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The education of our young people is at risk.

Parents, grandparents and would-be parents need to be aware. Attacks are coming from many directions. We need everyone involved to prevent current activities from diminishing the future of the next generation and our nation’s ability to compete in a challenging world.

Critical Race Theory

Many school systems in and out of Virginia have installed the Critical Race Theory into their curriculum as they return to school. They have concluded that they should require our teachers place science, math, English and civics second to rewriting our past. They are asking our teachers to look at everything through racially tinted glasses.

There is no question that in other periods of our history, our nation and state have not lived up to the standards of equality and fairness. However, in the last 50 years we have made much progress. In many aspects of our lives, the color of one’s skin diminishes in comparison to the skills that individuals bring to the table. Look at any school’s sports programs, professional football and basketball, or our military forces. All have placed accomplishing their success ahead of our differences. Now, there are those who want us to focus on our differences rather than having us get along with each other. They have a motive which is focused on their power, not society’s good.

Dummying Down Governor’s Schools

A bill sponsored by Delegate Roslyn Tyler this year would have established racial quotas for our governor’s schools focused on academics. The bill was defeated in the Senate, but bureaucrats are taking action anyway, bypassing students who have worked hard to participate.

Mathematics

At the same time, while we are focused on our students trying to get connected to and staying focused on the internet, and while the news media is focused on the scam of Critical Race Theory, in Virginia they have been scheming to dummy down math.

First caught in Loudoun County, word slipped out about plans to stop teaching higher math in any years other than the junior and senior years of high school, replacing algebra and geometry with basic math.

Meanwhile in Richmond, the education bureaucrats at the Department of Education and the State School Board appointed by Gov. Ralph Northam have quietly developed the proposal to discontinue the advanced academic diploma and merge it into the regular academic diploma.

When the news media started asking questions, the State Superintendent of Schools backpedaled. He tried placating parents, assuring them that there is no such plan. However, the state education department website, even as he was talking, still outlined the plans to do just that.

All of these anti-education ideas are being pushed at the same time that business and science needs more young people with the honed skills that are built in challenging classrooms.

If America is to compete with China in the future, our young people must be prepared.

Frank Ruff Jr. serves as the 15th District senator in Virginia. He can be reached at Sen.Ruff@verizon.net, (434) 374-5129 or P.O. Box 332, Clarksville, VA 23927.