngkin charged that during McAuliffe\u2019s tenure, Virginia went from being one of the best states for education to one of the worst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen he was governor, he lowered standards, and he dragged our children\u2019s performance down with those diminished expectations,\u201d Youngkin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Youngkin pointed to Virginia dropping from seventh to 10th in the country in student achievement on advanced placement testing. And despite denials of racial inequity in schools, Youngkin emphasized that scores are lower among Black and Hispanic students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also charged that Virginia has a staggering statewide 62 percent failure rate of eighth grade math, a figure that astounded the crowd. Loudoun Now reached out to the Youngkin campaign for clarification after the event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Youngkin\u2019s claim referred to a 2019 report from the National Assessment of Academic Progress, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

which showed that 37 percent of Virginiga students showed basic proficiency in math, while 25 percent showed below basic proficiency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A representative from the campaign clarified that they consider scoring below the NAEP proficient level a \u201cfailure.\u201d In the 2018-2019 academic year, 80% of Virginia students passed the 8th<\/sup>grade math SOL, with 9% achieving an advanced score.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI often say that \u2018Terry McAuliffe believes in every child left behind\u2019,\u201d Youngkin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The McAuliffe campaign has touted a plan to invest $2 billion annually into schools throughout Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Andrea Weiskopf protests at a rally for Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin outside the Loudoun County Public Schools administration building Wednesday, June 30. [Renss Greene\/Loudoun Now]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Earlier in the day, during a virtual meeting for Virginia Democrats, Loudoun School Board Vice Chairwoman Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian) called on Youngkin to tone down his party\u2019s divisive rhetoric about schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing a leader means focusing on what actually matters, not things that stoke fear and drive people to be divisive,\u201d Reaser said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While he didn\u2019t address Reaser\u2019s comments, Youngkin did emphasize bringing children together and teaching unity. He did not, however, acknowledge the social upheaval and tumult of last week\u2019s School Board meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While education has been the most contentious topic in Loudoun for nearly two years, only one protester demonstrated at the event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Youngkin address the crowd for roughly 20 minutes, Andrea Weiskopf paraded through with a sign reading \u201cIf you aren\u2019t here to protest systemic racism in LCPS, go home!\u201d and wearing a Black Lives Matter t-shirt. The woman was followed by a few Youngkin supporters and incurred a few jeers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several groups came in support of Youngkin, including Parents Against Critical Race Theory and Fight for Schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

School Board member John Beatty (Cactotin), who is seeking the GOP nomination for Virginia\u2019s 10th District congressional seat, was in attendance. Beatty has been an opponent of the district\u2019s equity work. He said the district is encouraging a radical version of racial equity education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s clearly there given that they give teachers the recommendation to read the book<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018How to Be an Antiracist\u2019 by Ibram X. Kendi. They strongly encourage the Southern Poverty Law Center\u2019s courses so teachers can take that, too,\u201d Beatty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ibram X. Kendi is an anti-racist author, historian, professor,activist and director of the Center for Antiracist Research atBoston University.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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