Virginia Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/glenn-youngkin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glenn Youngkin&#8217;s</a> administration has demanded that a liberal school system cut ties with allegedly Chinese Communist Party-linked groups, according to a letter obtained by The Daily Wire.
&#8220;The news that Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) and the TJHSST Partnership Fund (Fund) have accepted significant financial contributions from entities known to have connections with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) raises significant concerns,&#8221; and could affect the goal of removing &#8220;political indoctrination in our children&#8217;s classrooms,&#8221; Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera wrote to Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid.
Guidera demanded to know how much money was accepted, how the money was used, whether the &#8220;CCP-linked entities that contributed to the Fund provided any guidance, influence or instructional materials,&#8221; and whether any school materials or student data were provided to the Chinese groups.
&#8220;I am requesting that you direct schools within your division to cut ties with CCP-linked partners. Furthermore, I have asked the Virginia Department of Education to investigate the prevalence of such relationships between CCP-linked partners and local school divisions across the Commonwealth,&#8221; the letter said.
The <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/cheat-sheet-top-high-school-collaborated-chinese-military" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington Examiner</a> reported, citing documents unearthed by Parents Defending Education, that TJ &#8220;partnered with Tsinghua University High School (TUHS) in 2014 to assist it and China generally with adopting the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and advanced lab research TJHSST is famous for. TUHS is closely tied to Tsinghua University, considered by the Pentagon to be a Chinese military university.&#8221;
The TJ Fund also received hundreds of thousands from the Ameson Education and Cultural Exchange Foundation and a Chinese company called Shirble, both of which have ties to the United Front Work Department, a foreign influence campaign, the Examiner reported.
Youngkin, a Republican, won the governorship in 2021 in part on his education platform.
Democrats last month <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/virginia-dems-rejects-new-communism-curriculum-teachers-union-said-could-offend-asians" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed</a> a plan to highlight in schools the outcomes and death tolls associated with Communism — one of the most significant events of the 20th century — with a teachers union official saying that it could cause anti-Asian bigotry since some modern Communist countries are in Asia.
In addition to Democrats routinely saying schools should incorporate leftist lessons like the 1619 Project because they simply want to teach &#8220;whole history,&#8221; that rationale was odd because Virginia Democrats have vigorously acted to decrease the number of Asians in competitive programs like Thomas Jefferson, including by removing the admissions test after Asians tended to score highly. Democrats preferred what they called a &#8220;merit lottery&#8221; instead. The move resulted in a 54% reduction in the number of Asians at the highly competitive magnet school.
Last year, a judge ruled that Fairfax officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fairfax-county-school-officials-broke-law-reducing-asian-american-enrollment-judge-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">illegally</a> tried to reduce the Asian population of the school, with federal Judge Claude Hilton writing that “discussion of TJ admissions changes was infected with talk of racial balancing from its inception.” The all-Democrat school board has appealed the ruling.
The liberal school system <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fairfax-schools-suspend-kids-call-police-as-system-defies-virginia-governor-on-masks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defied</a> Youngkin after he declared that parents had the right to send their kids to school without wearing masks.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has since opened multiple inquiries into Fairfax schools, most recently after it sent a letter offering college prep classes to black and Hispanic students, <a href="https://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/a-second-high-school-tjhsst-excluded-asians-and-whites-in-promoting-college-prep/article_4f67451c-c1ff-11ed-b6d7-43f0b5f805da.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">omitting</a> Asians and whites from the flyer. TJ and other Fairfax schools also withheld merit awards from students, potentially costing them scholarships, while school officials pursued &#8220;equal outcomes without exception.&#8221;
Miyares has discussed how his family <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virginias-ag-slams-cnns-acosta-for-claiming-virginia-is-soviet-style-police-state-my-family-fled-cuba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fled</a> Communist Cuba, saying the country was &#8220;nationalized: in the name of fairness and equity&#8221; and that his uncle was arrested by dictator Fidel Castro&#8217;s secret police. &#8220;In Soviet-style communist states like Cuba, the state diminishes parents. They say, ‘Your loyalty is to the state,’ and parents have less control,&#8221; he said.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virginia-attorney-general-sets-his-sights-on-another-woke-school-district-after-magnet-school-turns-away-from-merit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia Attorney General Sets His Sights On Another Woke School District After Magnet School Turns Away From Merit</a>

