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Glenn Youngkin Keeps Getting More Popular, As Virginians Want Him to Keep Addressing Education
Townhall ^ | 01/06/2023 | Rebecca Downs

Posted on 01/06/2023 7:38:56 AM PST by SeekAndFind

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) has increasingly found himself in the news, especially recently when it comes to calling on Attorney General Jason Miyares, also a Republican to use his authority to investigate Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) for reportedly withholding merit scholarship notifications until it was too late. Youngkin is once more in the news, as a majority of Virginians support his involvement and want to see him take action on the education issue, among others. This is according to a recently-released poll conducted last month by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Wilder School Commonwealth Poll reveals Gov. Youngkin’s approval rating, Virginians’ declining perceptions on the value of a college education. 53% of those polled support governor’s involvement in issues of education, crime and inflation.https://t.co/uF3ytlkwaw— VCU (@VCU) January 5, 2023

The poll found that 53 percent of Virginia adults want to see Youngkin intervene on education, as well as inflation and crime when it comes to the 2023 General Assembly session, which will convene next Wednesday, January 11.

Another takeaway from the poll is that a majority of Virginians also overall approve of Youngkin's performance, and it's not even close. Fifty-two percent approve, while just 32 percent disapprove. This is an improvement from the governor's numbers from that same poll in July 2022, when 49 percent of Virginians approved of Youngkin and 38 percent disapproved.

The poll also contains other particularly noteworthy points when it comes to the major issue of education. This is specially in that there is agreement among black respondents and Republicans, which are demographics often not grouped together:

More than 4 in 10 Virginians believe school-aged students in their community are still falling behind their peers in other states in reading and math proficiency. Over 35% of respondents believe school-aged children are on track or ahead in reading and math proficiency compared to their peers in other states. Political affiliation, race and age had the strongest impact on views of educational performance. Republicans, African Americans and those 35-54 years old believe children are falling behind in math and reading, while Democrats, Hispanics and those 18-34 years old think that children are ahead or on track in math and reading proficiency compared to peers in other states.

The poll was conducted December 3-16, 2022 with 807 adult Virginia respondents. The margin of error is at 6.02 percentage points. 

Even before taking office, Youngkin made it an issue on the campaign trail to prioritize education, including when it comes to raising standards. Exit polls from the November 2021 gubernatorial election, during which the governor beat former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-VA), showed that Youngkin handily won on the education issue. On his first day in office, January 15, 2022, Youngkin also issued several executive orders on education.

Sadly, those concerned about education and that school-aged students in the commonwealth are falling behind have reason to be. A press release from the governor's office from late last October pointed to how data from the Nation's Report Card (NAEP) revealed that Virginia saw the largest declines in reading and math in the nation. 

"Since 2017, fourth graders in Virginia suffered the largest declines in reading and math in the nation on the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). For the first time in 30 years, Virginia’s 4th grade students have fallen below the national average in reading and are barely above the national average in math. The average scores of the Commonwealth's eighth graders also dropped, with statistically significant declines in both reading and math," the Youngkin press release summarized.

Also included was a statement from the governor. 

"The NAEP results are another loud wake-up call: our nation’s children have experienced catastrophic learning loss, and Virginia’s students are among the hardest hit, he said. "Every parent in Virginia is now acutely aware that when my predecessors lowered educational standards, those lowered expectations were met. Virginia’s children bear the brunt of these misguided decisions. These actions were compounded by keeping children out of school for extended and unnecessary periods. Virginia may lose a generation of children—particularly among our most in need. We are redoubling our Commitment to Virginians, to prevent us from losing a generation, with additional steps to ensure that all children in Virginia have the tools and support structure to get back on track."

The press release reminded that the governor's office released "Our Commitment to Virginia's Children," which emphasizes action items such as:

Action 1: Raise the Floor and the Ceiling 

Action 2: Empower Parents with Emergency Support for Students 

Action 3: Launch Tutoring Partnerships 

Action 4: Hold Ourselves and Our Schools Accountable 

Action 5: Strengthen Virginia’s Teacher Pipeline 

Action 6: Provide Parents, Students, and Teachers with Actionable Information 

Action 7: Challenge School Divisions to Spend Nearly $2 Billion in Remaining Federal K-12 Funds on Learning Recovery

Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, also a Republican, has likewise made education and improving standards a high priority. A statement of hers doubled down on the demand to raise standards as well as to involve parents. 

"Our children are depending on us to make good choices for their future and that’s why I continue to join with the Governor and parents across the Commonwealth, demanding that our board of education put students first, set high standards, and require accountability from everyone. I fully support Governor Youngkin’s plans to bring a quality public school system back to Virginia," her statement read in part.

On parents rights, she made clear that "I join parents in demanding that parental rights not be abused. Parents have a ‘fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent’s child.’ I will continue to work to ensure that every child has options, regardless of zip code, so that they may have a hope and a future!"

Miyares on Wednesday answered that call during a press briefing that not only announced an investigation into TJ for such a reason, but another investigation based on their admission policies. 



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: crt; education; glennyoungkin; virginia
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To: SoConPubbie
"Another non-MAGA, pretend substitute for the GOAT, President Trump being pushed by the Globalists and Establishment GOP."

