Safeguarding Public Education and Student Rights in Virginia

I’m writing as a constituent, public school supporter, 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 Department through mass layoffs and an executive order aimed at its eventual closure—moves that were temporarily blocked in federal court but were recently greenlit by the U.S. Supreme Court. These actions put at 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. While states control much of education policy, the federal government fills critical equity gaps. If these protections vanish, our state 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 deserve to grow up in a state that defends equity, critical thinking, and access to quality education for all. Please be a champion for our students.