Glenn Youngkin

Virginia Demands Schools Cut Ties With Communist China-Linked Groups

China

Communism

Education

Virginia

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has moved to subpoena Loudoun County Public Schools for an internal report they commissioned investigating their handling of a rape by a skirt-wearing boy in a girls bathroom, the latest in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/virginia-attorney-general-sets-his-sights-on-another-woke-school-district-after-magnet-school-turns-away-from-merit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">series of moves</a> by his office that could bring northern Virginia&#8217;s school districts, which have openly flouted the Republican administration, to heel.
The school system withheld the report, which they paid a law firm to write, despite its stated purpose being accountability. After The Daily Wire broke the story of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/loudoun-county-schools-tried-to-conceal-sexual-assault-against-daughter-in-bathroom-father-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rape coverup</a> and its most far-left member resigned, the board selected a moderate Republican, Jeff Morse, as its chairman — perhaps in an attempt to fend off criticism that the board’s commitment to leftist politics had led to a rape coverup and subsequent sexual assault of a second girl.
However, Morse joined Democrats in voting to continue to conceal the report. On Friday, the Loudoun County Republican Committee voted to censure and cut ties with Morse as a result.
The same day, the D.C. area&#8217;s <a href="https://wjla.com/news/crisis-in-the-classrooms/lcps-subpoena-sexual-assault-investigation-virginia-attorney-general-jason-miyares-loudoun-county-public-schools-release-the-report-investigation-vote-school-board-scott-ziegler-daniel-smith-superintendent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC affiliate</a> reported that Miyares had filed a motion for a subpoena for the report, which could show what LCPS knew about the rape and its aftermath. If the self-commissioned report amounts to a whitewash, it could also provide an interesting contrast to the results of a special grand jury probe commissioned by Miyares, which found egregious problems.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/loudoun-school-board-was-informed-of-alleged-sexual-assault-the-day-it-happened-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">All of the then-school board members</a>, Republican and Democrat, knew or should have known that then-Superintendent Scott Ziegler was lying when he told the board that he had no record of any assaults in bathrooms. Just weeks prior, Ziegler had sent an email to the board letting them know of the May 2021 bathroom assault, though it did not provide details.
None of the board members raised the issue in the moment — during a meeting where the board and superintendent were trying to dismiss parents’ criticism that a pending transgender bathroom policy could pose safety issues.
Morse was first elected to the school board in 2011, during a time when Loudoun was largely Republican, but when very few paid attention to school boards. Parent activists say many people who ran for school boards during that era, attaching themselves to whichever political party was most convenient, have not served as effective watchdogs against the politicization of schools.
When Republicans Glenn Youngkin and Miyares won their races for governor and attorney general shortly after the rape coverup was exposed by The Daily Wire, the pair called for an investigation into the school system. The school system repeatedly fought cooperating with the special grand jury that was convened, a report issued by the grand jury found.
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The grand jury released a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/grand-jury-finds-virginia-school-bathroom-rape-handling-worse-than-known-rips-officials-intentional-amnesia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fact-finding report</a> that found egregious problems, including that a teacher walked into the bathroom during the rape and saw two children in one stall, but did nothing, and that even after the student was charged with rape, the school knew the rapist was harassing other girls, but merely had him write on a piece of paper that he would stop.
Yet when it was released, a joint statement attributed to Morse and Democrat vice chairman Ian Serotkin seemed to celebrate that the school system had escaped accountability, saying, “We are pleased that the Special Grand Jury’s extensive investigation found no evidence of criminal conduct on the part of anyone within LCPS, and not a single indictment was filed as a result of this lengthy process.”
The statement was embarrassing to the officials because the report, in fact, specified that the grand jury’s work was not over, and the next day, Ziegler and the school system’s spokesman were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/loudoun-superintendent-spokesman-criminally-indicted-in-rape-coverup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicted</a>.
The Loudoun <a href="https://loudoungop.com/censure-of-lcps-chairman-jeff-morse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GOP’s censure</a> of Morse faults him for all of these actions, saying, “Mr. Morse had foreknowledge of criminality by the LCPS Administration regarding both the existence and truthfulness of public communications related to the ongoing events.”
“The Loudoun County Republican Committee hereby formally censures and rescinds all endorsements of Mr. Morse. Such rescission includes immediate removal of all public statements of support towards Mr. Morse by the LCRC and prohibits Mr. Morse from any future verbal or written communications, statements, or affirmations of Republican support,” it said.
“LCRC is a staunch advocate for the rights and protections of all children&#8230; Student and parental rights are preeminent over those of all government institutions,” it continued. “Be it ordered, that&#8230; all mentions of Mr. Morse on the LCRC’s public-facing website be removed and archived with this notice of censure.”
Morse did not return a request for comment.

Glenn Youngkin Campaigns In Final Days Of Virginia Gubernatorial Election

Virginia AG To Subpoena Internal Report On Loudoun Rape Coverup, GOP Boots School Board Chair For Hiding It

Virginia AG Subpoenas Internal Report On Loudoun Rape Coverup, GOP Boots School Board Chair For Hiding It

Loudoun County

Parental Rights in Education

U.S.

Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin said during an interview over the weekend that communist China was attempting to use a &#8220;trojan horse&#8221; to gain access to U.S. taxpayer benefits.
Youngkin made the remarks on &#8220;Sunday Morning Futures&#8221; with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo while discussing his decision to reject a multi-billion dollar electric car factory from Ford coming to his state because of the company&#8217;s connections to China.
Youngkin said the plant would have been operated by China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology and would have been a “trojan horse structure to gain access to taxpayer incentives” legislation that Democrats passed which gives credits to consumers for purchasing electric vehicles.
“This is using taxpayer money to further enrich a Chinese company at the expense of America. It’s just not happening in Virginia,” Youngkin said. “This should be an American supply chain that’s trusted, not one that’s outsourced to the Chinese Communist Party.”
WATCH:
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Youngkin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/youngkin-spurns-fords-proposed-3-5b-virginia-plant-over-china-concerns">rejected</a> Ford&#8217;s $3.5 billion push for the factory last month. The plant, which was under consideration for Pittsylvania County in the southwestern part of Old Dominion, would have made lithium iron phosphate batteries for electric vehicles and employed as many as 2,500 workers.
“The consortium of Ford and CATL were hoping to build a plant, as reported and confirmed by Ford, where Ford would build the building, but a company that is majorly influenced by the Chinese Communist Party was going to operate the plant, and the employees were going to work for the Chinese Communist Party controlled company,” Youngkin said last month. “They were going to use that in order to try to tap into taxpayer benefits at state level as well as the federal level that were specifically designated for non-Chinese communist party entities.” Youngkin told reporters he was uncomfortable with a CCP-connected company benefiting from Virginia tax dollars, adding that he felt the deal’s structure was “a bit deceptive.”
Democratic state lawmakers blasted Youngkin for spurning the deal and accused the first-term governor of bashing China to further his White House ambitions. Youngkin has not indicated he is contemplating a 2024 White House bid, but his stunning 2021 victory in the key blue state drew national attention.
“To deny [people in the community] jobs because you’re in last place in Republican presidential primaries [is] gubernatorial malpractice,” state Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “I mean, this is clearly just obvious to me that the governor’s in some kind of out-China-bashing-contest with [Florida Gov. Ron] DeSantis and Governor Greg Abbott out of Texas.”
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Youngkin spokeswoman Macaulay Porter said Ford’s partner is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and was not welcome in the state.
“While Ford is an iconic American company, it became clear that this proposal would serve as a front for the Chinese Communist party, which could compromise our economic security and Virginians’ personal privacy,” Porter told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “Virginians can be confident that companies with known ties to the Chinese Communist Party won’t receive a leg up from the Commonwealth’s economic incentive packages. When the potentially damaging effects of the deal were realized, the plant proposal never reached a final discussion stage.”
Ford is now believed to be considering building the plant in Michigan.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-slammed-for-teaming-up-with-chinese-company-to-build-batteries-becoming-a-national-security-threat">Ford Slammed For Teaming Up With Chinese Company To Build Batteries: ‘Becoming A National Security Threat’</a>

Glenn Youngkin: Communist China Tries Using ‘Trojan Horse’ To Get Access To Reap U.S. Taxpayer Benefits

Communist China

Ford Motor Co.