President Trump was a firm supporter of Youngkin and was deeply, yugely tied into Youngkin's campaign.

Trump's role from Day One was to bait Fast Terry into the dead-end of making Trump the focus of Fast Terry's campaign.

Fast Terry's people took the bait, even though their own internal polling didn't show tying Trump to Youngkin was a slam-dunk.

This was political rope-a-dope at its finest, and it's a blueprint for what can be done in 2024 with VP Youngkin on the Trump ticket.

21 posted on 01/06/2023 8:34:33 AM PST by StAnDeliver (Tanned, rested, and ready.)
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To: SoConPubbie

Horseshit.

He’s a fine Governor. Worry about your own state.


22 posted on 01/06/2023 8:36:58 AM PST by ScottinVA
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To: ScottinVA
Horseshit.

He’s a fine Governor. Worry about your own state.


Keep your head in the sand about his Globalist past and tendencies.

Your call.
23 posted on 01/06/2023 8:39:01 AM PST by SoConPubbie (Mitt and Obama: They're the same poison, just a different potency)
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To: StAnDeliver

CRT was not a big issue until the last 20 months.

so by your logic we should have fixed it 40 years ago before it even existed. Got it.


24 posted on 01/06/2023 8:40:08 AM PST by for-q-clinton (Cancel Culture IS fascism...Let's start calling it that!)
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To: Drew68

*he’s keeping his mouth shut and doing his job as the governor of Virginia, just like he should. i do not have any complaints...
Yep. Glenn Youngkin is the best governor Virginia has had for some time.*

1) Renauldus Magnus didn’t keep his mouth shut. Neither did Trump.
2) When government does it’s job no one notices. Trump more than did his job.

Sadly,it may come down to who can recover Az., Ga., perhaps Nevada. Points to DeSantis. He’s not quiet.


25 posted on 01/06/2023 8:47:06 AM PST by DIRTYSECRET
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To: SoConPubbie

He and his team are doing a great job leading Virginia. The weird “globalism” ideations you people conjure up are laughable.

If he’s such an eeeeevil globalist, why did Trump endorse him?


26 posted on 01/06/2023 8:49:18 AM PST by ScottinVA
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To: nwrep
In 2024, I just want us to win. A Republican in the White House. I don’t care who it is.

.


27 posted on 01/06/2023 9:52:20 AM PST by Jeff Chandler (THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

I will take it. Tired of losing.


28 posted on 01/06/2023 11:19:07 AM PST by nwrep
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To: for-q-clinton
"CRT was not a big issue until the last 20 months."

The facts are that Critical Race Theory, and the Marxist push of CRT into public education, is as old as the average Freeper.

CRT began in the United States in the post–civil rights era, as 1960s landmark civil rights laws were being eroded and schools were being re-segregated.

With racial inequalities persisting even after civil rights legislation was enacted, CRT scholars in the 1970s and 1980s began reworking and expanding critical legal studies theories on class, economic structure, and the law to examine the role of U.S. law in perpetuating racism.

CRT, a framework of analysis grounded in critical theory, originated in the mid-1970s in the writings of several American legal scholars, including Derrick Bell, Alan Freeman, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Richard Delgado, Cheryl Harris, Charles R. Lawrence III, Mari Matsuda, and Patricia J. Williams. CRT draws from the work of thinkers such as Antonio Gramsci, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, and W. E. B. Du Bois, as well as the Black Power, Chicano, and radical feminist movements from the 1960s and 1970s. - wiki

FFS, how far did you actually think you were going to get with a ridiculously lame assertion that "CRT was not a big issue until the last 20 months.", when CRT has been a Marxist tenet since before you were hatched?

You lost the argument. DeSantis himself quoted the "1619 Project" released in 2019 as the modus behind SWA; but YET AGAIN, DeSantis had 3 1/2 years to pass the "Stop WOKE Act", and Youngkin did it in his FIRST WEEK.

29 posted on 01/06/2023 12:40:08 PM PST by StAnDeliver (Tanned, rested, and ready.)
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To: for-q-clinton
"Following DeSantis’ lead."

Not even close...
In fact, just the opposite...
An insulting remark about DeSantis...

30 posted on 01/06/2023 2:24:39 PM PST by SuperLuminal (Where is the next Sam Adams when we so desperatly need him)
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To: Drew68

Senator


31 posted on 01/06/2023 2:51:54 PM PST by cowboyusa (There is no co- existence with Pinks and Reds)
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To: nwrep

“In 2024, I just want us to win. A Republican in the White House. I don’t care who it is.”

You’ll have PLENTY of people here claiming that a RINO (who votes 90% of the time with conservatives) is worse than a Democrat (who votes 1% of the time with conservatives, if that) is WORSE than a Democrat. But when they attack you, just remember, they’re likely on someone’s payroll.


32 posted on 01/06/2023 3:56:24 PM PST by BobL
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To: BobL

100%


33 posted on 01/06/2023 6:37:08 PM PST by nwrep
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To: StAnDeliver

“DeSantis had 3 1/2 years to pass the “Stop WOKE Act”, and Youngkin did it in his FIRST WEEK.”

Following DeSantis’ lead.


34 posted on 01/09/2023 12:18:54 PM PST by TexasGator (!!!)
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