A public school curriculum that includes critical race theory or violates First Amendment rights will be prohibited in a Glenn Youngkin administration, the Republican candidate for Virginia governor announced Monday night.
Youngkin waded into his state’s debate in Loudoun County Public Schools that is currently at odds with the parents of students as well as one of its own faculty members over the controversial curriculum being taught by its teachers.
VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS TOUT DIVERSE TICKET AHEAD OF STATEWIDE ELECTIONS
Youngkin, along with the majority of the Republican Party candidates for Virginia governor on May 6, previously signed on to a pledge to oppose the teaching of critical race theory in Virginia Public Schools.
Referencing Loudon County physical education teacher Byron “Tanner” Cross, who was placed on administrative leave after telling the school board last week he could not abide by the school policy on transgender students, Youngkin told Fox News, “As governor, I will stand for excellence in education. We will not teach critical race theory, and I will stand up for teachers and parents against these kinds of cancel culture initiatives,” he said.
Cross told the board the suggested policy would “damage” the Leesburg Elementary School children he teaches and it would go against his religion if it was implemented.
The proposed policy says, “Staff shall allow gender expansive or transgender students to use their chosen name and gender pronouns that reflect their gender identity without any substantiating evidence.”
Youngkin, who later spoke with Cross by phone, asked Monday evening, “Who is standing up for Tanner Cross? Well, I will tell you, as governor, I’ll have his back. I’ll stand up for the teachers, I’ll stand up for the parents, and I actually call on that school board right now in Loudoun County to reinstate Tanner Cross fully because they have absolutely ignored his constitutional rights.”
Loudoun, considered to be the wealthiest county in the nation, located outside the Washington, D.C., suburbs, is the focus of a national debate between parents and school boards intent upon implementing racial diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the classrooms.
Virginia Republican candidates, with Youngkin at the top of the ticket, hope to capture suburban voters who see an opportunity on this issue, as GOP activists are reaching out to local parents frustrated with the system.
“What we’re seeing happening in our schools is really frustrating,” Youngkin told the Washington Examiner. “Not just from being closed, but on top of that, the way the curriculum is being dominated by the Left. The fact is that we haven’t had any school choice in Virginia to any degree at all.”
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He added, “And yet, Virginia families want to have a choice. They want to say, ‘I want my child to go to school across town at a different public school, or stay in the public school or try a private school or even home school,’ and Virginia has eight charter schools in the entire commonwealth, and North Carolina has 190.”
