{"id":1379871,"date":"2022-03-15T09:34:15","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T13:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1379871"},"modified":"2022-03-15T13:36:19","modified_gmt":"2022-03-15T17:36:19","slug":"virginia-superintendents-group-did-not-consult-members-before-issuing-letter-slamming-youngkins-policies-on-crt-dei","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-superintendents-group-did-not-consult-members-before-issuing-letter-slamming-youngkins-policies-on-crt-dei\/","title":{"rendered":"Virginia Superintendents Group Did Not Consult Members Before Issuing Letter Slamming Youngkin\u2019s Policies On CRT, DEI"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fvirginia-superintendents-group-did-not-consult-members-before-issuing-letter-slamming-youngkins-policies-on-crt-dei%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1379871&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2022\/03\/GettyImages-1350990418.jpeg?w=1200&#038;h=800&#038;ixlib=react-9.3.0\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" alt=\"image\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span>While the Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS) wrote to Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin \u201con behalf\u201d of 133 public school leaders condemning his efforts to ban \u201cdivisive concepts\u201d from schools \u2013 evidence indicates the nonprofit took a page from the National School Boards Association\u2019s (NSBA) playbook and did not inform members before sending the controversial letter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>VASS, a membership group for superintendents, sent a letter to Youngkin Thursday criticizing his targeting of equity initiatives largely implemented by former Democrat Governor Ralph Northam\u2019s administration. Youngkin signed an executive order on his first day in office banning the teaching and training of critical race theory and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/youngkin-releases-education-report-on-efforts-to-fight-crt-discriminatory-programs\"><span>released<\/span><\/a><span> a 30-day report on efforts to rescind discriminatory programs, policies, and resources, The Daily Wire reported.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In the letter, VASS called on the Republican to cancel <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/youngkin-sets-up-tip-line-for-parents-to-report-teachers-using-divisive-practices\"><span>a tip line<\/span><\/a><span> the administration launched for concerned parents to report \u201cinherently defined divisive concepts\u201d in schools. They say Youngkin has made \u201cgross assumptions\u201d on the state of public education.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cDivision superintendents disagree with your having rescinded much of the Ed Equity work by the Department of Education,\u201d the letter states. \u201cThis work had been completed by many quality educators over a number of years to provide support for the success of children in underserved communities and in select population groups.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cDivision superintendents disagree with your using \u2018equitable outcomes\u2019 as the basis for determining what divisive concepts are and unilaterally suggesting that this approach is discriminatory,\u201d the letter added.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The letter was touted by The Washington Post as supported by 133 Superintendents, with a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/nzhGU#selection-355.0-374.0\"><span>headline<\/span><\/a><span> stating, \u201cAll 133 Virginia school superintendents urge Youngkin to scrap tip line, effort to root out policies deemed \u2018divisive.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As ABC 7 News <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/wjla.com\/news\/local\/virginia-governor-glenn-youngkin-republican-public-school-superintendents-133-letter-tip-line-education-agenda-divisive-discriminatory-interim-report-critical-race-theory-curriculums-civil-rights-act-ben-kiser\"><span>reported<\/span><\/a><span> Monday, however, VASS Executive Director Ben Kiser said the letter was actually authorized by a 12-member board. The superintendents were not consulted before it was sent to Youngkin. Two superintendents expressed being in the dark about the letter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIt was a surprise to read a letter that presumed my agreement in the Washington Post as reported through various news sources,\u201d one superintendent said. \u201cI think several of the superintendents in the state were a little surprised that we were attributed to something that we had not seen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI was not made aware of the letter prior to it being sent and I would say I\u2019d certainly appreciate it being consulted with prior to the letter going out indicating a representation of my \u2013 and along with my colleagues across the commonwealth\u2019s \u2013 views,\u201d another superintendent said. \u201cIf there is a letter going out on my behalf I would certainly appreciate and expect to know exactly what that letter says before its being distributed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>When asked by The Daily Wire why VASS did not consult members before issuing its letter to Youngkin, the executive director wrote over email, \u201c<\/span>The VASS Board is elected by the membership to represent the entire membership. The letter is on behalf of the VASS membership.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span>The Richmond-Times Dispatch <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/richmond.com\/z-no-digital\/article_03b70914-6852-5c60-be96-c32a026886d4.html\"><span>issued<\/span><\/a><span> a clarification Sunday acknowledging that the VASS letter \u201c<\/span><span>was crafted by the group\u2019s board and does not necessarily reflect a consensus of the 133 superintendents, according to its executive director.\u201d Days after publication, the Post issued a similar clarification.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>VASS, which is set to be <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.citybiz.co\/article\/201453\/scott-brabrand-named-executive-director-of-virginia-superintendents-association\/\"><span>run<\/span><\/a><span> by Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand, appears to have done something similar to the NSBA. The group wrote a letter to the Biden administration last fall likening parents protesting school boards to \u201cdomestic terrorists.\u201d Dozens of states <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/school-board-association-that-wrote-letter-comparing-parents-to-domestic-terrorists-has-lost-1-million\"><span>withdrew<\/span><\/a><span> from the group, saying they were not informed or asked about the letter. The Daily Wire <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/national-school-board-association-at-risk-of-total-collapse-following-letter-comparing-parents-to-domestic-terrorists\">reported <\/a><\/span><span>in January that the NSBA was \u201cat risk of total collapse\u201d following its letter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Scott Mineo, who runs the Virginia group Parents Against Critical Race Theory, told The Daily Wire \u201cthere are definitely parallels\u201d between the NSBA and VASS letters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIt\u2019s just a massive attempt to paint a narrative that has quickly fallen apart,\u201d he said. \u201cThese people are trying to do whatever they can to salvage themselves going into the midterms.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In a statement, Youngkin said VASS is putting bureaucracy and lawmakers \u201cin between parents and their children,\u201d criticizing its decision to not consult all superintendents.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThis letter is a gross misrepresentation of what superintendents believe, I believe,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s my understanding that in fact there was not a vote, this was a board of an association that wrote a letter and mischaracterized the support they had for that letter. I think that\u2019s wrong. This is what these associations are trying to do: which is again put bureaucracy, put politicians in between parents and their children.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"css-j7qwjs\">\n<div id=\"post-body-text\">\n<div class=\"e1nzmkc90 css-1s0j25g\">\n<p><em>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\"><em>member<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While the Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS) wrote to Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin \u201con behalf\u201d of 133 public school leaders condemning his efforts to ban \u201cdivisive concepts\u201d from schools<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1379871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1379871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1379871"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1379871\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1379871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1379871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1379871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}