The Battle Over Critical Race Theory Just Got A Lot More Relevant in Virginia

Virginia Democrats on Tuesday killed a bill which would have curbed the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in public schools. The issue has been particularly heating up in Fairfax and Loudon, counties in Northern Virginia. 

Andrew Romeo, the communications director for Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) commented on this move from Virginia Democrats, which includes those who may be vulnerable. 

"House Republicans in Virginia are fighting to keep politics out of the classroom and for children to be taught to judge others by the content of their character. House Democrats? They continue to take their cues from the teachers’ unions funding their campaigns and refuse to stand up to the far-left’s efforts to indoctrinate the commonwealth’s students. Virginia families will be horrified to learn that the extreme liberals running Richmond yesterday opposed an effort to stop the politicization of public school curriculum in the commonwealth once and for all and will punish them in November," he said in a statement.

One of those vulnerable Democrats is Del. Joshua Cole, of the 28th district. As RSLC exposed, Cole shared a clip of statements from Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

For the people who missed it….. https://t.co/Vpu2X9S38T

— Delegate Joshua Cole (@JoshuaCole) July 7, 2021

Last month, Weingarten slammed critics of CRT and vowed to engage in fighting legal battles to defend teachers who incorporate the teachings. The union has funds set aside for such legal battles.

In June, The Federalist reported on a survey of 400 respondents from Public Opinion Strategies, paid for by FightForSchools.com and N2America. It specifically addresses Fairfax and Loudon:

Data shows 50 percent of the 400 respondents have an unfavorable view of critical race theory, while only 42 percent have a favorable one. The divide was even greater among a few demographics. 79 percent of women 55 and older affirmed the negative view, as did 81 percent of Independent voters 55 and older and 59 percent of public-school parents.

...

Half of voters indicated they oppose critical race theory being taught in public schools, with 86 percent of Republicans, 57 percent of Independents, and nearly one-quarter of Democrats concurring.

By a ratio of more than two-to-one, respondents replied they would be “much less likely” to vote for an official who backs the doctrine. Only 16 percent of those polled said they would be “much more likely” to both vote for someone supporting critical race theory and seek it to be taught in public schools.

The issue is also heating up in the closely watched Virginia statewide races.

While Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin has been addressing the issue since even before he became the nominee, the Democratic candidate, Terry McAuliffe has dismissed it as "another right-wing conspiracy" and "totally made up by Donald Trump and Glenn Youngkin." McAuliffe had been asked by a woman, who pointed out that "it's all of the conversation with the news in Virginia." She also McAuliffe asked "what are you going top say to all of those people?"

Youngkin has vowed to outlaw CRT on "day one," should he be elected. 

The Republican also addressed the issue during a Thursday interview with Todd Piro's "Fox & Friend First." Piro referred to Virginia as "ground zero" on this issue. 

"Critical Race Theory has moved into our school system, and we have to remove it. It's a political theory, it's not an academic curriculum," Youngkin pointed out. 

During the interview, which played an audio clip of the above conversation, Piro asked Youngkin if he indeed "create[d] CRT as a way to win this election." In response, Youngkin said "it's pretty laughable" and warned that "we've watched faculty being taught how to in fact use Critical Race Theory as a basis for teaching." 

When it comes to McAuliffe's comments, Youngkin pointed out how "it's something my opponent once again doesn't understand."

The vote didn't come as a surprise statement for Del. Jason Miyares, of the 82nd district. "I’m disappointed but not surprised that the bill to curb Critical Race Theory was voted down by the left-liberal monopoly in Richmond. Rather than unite us, CRT is an extreme, left-wing perspective that teaches children to learn to hate their country. The academic left is attempting to push this extreme radical worldview on Virginia's youth and unfortunately Richmond liberal politicians had a golden opportunity to stand up to the most extreme members of their own party and choose to remain silent," he said in a statement for Townhall.

Miyares is the Republican nominee for attorney general, and connected the issue to that race as well. "As the son of an immigrant, I could not be more grateful for the freedoms and opportunities this nation and state have provided the Miyares Family.  Critical Race Theory aims to instill the very opposite emotion into our youngest generation and in order to stop it, it is vital to have a check and balance on the radical left in the Attorney General’s office," he continued.

In the Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) system local leader Michelle Leete last month at a rally declared "Let them die!" about opponents of CRT. She was forced to resign from her positions with Virginia PTA and Fairfax PTA, though she remains vice president of the local NAACP. 

In June, there was an arrest at a Loudon County school board meeting after school board members left mid-meeting and it was declared by police an unlawful assembly.