For the past few years, Virginia was a hotbed of dissension over “parental rights.” Governor Youngkin won office by attacking public schools, teachers, trans kids, and libraries. On Tuesday, Virginia’s parents took back most school boards from MAGA extremists.
Pundits cast Virginia’s Tuesday general elections as a referendum on abortion rights. It was more than that. Further down the ballot those votes also sent a strong message to those trying to disrupt public education: listen to parents. Parents who came out to vote in Fairfax, Loudoun and even Spotsylvania, the epicenters of vitriol and fantasy, voted with a resounding “no” to candidates who focused on anti-CRT, book bans and transphobia. Parents overwhelmingly voted for moderate candidates campaigning on safe schools, feeding hungry kids and supporting our teachers.
After almost four years of vile accusations of racism, pedophilia, incompetence and more, voters in Fairfax rejected the lies and returned Rachna Sizemore Heizer, Melanie Meren, Ricardy Anderson and Karl Frish to the School Board, along with a sweep of all pro-public education newcomers. Rachna Sizemore Heizer said “Today, Fairfax County resoundingly rejected the GOP’s divisive politics and relentless attacks on our schools, students and staff, and stood strong in support of public education. It has been a tough four years on the school board, but we’ve stood strong knowing the majority of Fairfax County shared our values of an excellent education in a welcoming and inclusive environment. Now on to work making our great schools even better for every child.”
Spotsylvania County, with one of the most “toxic” school boards in the Commonwealth, flipped from MAGA extremist to centrist, teacher-focused sanity. Carol Medowar, a newcomer to politics, and part of the wave that flipped the Spotsylvania school board, stated “I’m just so happy for the students, families, and educators who really get to breathe a sigh of relief for this race. It’s a huge flip on the Spotsy school board.”
In Loudoun County, the genesis of the politization of public education education, pro-public school supporters held their ground in a clear referendum on Youngkin’s plan to dismantle public schools, drive out teachers and humiliate trans-kids. The acrimony and chaos of the last four years drove every member of the prior school board out of the race. However, the new board, with all new members, will maintain a strong pro-public school majority, despite Youngkin’s concerted, last minute attempt to influence the race. According to Loudoun public school advocate Andrew Pihonek, “a brand new school board will be a breath of fresh air for many in Loudoun.”
Albermarle-Charlottesville followed the same trend as Loudoun, Fairfax and Spotsylvania, rejecting candidates who tried to re-write our history and ban books.
If Glenn Youngkin and his minions truly want to listen to parents, now is their chance. Parents across the Commonwealth, in their first opportunity since his election to send a clear message, have rejected fear-mongering, white-washing, transphobia, sabotage and lack of civility. The question is no longer will we listen to parents, but will he? As Carol Medowar, successful Spotsylvania candidate, pleaded a few weeks ago, “Let’s make school board meetings boring again.”
Diane, thank you for all that you do for public education. November 7 truly was a referendum on parental rights for all parents, not just the loud minority. More importantly, it was a referendum for true public education. We are in this for the long haul!
See you again in the spring of 2025.
Lisa Schurr
Support Our Schools
Sarasota, FL
What a relief! More, much more of this!
Drive the Repugnicans back to the Middle Ages where they belong.
Glenn Youngkin is disappointed in the results. He didn’t realize that abortion is such an important issue. Meanwhile, Andy Beshear, a Democrat, who ran on supporting a woman’s right to choose, is celebrating his victory in Kentucky. Conservatives fail to realize that body autonomy is an equal rights issue for most women.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade is the first time in our history that a right was withdrawn. That right to control of one’s body was legalized by the Court half a century. Women assumed that a right is permanent, not temporary. Younger women turned out in large numbers in Ohio to demand the protection of their rights.
The GOP sees what’s happening but can’t figure out how to respond. They were better off politically when Roe was settled law. The GOP could turn out crowds to fight Roe. Now that they “won,” the issue is a burden to the GOP. They are like the dog that caught the car it was chasing. They will keep losing wherever Abortion is on the ballot.
Maybe Virginia Governor Youngkin, now that the voters have revealed they do not support what he wants, will follow in Texas Governor Abbott’s fascist footsteps and start taking over school districts and getting rid of elected school boards, then hiring militant fascists like Mike Miles to take over, until parents have no CHOICES, even at the ballot box.
Do what the fascists want or else… Fascism didn’t die with Hitler and Mussolini.
A Metempsychosis
Once upon a time there was a failed businessman named Donald who wanted BADLY to be as successful as Daddy was. But he ran several businesses into bankruptcy, and then he was the breadth of a microbe on a hair of a rat’s tushy from losing everything. So, he ran to the lair of the Russian bear, who gave him a big bear hug, and he fell asleep in those arms. And when he awakened, he had been transformed into an enormous cockroach of a man, with a tiny cockroach brain and a cockroach’s moral compass and sensibilities. A strange tale, but the strangest of it was this: it turned out that that’s just what half the country wanted. Who would have guessed?
With emphasis on the “Psychosis” part
Youngkin, like Rhonda Santis, just got a taste of reality in the 21st century.
Heartening! Lessons to be learned.