General

Politics

Ford Motor Company faced backlash this week for moving forward with a project to collaborate with a Chinese company to build batteries in Michigan for the automaker&#8217;s electric vehicles.
The news comes as the <a href="https://www.thestreet.com/technology/ford-pulls-out-all-the-stops-to-revive-a-struggling-brand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struggling</a> auto brand lost billions of dollars last year under the leadership of CEO Jim Farley in part because of bad investments and poor vehicle quality which has led to expensive recalls, according to a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/business/ford-earnings-fourth-quarter-2022.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The New York Times.
Ford&#8217;s deal with the Chinese company Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. comes after Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-20/youngkin-calls-ford-catl-battery-plant-plan-a-trojan-horse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">removed</a> his state from a plan to attract the automaker specifically because of its connection to the Chinese company.
&#8220;I look forward to bringing a great company there,&#8221; Youngkin, a highly successful businessman, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-20/youngkin-calls-ford-catl-battery-plant-plan-a-trojan-horse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an interview last month. &#8220;It won’t be one that uses kind of a Trojan-horse relationship with the Chinese Communist Party in order to gain.&#8221;
Ford&#8217;s plan is to collaborate with Contemporary Amperex Technology on the $3.5 billion battery plant that is expected to open in 2026 and employ a few thousand people. The company will try to save money by making batteries out of less expensive materials.
The news generated criticism and threats of congressional investigations into the company over its relationship to communist China.
&#8220;Woke companies that lecture Americans about the equity agenda are always, without fail, in bed with the Chinese communists,&#8221; tweeted political strategist Arthur Schwartz. &#8220;@Ford to move forward with $3.5 billion EV battery plant with Chinese partner.&#8221;
A source close to House Republican leadership told The Daily Wire: &#8220;The closer Ford gets to the Chinese communists the closer we’re going to look at their business.&#8221;
&#8220;We’re quickly approaching the point where Ford’s business practices are becoming a national security threat,” the source added.
A Michigan Republican strategist signaled that Republican lawmakers in the state need to be prepared to deny Ford tax incentives because of the negative impact that doing business with communist China will bring to the state.
&#8220;Ford is seeking close to a billion dollars in tax incentives from the State of Michigan,&#8221; the strategist said. &#8220;That’s a billion dollars that will directly benefit the Chinese Communist Party. Republican lawmakers in Michigan should understand that this is an issue that will get national attention.&#8221;
The news comes after a Chinese spy balloon was shot down on February 4 off the coast of South Carolina after sailing across the U.S., including near sensitive U.S. military installations.
The threat that communist China poses to the U.S. is so great that even top Democrat lawmakers, like Sen. Micheal Bennett (D-CO), are <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/02/technology/michael-bennet-tiktok-ban.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushing</a> for companies like TikTok to be banned because of China&#8217;s ability to use it to spy on Americans and to shape public opinion. The U.S. has already taken <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-fcc-bans-equipment-sales-imports-zte-huawei-over-national-security-risk-2022-11-25/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">action</a> against Chinese tech giant Huawei and continues to do so because of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-infiltrates-critical-u-s-infrastructure-can-disrupt-nuclear-response-and-spy-on-u-s-military-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extreme risk</a> the company poses to national security.

China Ford

Ford Slammed For Teaming Up With Chinese Company To Build Batteries: ‘Becoming A National Security Threat’

Foreign Policy

Michigan

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-governor-glenn-youngkin-brushes-off-criticism-after-trump-swipe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin</a> told Ford thanks, but no thanks to a potential $3.5 billion battery plant over the car maker’s partnership with China.
The plant, under consideration for Pittsylvania County in the southwestern part of Old Dominion, would have made lithium iron phosphate batteries for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-misadventure-of-electric-vehicles-wyoming-lawmakers-introduce-resolution-to-ban-new-electric-car-sales/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">electric vehicles</a> and employed as many as 2,500 workers. The company, which had not made a final decision, was believed to be considering building the plant in partnership with Chinese company Contemporary Amperex Technology before the Republican governor scuttled the deal last month.
“The consortium of Ford and CATL were hoping to build a plant, as reported and confirmed by Ford, where Ford would build the building, but a company that is majorly influenced by the Chinese Communist Party was going to operate the plant, and the employees were going to work for the Chinese Communist Party controlled company,&#8221; Youngkin said Friday. &#8220;They were going to use that in order to try to tap into taxpayer benefits at state level as well as the federal level that were specifically designated for non-Chinese communist party entities.&#8221; Youngkin told reporters he was uncomfortable with a CCP-connected company benefiting from Virginia tax dollars, adding that he felt the deal&#8217;s structure was &#8220;a bit deceptive.&#8221;
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Youngkin stands against communist China but Whitmer is “vying” for the business.
Whitmer has never understood economic development which has led to massive job losses and an exodus from Michigan. She courts the CCP out of desperation. <a href="https://t.co/yp3eJL0LTb">https://t.co/yp3eJL0LTb</a>
&mdash; Tudor Dixon (@TudorDixon) <a href="https://twitter.com/TudorDixon/status/1615812284940488743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Democratic state lawmakers blasted Youngkin for spurning the deal and accused the first-term governor of bashing China to further his potential White House ambitions. Youngkin has not indicated he is contemplating a 2024 White House bid, but his stunning 2021 victory in the key blue state drew national attention.
“To deny [people in the community] jobs because you’re in last place in Republican presidential primaries [is] gubernatorial malpractice,” Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) <a href="https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/ford-plant-halted-by-youngkin-would-have-created-2-500-jobs-in-southside/article_9edc230a-95dc-11ed-bdd8-2301b6df2e06.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told the Richmond Times-Dispatch</a>. “I mean, this is clearly just obvious to me that the governor’s in some kind of out-China-bashing-contest with [Florida Gov. Ron] DeSantis and Governor Greg Abbott out of Texas.”
Youngkin spokeswoman Macaulay Porter said Ford’s partner is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, and was therefore not welcome in the state.
“While Ford is an iconic American company, it became clear that this proposal would serve as a front for the Chinese Communist party, which could compromise our economic security and Virginians’ personal privacy,” Youngkin spokeswoman Macaulay Porter <a href="https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/ford-plant-halted-by-youngkin-would-have-created-2-500-jobs-in-southside/article_9edc230a-95dc-11ed-bdd8-2301b6df2e06.html">told the Richmond Times-Dispatch</a>. “Virginians can be confident that companies with known ties to the Chinese Communist Party won’t receive a leg up from the Commonwealth’s economic incentive packages. When the potentially damaging effects of the deal were realized, the plant proposal never reached a final discussion stage.”
Ford is now believed to be considering building the plant in Michigan.
Editor&#8217;s note: This story has been updated with fresh comments from Governor Youngkin

