Virginia Education Association rallies for public education funding

Public education advocates from across the state gathered at the Capitol Bell Tower in downtown Richmond on Martin Luther King Jr. Day wearing red hats while chanting, “Education is a right, that is why we have to fight.”

The teachers, administrators and representatives rallied for the Strong Schools Strong Communities Lobby Day organized by the Virginia Education Association. The rally focused on raising funds for teacher and support staff salaries, the Standards of Quality and English Learner services.

“If we don’t come together and raise our voices, speak that truth to power, we will never get what we need as a profession and our students will never get what they need from us,” VEA president James Fedderman said.

Increasing the funding of public education instead of diverting them to private institutions was not the solution to the problems K-12 schools are facing in Virginia, Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, said.

“Leaving children behind is instituting vouchers that put them in schools that don’t work, that are lower standards than public schools, that aren’t accountable to anybody, that can discriminate,” he said. “That is leaving children behind.”

Republican lawmakers announced legislation that would allow parents to use state funding to enroll their children in private schools in the Commonwealth. HB 1508 establishes the Virginia Education Success Account Program proposed by Del. Glenn Davis, R-Virginia Beach. A similar proposal was introduced by Del. Phillip Scott, R-Spotsylvania. His HB 1371 would allow parents to use state funds for tuition at private institutions or after school tutoring programs.

Scott was unavailable for comment at the time of publication, but in a Jan. 6 interview with WFVA, he said Davis’ bill was a step toward achieving the goal of his bill, which is to give all students in Virginia state funds to access private education. Davis’ legislation only grants the funds for students enrolled in public schools the previous semester.

“We will definitely be looking to expand that over the years and to get a full universal school choice,” Scott said.

Educators at the rally booed at the idea of funneling state funds out of public education.

“Public education is the strongest system for all students,” said Kimberly Adams, a library and media specialist from Fairfax County. “By supporting all students, we make sure that that gets done for our future. If we siphon those funds away from public education into private institutions, we help the elite to get schooled rather than everyone.”

Both speakers and attendees of the rally emphasized the legacy of public education in raising future leaders.

“Public education is very important,” said Thomas Hayden, the president of the VEA Fredericksburg chapter and a kindergarten teacher. “I was a product of public education and having living wages for both teachers and support staff is vital for our community.”

This is the first in-person VEA Lobby Day since the COVID-19 pandemic started, administrative assistant Samantha Townsend said.

“The energy of having everyone in person just makes the community stronger,” she said. “When you can see people from all over the state coming in for the same reasons, and all of us having the same goals, it’s so inspiring and empowering.”