2021 VA Governor's race: on Education

Glenn Youngkin: Ban critical race theory from being taught in Virginia

Youngkin went on to talk about his plans for Virginia schools, including banning critical race theory from being taught to Virginia students. Critical race theory is an idea that originated in academic circles the 1970s that examines how governmental policies and laws preserve systemic racism. Republican lawmakers in nearly a dozen states have introduced legislation to ban critical race theory in public schools. Source: Prince William Times on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race May 25, 2021

Jennifer Carroll Foy: Restructure funding formulas so schools get what they need

My administration will fund our K-12 education system by restructuring the Standards of Quality funding formulas to ensure that schools are getting the resources they need. I'll invest in more opportunities for English language learners and immigrant children. Limiting the obstacles our children face in reaching their academic potential ensures that every child, regardless of their circumstances or location, has the opportunity to achieve in the future. Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign site JenniferCarrollFoy.com Feb 21, 2021

Jennifer Carroll Foy: Recruit more teachers of color

Passed my Diversifying the Teacher Workforce Act, helping to eliminate unnecessary barriers to gaining a teacher certification that disproportionately hurt minority educators.
Supported bills to increase teacher mentorship programs and Grow Your Own recruitment efforts that recruit more teachers of color.

Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign site JenniferCarrollFoy.com Feb 21, 2021

Jennifer McClellan: Invest in early childhood educators: compensation, training

As governor, Jennifer McClellan will deliver universal childcare by 2025: ensuring that every Virginia child has access to affordable childcare. Her plan will provide increased access to affordable childcare for more than 500,000 Virginia children. Under McClellan's plan, every family with a child from birth through 4 years old will have access to affordable quality childcare. Families that make up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Limit ("FPL") will receive free childcare.

Early childhood educators need support to enable them to do their jobs effectively and safely with compensation and benefits that reflect the value of their work. McClellan's plan will invest in early childhood educators' vocational and career advancement to ensure equity and accessibility in recruitment, career development, and compensation. This will include statewide streamlined processes and funds for equitable post secondary levels of credentialing and degree programs.

Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign website JennMcClellanVA.com Feb 18, 2021

Jennifer McClellan: Led the fight to fully fund Virginia public schools

As a legislator, Jenn has led the fight to fully fund Virginia public schools and address inequities in the education system. A recipient of numerous Virginia Education Association Legislative Champion Awards, Jenn has been a leader in fighting for teacher pay raises and to provide more support-personnel--social workers, counselors, and nurses--in schools so that students get the help and guidance they need and teachers are free to do what they do best: teach. Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign website JennMcClellanVA.com Feb 18, 2021

Kirk Cox: Froze college tuition for first time since age of disco

He has carried legislation to make K-12 education more accessible. As speaker, he froze college tuition across Virginia for the first time since the age of disco. He has worked to develop more higher education options, trade and certification programs, and career development pathways. Source: 2021 Virginia governor campaign website KirkCox.com Feb 19, 2021

Pete Snyder: COVID: Open schools, allow students sports and spectators

"Closed schools and closed sports do more than just stunt learning--it robs our children of the benefits of high school athletics," said Pete Snyder. "Northam is denying the science that shows it is safe for family members, the band, and cheerleaders to participate and watch outdoor youth sports. Let's open our schools now, five days a week, and let our students participate in youth sports. Let 'em play!" Source: 2021 Virginia Governor campaign website PeteSnyder.com Mar 22, 2021

Glenn Youngkin: We shouldn't play privilege bingo with children

We saw students being taught that they should view everything through a lens of race and judge one another. We're not talking about forgetting our history. One of the things we have to do is teach all of our history, the good and the bad. But we shouldn't play privilege bingo with children. We shouldn't teach children that they should judge one another, and one group is privileged and another group is going to find it hard in life necessarily. Source: CBS Face the Nation on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race Jul 10, 2022

Jennifer Carroll Foy: Expand early childhood education to lower age brackets

She sees the intersection of early childhood education with equity and workforce development. By expanding early childhood education to lower age brackets, Carroll Foy said this bolsters the working parents' childcare needs with reaching younger demographics of children who have sometimes started their K-12 education steps behind others. Source: Charlottesville Tomorrow on 2021 Virginia Governor race Feb 16, 2021

Glenn Youngkin: Unfair for biological boys to play sports with girls

I do believe that it's unfair for girls to have biological boys play sports with biological girls. There are sports with segregated sexes for those sports. And those sports should be honored that way. And there are sports where they're not segregated, where, in fact, both sexes get to play at the same time. Again, there's a commonsense approach here to this. And I do think we have to respect girls as well here. Source: CNN SOTU interviews on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race Oct 9, 2022