Youngkin Spurns Ford’s Proposed $3.5B Virginia Plant Over China Concerns

Youngkin Spurns Ford's Proposed $3.5B Virginia Plant Over China Concerns

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) issued an executive order on Tuesday directing his state&#8217;s agencies to report fines and suspensions related to COVID.
Youngkin announced he will end all future fines related to coronavirus restrictions in his budget plan later this month which will include a reimbursement process for those who paid &#8220;unjust&#8221; fees.
“I am today requiring a statewide review of COVID-19 related penalties imposed by the Northam administration. The fact that businesses are still dealing with COVID-19 related penalties and fines is infuriating. Livelihoods are on the line,” Youngkin said in a <a href="https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/news-releases/2022/december/name-944785-en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. “In the previous administration, we saw our government shut down businesses, close our schools, and separate us from each other. While we can’t undo the damage done during the Northam administration, we are taking action going forward to end COVID-era draconian overreach.”
The order will include some exceptions to the proposed reimbursement effort. Incidents related to hospitals, nursing homes, certified nursing facilities, hospices, or assisted living facilities are excluded from Youngkin&#8217;s announcement.
The governor&#8217;s announcement comes just days after a Fredericksburg-area restaurant called <a href="http://gourmeltz.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gourmeltz</a> was raided by authorities over pandemic violations. Owner Matt Strickland, a military veteran now running for the Virginia Senate, spoke out in a Facebook video regarding the raid.
In a call with The Daily Wire, Strickland noted that the governor likely felt pressured to respond after the pushback following the video of agents at his business.
&#8220;It won&#8217;t do anything to help now,&#8221; Strickland said. &#8220;The executive order only says they&#8217;re compiling a list of businesses. There is no guarantee reimbursements will be made.&#8221;
Strickland&#8217;s frustration resonated with many across the state — and nationwide — who are wondering why state businesses are being investigated over COVID restrictions when Virginia is led by a conservative governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.
State Sen. Amanda Chase (R-VA) was among those who spoke out on Strickland&#8217;s behalf.
&#8220;Here is the current situation going on at Gourmeltz. Language Disclaimer! The owners are obviously upset. Keep these Patriots &amp; this veteran owned business in your prayers. Flood this business to show we won&#8217;t stand for unconstitutional mandates!&#8221; she tweeted.
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Here is the current situation going on at Gourmeltz. Language Disclaimer! The owners are obviously upset. Keep these Patriots &amp; this veteran owned business in your prayers. Flood this business to show we won&#39;t stand for unconstitutional mandates! <a href="https://t.co/M4EBP8dNi5">pic.twitter.com/M4EBP8dNi5</a>
&mdash; Senator Amanda Chase (@AmandaChaseVA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmandaChaseVA/status/1598755283018207232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Virginia&#8217;s Attorney General Jason Miyares has worked to roll back several COVID-related restrictions in the state. In January, he was one of 27 state attorneys general to <a href="https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/27-state-attorneys-general-call-for-osha-to-withdraw-its-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-jason-miyares-supreme-court-biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">call</a> on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to withdraw its COVID vaccine mandate for large employers.
Miyares also issued a legal opinion in January that public universities cannot mandate COVID-19 vaccines for students. &#8220;‘[T]here is no question that the General Assembly could enact a statute requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for in-person school attendance,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.oag.state.va.us/media-center/news-releases/2295-january-28-2022-attorney-general-miyares-issues-legal-opinion-that-public-universities-cannot-mandate-covid-19-vaccine-for-students" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
Despite the freedom-focused rulings, however, businesses in the state that violated COVID restrictions have not yet adequately been assisted.
During 2020, Virginia businesses in violation of COVID policies could face a <a href="https://www.vml.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/Briefing-Package-on-Face-Coverings-Emergency-Regulation-002.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">penalty</a> of up to $13,000 per violation and accrue fines of up to $130,000. Many businesses were forced to close or limit operations during the pandemic, while an unknown number of workers chose to lose their jobs rather than comply with COVID vaccine mandates.
Youngkin has largely blamed the state&#8217;s previous Gov. Northam (D-VA) for coronavirus concerns. In a statement to the Washington Post, Northam&#8217;s former spokeswoman, Alena Yarmosky argued against the governor&#8217;s criticisms.
“Governor Northam made Virginia one of the safest states in the nation during the height of COVID-19,” Yarmosky <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/12/07/youngkin-covid-violators-fines-restaurant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. “I understand Governor Youngkin is just tuning back into Virginia, but he’s been in office an entire year. I’d recommend he focus on his own administration.”

