VIRGINIA – On March 24th, a Virginia teacher and elected leaders called on GOP Governor candidates to stand up for Virginia students following Donald Trump’s recent executive order dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.

During the event, they discussed how Virginia needs leaders who are focused on creating opportunities for students and stand up to chaos that could harm Virginia’s rural schools, Head Start programs, students with disabilities, and Pell Grant recipients who rely on funding to access higher education.

Winsome Earle-Sears, Dave LaRock, and Amanda Chase have all supported extreme agendas that would defund Virginia schools and create chaos and uncertainty for Virginia students and their families.

What Virginians Are Reading: 

WHSV: Virginia Teacher and Elected Leaders Rail Against GOP Candidates for Governor

• Virginia Teacher: "Winsome Earle-Sears, you know, she supports bills that would divert funding away from Virginia's public schools. And like the delegates and senators have said, you know, the two other candidates for governor, Dave LaRock and Amanda Chase, want to do the same."

• It was Delegate Delores McQuinn emotionally making the case that inaction is unacceptable for proponents of public education.

• I reached out to the Republican Party of Virginia for a response to the comments made by Democrats today. As of 5:00, they have not responded.

WTKR News 3: VA democratic legislators call out GOP governor candidates over stance on education

• Virginia state democratic legislators are sharing their outrage. Specifically, they're calling out the state’s GOP candidates for governor.

• The lawmakers accused Virginia’s Republican candidates for governor of trying to run the state’s education system into the ground.

• “They’re pushing to defund our system, they’re defending President Trump’s actions, and they’re trying to dismantle our educational system," said Feggans.

• "They all have one thing in common, and that is a radical agenda that would leave Virginia students behind," said Virginia Del. Delores McQuinn, who represents Virginia's 81st District.

The Dogwood: Virginia educators, Democrats raise alarm

• Darrell Turner is worried about his students. The Richmond Public Schools preschool teacher is concerned that President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the US Department of Education and his gutting of half the agency’s workforce will take away key support for his students.

• To hear Virginia Republicans tell it, Turner and his students have nothing to worry about.

• “It’s extremely disingenuous for anyone to be passive about the critical disruption even the idea of this executive order has,” [Senator Lashrecse] Aird said on Monday’s call with reporters. “... the idea that any congressional representative, any state leader, any active governor like Governor Youngkin would say that we should not worry about this in this moment is just completely wrong.”