Glenn Youngkin: We've got to get critical race theory out of the schools

[On CRT in schools]: "We've got to get critical race theory out of the schools," Youngkin told right-wing talk show host Hugh Hewitt. Youngkin vowed to a far-right media personality, "I'm going to tell you, as governor, we will not teach critical race theory in our schools." He has more recently pledged to "ban" CRT from Virginia schools on "day one," should he win the election next month. He told Fox News that, critical race theory had "moved into our school system and we have to remove it." Source: The Daily Beast on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race Oct 12, 2021

Terry McAuliffe: $2 billion to boost teacher pay, expand internet access

The former governor said he plans to roll out a list of policies starting off with an education platform that would invest $2 billion a year to boost teacher pay and ensure every public school student has internet access. "To build a strong post-COVID economy, the best workforce in the world and to create a clear path for the middle class, we need to make an unprecedented investment in education. The time is now to ensure a world class education for every single Virginia child," McAuliffe said. Source: The Hill newsmagazine on 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race Dec 9, 2020

Terry McAuliffe: Address school segregation; expand pre-school availability

He's planning to put an extra $2 billion a year into education to fund teacher pay raises, address segregation in schools and end racial achievement gaps, expand preschool availability for at-risk 3- and 4-year-olds, provide every student with internet access and improve workforce development programs. "The one thing we cannot afford to do is to keep Black and Brown and rural children from being able to access what they need to get a quality education," McAuliffe said. Source: Virginia Mercury on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial debate Dec 9, 2020

Kirk Cox: Put together a comprehensive plan to reopen schools

I think the K-12 issue is going to be huge. I'll say, it is hard to open schools. But myself [and others]--way back in early July--put together a very comprehensive proposal on how to reopen schools and give schools and localities a pathway. A lot of parents are looking for help. I put a budget amendment in called the Read Act on helping with things like teaching pods and internet access, which the Democrats had no interest in. Source: Virginia Mercury on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial debate Nov 17, 2021

Terry McAuliffe: Wants more diversity among teachers, provide scholarships

McAuliffe highlighted a portion of his education plan, the Lucy Simms Educator Program. The program would cover tuition at a Virginia public university or historically black college for those who commit five years to teaching in Virginia public schools. "We need our educators to reflect who we are as a commonwealth. That's why I always talk about we have got bring in more diverse educators here to represent all of the areas of education that we need to be lifted up," McAuliffe said. Source: WHSV 3-News on 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race Dec 17, 2020

Justin Fairfax: Proposes $30 billion plan to rebuild state's aging schools

Fairfax has announced a $30 billion proposal to rebuild and reimagine all K-12 schools in Virginia. This fund would allocate $30 billion over the next 10 years to reconstruct all K-12 public schools in Virginia that are 40 years or older. The proposal also includes a pay raise for teachers and guarantees a paid summer job or internship for Virginia youth. Source: WHSV Fox-TV3 on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race Jun 18, 2021

Ralph Northam: $30 billion to rebuild, reimagine all K-12 schools in state

Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax has announced a $30 billion proposal to rebuild and reimagine all K-12 schools in Virginia. This fund would allocate $30 billion over the next 10 years to reconstruct all K-12 public schools in Virginia that are 40 years or older. The proposal also includes a pay raise for teachers and guarantees a paid summer job or internship for Virginia youth. Source: WHSV-3-TV & WWBT newsroom on 2021 Virginia Governor race Jun 18, 2020

The above quotations are from 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race: debates and news coverage. Click here for definitions & background information on Education. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by Terry McAuliffe on Education.
*Candidates and political leaders on Education:*
*Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:* GA:Chambliss(R) IA:Harkin(D) MI:Levin(D) MT:Baucus(D) NE:Johanns(R) OK:Coburn(R) SD:Johnson(D) WV:Rockefeller(D) *Resigned from 113th House:* AL-1:Jo Bonner(R) FL-19:Trey Radel(R) LA-5:Rod Alexander(R) MA-5:Ed Markey(D) MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R) NC-12:Melvin Watt(D) SC-1:Tim Scott(R)	*Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:* AR-4:Tom Cotton(R) GA-1:Jack Kingston(R) GA-10:Paul Broun(R) GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R) HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D) IA-1:Bruce Braley(D) LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R) ME-2:Mike Michaud(D) MI-14:Gary Peters(D) MT-0:Steve Daines(R) OK-5:James Lankford(R) PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D) TX-36:Steve Stockman(R) WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)	*Retired House as of Jan. 2015:* AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R) AR-2:Tim Griffin(R) CA-11:George Miller(D) CA-25:Howard McKeon(R) CA-33:Henry Waxman(D) CA-45:John Campbell(R) IA-3:Tom Latham(R) MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R) NC-6:Howard Coble(R) NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D) NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R) NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D) NY-21:Bill Owens(D) PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R) UT-4:Jim Matheson(D) VA-8:Jim Moran(D) VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023