Glenn Youngkin Seeks To Reimburse COVID Violation Fines In Virginia

Glenn Youngkin Seeks To Reimburse COVID-19 Violation Fines In Virginia

COVID

COVID-19 Vaccine

Republican <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-follows-up-attack-on-desantis-with-bizarre-swipe-at-youngkin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin</a> brushed off a social media swipe from former President Donald Trump Friday, saying he didn&#8217;t see it and wants people to come together.
Trump has spent the last few days attacking fellow Republicans, particularly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-attacks-desantis-i-got-more-votes-than-him-needs-to-be-more-gracious-to-me-i-won-his-primary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Governor Ron DeSantis</a>, whose landslide win in Florida on Tuesday sparked talk of a 2024 presidential run. But on Friday morning, Trump turned his sights on Youngkin, a Republican who unexpectedly turned Virginia red in 2021.
“Young Kin (now that’s an interesting take. Sounds Chinese, doesn’t it?) in Virginia couldn’t have won without me,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “I Endorsed him, did a very big Trump Rally for him telephonically, got MAGA to Vote for him – or he couldn’t have come close to winning.&#8221;
When asked to comment on Trump&#8217;s remarks, Youngkin told reporters that he wasn&#8217;t interested in engaging in name-calling.
&#8220;Listen, you all know me, I do not call people names — I really work hard to bring people together — and that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re working on,&#8221; said Youngkin. &#8220;That&#8217;s not the way I roll and not the way I behave.&#8221;
The Virginia governor&#8217;s race was largely expected to go to Democrat Terry McAuliffe, but Youngkin surged in the polls following a story by The Daily Wire highlighting a high school bathroom rape in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Although Trump endorsed Youngkin for governor, the Virginia candidate didn&#8217;t openly tout the endorsement during the campaign. As the race drew closer, Trump promised to hold a rally in Arlington, Virginia, which votes heavily Democratic, but it ended up being a telephone rally after outcry from people who feared it would only harm Youngkin.
Trump then took credit for Youngkin&#8217;s victory on Fox News, prompting widespread confusion at the Youngkin victory party, according to a Daily Wire reporter who attended the event.
Trump&#8217;s comments about Youngkin came as the former president is expected to announce a third White House run next week, even as it remains to be seen which party will control Congress and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/winsome-sears-as-a-marine-i-look-at-the-mission-and-thats-why-i-wont-support-trump-in-2024">whether any appetite exists</a> for a campaign so soon after one election and before critical Senate runoff in Georgia. Jason Miller, a former adviser to Trump, said Thursday he was encouraging the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jason-miller-trump-should-delay-big-announcement-he-teased-hours-before-election-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former president to postpone</a> his teased big announcement.
“I’ll be advising him that he move his announcement until after the Georgia runoff,” said Miller, who was the chief spokesman for Trump’s 2016 campaign and a senior adviser for the 2020 bid. “Georgia needs to be the focus of every Republican in the country right now.”
While Republicans are still favored to narrowly win the House of Representatives, control of the Senate may not be decided until December 6, when Republican Herschel Walker will face off against Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA).
Luke Rosiak contributed to this report.

Virginia Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Glenn Youngkin Holds Election Night Rally

Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin Brushes Off Criticism After Trump Swipe

