Anonymous Tip Line Will Now Let Parents Report Teachers To The Government
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin is doubling down on his sweeping executive order against Critical Race Theory. Now, on top of the EO, the Virginia Governor just announced a parent tip line which he calls “Help Education.” Gov. Youngkin was appearing on conservative radio host John Fredericks’ show when he made the announcement.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin is doubling down on his sweeping executive order against Critical Race Theory. Now, on top of the EO, the Virginia Governor just announced a parent tip line which he calls “Help Education.” Gov. Youngkin was appearing on conservative radio host John Fredericks’ show when he made the announcement.
“We have set up a particular email address called [email protected] for parents to send us any instances where they feel that their fundamental rights are being violated, where their children are not being respected, and where their inherent divisive practices in their schools and we’re asking for input right from parents so we can go right to the source,” Youngkin said.
In making available this special tip line for parents, Youngkin ramped up his war against critical race theory in schools and the teachers who bring it into public education. “We’re asking for folks to send us reports and observations they have that will help us be aware of things like ‘Privileged Bingo,'” Youngkin said. The Governor was referring to reports of a lesson plan in Fairfax County high school that included this “game.”
This activity, which was conducted in one of the high school’s English classes, involved a bingo-like card titled “Identifying You Privilege” and included “privilege’s” such as White, Christian, Heterosexual, Military Kid, Male, Never Been Racially Profiled, and Feel Safe Around Police Officers. Needless to say, Fairfax County High School took some major heat from families and the Governor alike.
Initially, the school district defended the teacher’s use of the activity. Assistant Superintendent Douglas Tyson remarked that the bingo card came from an already approved Fairfax County Public Schools lesson (as if that makes it appropriate to use) and felt it was “an adept vehicle to push student thinking to challenge [an] author’s thoughts/conclusions and to sharpen their ability to critically read selected texts.” But plenty of backlash ensued, a lot from the military community. Since that time, the district has stepped back, saying that the activity would be revised.
Although Gov. Youngkin has no plans in letting up on his fierce battle to rid schools of critical race theory, he did want to remind listeners that history is important in schools, and it will continue to be taught. “We are indeed going to continue to teach all history—the good and the bad—but we are going to get these inherently divisive teaching practices out of the classroom,” he said. He seems to have a lot of support to make this happen and the parent’s tip line might see some action.
Creating this special parent tip line to help root out “divisive” teaching is only part of Gov. Youngkin’s massive agenda. He said that he, along with those who are working with him, has a goal to raise Virginia school standards. He wants to have the largest education budget ever seen in the state so he can raise teachers’ pay. He would like to invest more into special education for those Virginia students with learning disabilities. Gov. Youngkin would also like to continue moving forward with his charter school agenda.
Gov. Youngkin also was preaching patience. The parent tip line, while coming about fast, was only the beginning of the plans he ran on, but he also warned that some legislation is going to take time to come about. One of these pieces of legislation, his mask mandate optional in schools executive order, is what he was referring to when he remarked, “I continue to ask everyone to love your neighbor, listen to your principal and trust the legal process.” The Virginia Governor then continued, “Keep your kid in school because parents have this fundamental right in Virginia…I’m not going to stop fighting for the rights of parents to make these decisions for their kids.”
Gov. Youngkin does not care whose feathers he ruffles. His parent tip line to report schools teaching critical race theory is proof positive. But is it enough or is it, what some people consider overreach? Only time is going to tell.
