Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican known for his anti-transgender school policies, appointed the late actress’ daughter, Meg Brice, to the post of governor.U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia appointed her to the Virginia State Board of Education, and Ms. Brice, a psychology educator who critics say is aligned with Moms for Liberty’s ideas, became the eighth member Mr. Youngkin appointed to the nine-member board.
Moms for Freedom, a group that supports and is hostile to the book banLGBTQ+Youth are designated by the government as an anti-government extremist groupSouthern Poverty Law Center.
Bryce, who holds a PhD in cognitive science from the University of Virginia, teaches psychology. Virginia MercuryReportsHer decision to send her children to public school during the COVID-19 pandemic has been controversial, with Ms Brice citing a lack of trust in the school administration as her reason for pulling her children out.
Brice previously ran for an at-large seat on the Albemarle County School Board, campaigning on a platform focused on transparency, improved standards and restoring what she calls “common sense” to the district. Virginia Mercury Despite not being the Republican candidate, her campaign reportedly garnered support from conservative voters. She was ultimately defeated by Democrat Allison Spillman, who pointed out that Blythe supported banning books and hiding parts of history from students.according to of Daily ProgressBryce received only 37 percent of the vote.
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At a candidates forum hosted by the Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP, Bryce spoke about systemic racism and suggested there should be disagreement about its existence. Daily Progress She also mentioned that election posters bearing her father’s name were vandalized, and expressed frustration at being caricatured based on her family ties.
Reactions to Brice’s appointment have been mixed. According to ABC News, Youngkin’s spokesman, Christian Martinez, praised her qualifications and commitment to education, noting that her student-centered policies and advocacy for common sense are crucial to Virginia’s education system. The Board of Education sets the curriculum and policy measures for Virginia’s public schools.
But many Democrats and education advocates have voiced strong opposition, with Rep. Katrina Corsen calling Brice “a failed Mothers for Freedom candidate.”
“You know what’s easier than winning a seat on the Albemarle County School Board? It’s Governor Youngkin’s unjust appointment to the State Board of Education. Today marks the beginning of Meg Brice’s term on the board. I am disappointed but not surprised the Governor would appoint the failed Moms for Liberty candidate over someone with a proven track record of supporting public education,” Colsen posted on social media.
James J. Federman, president of the Virginia Education Association, said the appointment was a politically motivated decision. LGBTQ+ Student, ABC NewsReports.
Bryce’s appointment comes against the backdrop of recent legal battles over Virginia education policy.according to A York County judge recently dismissed a lawsuit challenging Governor Youngkin’s Department of Education model policy affecting transgender students, according to Norfolk CBS affiliate WTKR.
Many school districts in VirginiaRejected Youngkin’s controversial “Model Policy to Ensure Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for All Students and Parents in Virginia’s Public Schools.”Transgender Youngkin has faced criticism for the policies, which require students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond to the gender they were assigned at birth and ask parents for permission if they want to use a different name or pronoun at school, and which advocates say discriminate against transgender students.
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