Donald Trump

Ron DeSantis

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-attacks-desantis-i-got-more-votes-than-him-needs-to-be-more-gracious-to-me-i-won-his-primary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Former President Trump</a> followed up an unprovoked attack on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-trump-launches-unprovoked-attack-on-ron-desantis-for-his-handling-of-covid-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida’s Ron DeSantis</a> with a strange swipe Friday morning at another popular Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia.
In both cases, the former president, who is expected to again seek the White House in 2024, claimed credit for the success of his targets. While the attack on DeSantis was withering, the comments about Youngkin included a bizarre observation about his name and a backhanded vote of confidence.
“Young Kin (now that&#8217;s an interesting take. Sounds Chinese, doesn&#8217;t it?) in Virginia couldn&#8217;t have won without me,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I Endorsed him, did a very big Trump Rally for him telephonically, got MAGA to Vote for him &#8211; or he couldn&#8217;t have come close to winning. But he knows that, and admits it. Besides, having a hard time with the Dems in Virginia &#8211; But he&#8217;ll get it done!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Trump goes after Gov. Youngkin, saying his name sounds &quot;Chinese.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/k7Ym7IeR3a">pic.twitter.com/k7Ym7IeR3a</a>
&mdash; Election Wizard 🇺🇸 (@ElectionWiz) <a href="https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/1591058837574135809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump is expected to announce a 2024 White House bid as early as next week, and both DeSantis and Youngkin have been floated as potential primary opponents. While it is true Trump supported both in their runs for governor, neither DeSantis nor Youngkin have said they intend to run for president.
It’s possible Trump zeroed in on Youngkin because earlier Thursday his popular lieutenant governor, Winsome Sears, said <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/winsome-sears-as-a-marine-i-look-at-the-mission-and-thats-why-i-wont-support-trump-in-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">she would not support a Trump 2024 bid</a>. Although she has previously been a strong supporter of Trump, she said the midterm results showed his time has passed.
“A true leader understands when they have become a liability,” Sears said. “A true leader understands that it’s time to step off the stage. And the voters have given us that very clear message.”
Like DeSantis, Youngkin has not sought to engage Trump despite the former president’s sniping. The Thursday attack on DeSantis followed Trump’s earlier effort to coin one of his trademark nicknames for the Sunshine State governor, calling him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” The attempt appeared to fall flat, as many if not most Trump supporters also admire DeSantis, who won re-election Tuesday by a margin of nearly 20%.
On Thursday, Trump went much further. First, he claimed credit for DeSantis’s narrow 2018 gubernatorial victory, then called him an “average” governor and sought to discredit DeSantis’s handling of the COVID pandemic despite the Florida governor’s strong anti-lockdown and anti-mask and vaccine mandate stances.
He ended the blitz by making it clear what was really annoying him: The prospect of a 2024 primary challenge.
“And now, Ron DeSanctimonious is playing games!” Trump concluded in his attack on DeSantis. “The Fake News asks him if he’s going to run if President Trump runs, and he says, ‘I’m only focused on the Governor’s race, I’m not looking into the future.’ Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that’s really not the right answer.”

