Virginia launches an email tip line for parents to report teaching of critical race theory in public schools

After Virginia launched an email tip line in which parents were able to report “divisive practices” being employed by teachers in the state’s public schools, every state superintendent petitioned the governor, demanding he “terminate” the order.   

Key Players

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) was elected in November 2021. Following a highly watched race against former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), many attributed his narrow election victory to his “parents’ rights” education policy and his promise to stop public schools from allegedly teaching critical race theory (CRT). 

John Fredericks is the host of the “John Fredericks Show,” a conservative radio show and podcast based in Virginia.  

Further Details

CRT is an academic theory that analyzes and critiques racial disparities in American legal systems and policies. Despite an absence of evidence that CRT is actually taught in Virginia public schools, on Jan. 15, 2022, soon after his inauguration, Youngkin signed an executive order banning “inherently divisive concepts, including Critical Race Theory,” from being taught in public schools, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. 

On Jan. 24, 2022, Youngkin went on the “John Fredericks Show” to explain the order. Speaking about how he would “get divisive practices out of the school system,” Youngkin said his office had set up an official email that parents could write to if they felt their “fundamental rights are being violated.” 

“We’re asking for input right from parents to make sure that we can go right to the source as we continue to work to make sure that Virginia’s education system is on the task of reestablished excellence,” the new governor said. 

Youngkin also called on parents to send “reports and observations,” assuring his office would “catalog it all,” to make sure Virginia schools were not teaching CRT.  

Backlash to the announcement was swift. According to WUSA9, shortly after the interview, James Fedderman, president of the state’s teachers union, the Virginia Education Association, blasted the tip line for starting “a divisive culture war” instead of working to “deal head-on with the real problems facing our schools.” 

Outcome 

TikTok users, John Legend urge followers to spam the email address

After news of the tip line, several TikTok users posted videos, calling on their followers to spam the tip line with false reports, in order to overwhelm the system. Sofia Ongele, a TikTok user, created a website that generated automatic emails that were sent to the tip line, Insider reported. Another TikToker, Olivia Julianna, wrote that the tip line was “created to snitch and spy on teachers who teach kids the truth about history.” 

Singer John Legend also became involved, tweeting, “Black parents need to flood these tip lines with complaints about our history being silenced.”  

Governor Youngkin responds to backlash

Macaulay Porter, a spokesperson for Youngkin’s office, claimed that the tip line was not meant to report teachers, calling the accusation “misinformation.” Instead, on Jan. 25, Porter called it “a resource for parents, teachers, and students to relay any questions or concerns,” The Washington Times reported.

On Feb. 4, 2022, NBC12 reported Youngkin’s response to the criticism. He said the emails being sent to the tip line were confidential and “it wouldn’t be right to share it,” adding that the information that had already come in “makes me a better governor, and it gives me a chance to listen to Virginians.”

State superintendents demand Youngkin rollback tip line

On March 10, 2022, all 133 superintendents in Virginia signed a letter demanding that Youngkin end the CRT tip line and begin working more closely with them, Fox5 reported. 

Released by the Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS), the letter stated that Youngkin’s basis of what constitutes a “divisive concept” was discriminatory and that his orders may set Virginia public education back “many years”.       

“Parents and educators must collaborate in a positive manner to achieve better outcomes for children,” the letter reads. “The administration can be a catalyst for positive stakeholder relationships through messages and actions. A tip line for parents to report divisive content to the Governor impedes positive relationships; therefore, the tip line needs to be terminated.”

Youngkin calls letter “gross misrepresentation”

On March 14, 2022, 7News reported that the state’s 133 superintendents were not entirely advised of the letter before it was sent to Youngkin. Ben Kiser, executive director of VASS, said that the letter was written and approved by a 12 member board. 

“This letter is a gross misrepresentation of what superintendents believe, I believe,” said Youngkin. “It’s 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’s wrong.” 

Meanwhile, some superintendents told 7News that they first heard about the VASS letter through news reports, and were caught off guard by its content. 

“It was a surprise to read a letter that presumed my agreement in the Washington Post as reported through various news sources,” said one Virginia superintendent. “I think several of the superintendents in the state were a little surprised that we were attributed to something that we had not seen.” 

“I was not made aware of the letter prior to it being sent and I would say I’d certainly appreciate it being consulted with prior to the letter going out indicating a representation of my – and along with my colleagues across the commonwealth’s – views,” said another superintendent.  “If 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.”