Dear Friend,
Do you have any doubt in your mind that enslaving people is wrong, morally repugnant, and a fundamental violation of basic human rights?
Apparently, not everyone agrees. Recently, an Iowa public school teacher was told that condemning slavery was his own stance or opinion, and not an indisputable fact. He was told that he is teaching divisive concepts.
Sadly, such attempts to whitewash American history aren’t just happening in Iowa. Across the country, teachers are being censored, curriculum is being rewritten, and classroom discussions built on facts and data are being suppressed.
Right here in Virginia, Governor Youngkin and his appointees are trying the same tactics. Like DeSantis in Florida, Youngkin is trying to block an Advanced Placement (AP) African American History course from being offered to students who might be interested in the elective. His Department of Education shredded two years of effort by scholars and educators, and they are now offering a poorly-designed, politically-motivated, and hurriedly-cobbled Social Studies curriculum that numerous historians have rejected because of its omissions and errors.
This is why I’m running again. Our children deserve better. Our teachers deserve a voice. And our parents deserve peace of mind knowing that their child is being given the full range of knowledge, skills, and opportunities to think and engage critically in a complex and diverse world.
I promise you that I will continue to be on the frontline to stop efforts to undermine public education. Youngkin, like Donald Trump, may want to cling to his "alternative facts." Virginia's parents want a strong education system that prepares their children for the real world, without the distraction of culture wars.
If you share this vision, I ask for your help.
Please give what you can so that, together, we can create a better, stronger, and more tolerant Virginia. Our children and grandchildren deserve no less.
