1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I’m writing as a constituent, former public school teacher, public school supporter, parent of public school children, and concerned Virginian to urge you to do everything in your power to protect our students and public education in light of unprecedented threats to the U.S. Department of Education. The federal government is currently attempting to weaken the DoE through mass layoffs and an executive order intending to close it. This was temporarily blocked in federal court, but the U.S. Supreme Court is allowing these actions that risk essential protections and resources that Virginia students depend on, including Title I funding, IDEA enforcement for students with disabilities, Pell Grants, civil rights oversight, and accountability for student loan fraud. States control much of education policy, but rely on the federal government to fill critical equity gaps. If these protections vanish, Virginia must be prepared to act. I ask that you: *Commit publicly to maintaining and strengthening protections for students’ civil rights in Virginia, including those ensured under Title IX, IDEA, and Section 504. *Ensure robust state-level funding for Title I schools, special education, and programs that serve English learners and low-income students. *Monitor and respond to federal rollbacks that could affect Virginia’s public education system, and establish contingency plans to shield students from harm. Virginia’s children (including my own) deserve to grow up in a state that defends equity, critical thinking, and access to quality education for all. Please stand up for all of our students.