Trump/Youngkin

Trump Follows Up Attack On DeSantis With Bizarre Swipe At Youngkin

2024 Election

ABC News&#8217; Jon Karl fretted over the notion that Republicans would hold the Biden administration accountable if the they win this week&#8217;s midterm elections.
During an interview with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) on &#8220;This Week,&#8221; Karl touched upon how Republican majorities in the House and Senate would be able to work with President Joe Biden (D).
&#8220;I&#8217;m hearing a lot, though, of talk about investigations, investigations into Hunter Biden, the FBI, all things Anthony Fauci,&#8221; Karl said to Youngkin, who has been campaigning for Republicans across the country. &#8220;Republicans talking about going, you know, all in if they take control of particularly the House. Is that really what – what you&#8217;re campaigning on to – to have massive investigations into all &#8211;&#8221;
&#8220;I think that – that the House and the Senate and the White House are going to have to go to work and offer solutions,&#8221; Youngkin responded. &#8220;On top of that, our democracy is better when our Congress exercises its responsibility for oversight. And they can also deliver answers. I think voters are going to make a statement on Tuesday, and they want their elected leaders to deliver results.&#8221;
&#8220;What about all this impeachment talk?&#8221; Karl asked. &#8220;I mean, I&#8217;ve gone through &#8212; I can count at least three members of the Biden Cabinet that Republicans have talked about impeaching. And obviously there have already been impeachment resolutions introduced, many of them, for Biden himself. Would that be a mistake for Republicans, to go in with impeachment?&#8221;
&#8220;I believe strongly that our democracy is better when our Congress exercises its oversight functions,&#8221; Youngkin responded.
&#8220;Impeachment?&#8221; Karl again pressed.
&#8220;The reality of this is that Virginians are going to vote for congressional representatives, and I think that we&#8217;re going to see a number of seats flip,&#8221; Youngkin responded. &#8220;And they want them to go to work to deliver.&#8221;
Karl again pressed Youngkin on the matter of impeachment, asking if that&#8217;s what he thinks voters care about, to which Youngkin finally responded with, &#8220;I&#8217;m a governor in Virginia. And my job as governor in Virginia is to deliver for Virginians.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Governor Glenn Youngkin Joins ABC&#039;s This Week" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1hleDcV7vho?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
TRANSCRIPT:
<blockquote>JON KARL, ABC “THIS WEEK” CO-ANCHOR: You&#8217;re governor of Virginia, but you&#8217;ve been all over the country, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Arizona, New York, just in the last couple of week.
GOV. GLENN YOUNGKIN (R-VA): Oregon.
KARL: Oregon.
What&#8217;s the closest argument on why people should vote for Republicans?
YOUNGKIN: Americans are hurting right now and Republican gubernatorial candidates, because that’s who I&#8217;ve been spending a lot of time with, are offering common sense solutions to these most critical issues. Americans are sitting around their tables in the evening and they’re worried about inflation and they’re worried about crime and they’re worried about their schools and they&#8217;re worried about the border. Every state’s become a border state. And Republicans have clear-cut common sense solutions to all of these. And what they&#8217;ve seen is that the liberal Democrats don&#8217;t. And it&#8217;s that clear right now.
KARL: And you’re, obviously, campaigning for – for members of Congress as well. First order of business, if Republicans take over the House and Senate, how do they work with President Biden?
YOUNGKIN: Well, first, I think they will both have majorities. And I think the statement on Tuesday is going to be pretty clear. And I think there will be a larger majority in the House than people may have thought a few months ago. And I think there will be a clear majority in the Senate.
And this is going to be a wake-up call to President Biden. And I hope he answers it because what&#8217;s happened over the last two years has really caused a lot of problems in America. I hope that President Biden sees what Americans are going to – are going to say to him on Tuesday, which is, we&#8217;re not happy and we need a different agenda. And – and I think that a Republican led House and a Republican led Senate are going to work to deliver on promises made. And I hope Joe Biden listens.
KARL: You know, I&#8217;m hearing a lot, though, of talk about investigations, investigations into Hunter Biden, the FBI, all things Anthony Fauci. Republicans talking about going, you know, all in if they take control of particularly the House. Is that really what – what you&#8217;re campaigning on to – to have massive investigations into all &#8212;
YOUNGKIN: I think that – that the House and the Senate and the White House are going to have to go to work and offer solutions. On top of that, our democracy is better when our Congress exercises its responsibility for oversight. And they can also deliver answers.
I think voters are going to make a statement on Tuesday, and they want their elected leaders to deliver results.
KARL: What about all this impeachment talk? I mean, I&#8217;ve gone through &#8212; I can count at least three members of the Biden Cabinet that Republicans have talked about impeaching. And obviously there have already been impeachment resolutions introduced, many of them, for Biden himself. Would that be a mistake for Republicans, to go in&#8230;
YOUNGKIN: Again, I&#8230;
KARL: &#8230; with impeachment?
YOUNGKIN: I believe strongly that our democracy is better when our Congress exercises its oversight functions.
KARL: Impeachment?
YOUNGKIN: The reality of this is that Virginians are going to vote for congressional representatives, and I think that we&#8217;re going to see a number of seats flip. And they want them to go to work to deliver.
KARL: But let me press you on that, though. I mean, common-sense, kitchen table issues, that&#8217;s what you&#8217;ve been talking about. Is that what voters have in mind, impeaching &#8212; an impeachment of Joe Biden? Because, I mean, I&#8217;m hearing that a lot.
YOUNGKIN: Well, you know, I don&#8217;t know &#8212; I don&#8217;t know if&#8230;
KARL: Would that be a mistake, is all I&#8217;m asking. What that be a mistake, to go into&#8230;
YOUNGKIN: I can&#8217;t speculate on what they&#8217;re going to do. But what I can tell you is&#8230;
KARL: What they should do, is what I&#8217;m asking you.
YOUNGKIN: &#8230; is they have done &#8212; well, I&#8217;m a governor.
KARL: I know, but you&#8217;re campaigning for members, you know, for&#8230;
YOUNGKIN: I&#8217;m a governor in Virginia.
KARL: &#8230; for people to be in Congress.
YOUNGKIN: And my job as governor in Virginia is to deliver for Virginians. And, oh, by the way, I think that Republicans offer answers that Democrats have failed to offer, over and over and over again.
KARL: You were out in Arizona campaigning for Kari Lake. Liz Cheney, who has supported you, was quite critical of that. She said, &#8220;Nobody should be out advocating for the election of people who will not honor the sanctity of our election process.&#8221;
Obviously, Kari Lake talks a heck of a lot about the 2020 election, falsely saying it was rigged, stolen. You don&#8217;t agree with that, do you?
YOUNGKIN: Well, I&#8217;ve said that President Biden&#8217;s our president. He was elected our president.
KARL: Legitimately.
YOUNGKIN: Legitimately. He&#8217;s done a bad job. He really has. He&#8217;s done a bad job. The Republican Party is not some monolithic group that all believes the same things. But what Republican governors have demonstrated is they have led so much better coming out of this pandemic, economic recovery, safe communities, delivering in schools. And as I&#8217;ve said, I think every state deserves a Republican governor. And &#8212; and this is a really clear choice.
KARL: Close advisers to Donald Trump say that he&#8217;s preparing to run for president very soon after Tuesday. Do you welcome that, or would you rather he didn&#8217;t run?
YOUNGKIN: Let me begin. The only timeline that anybody should be focusing on right now is the one that leads through November the 8th. The former president is going to do what the former president decides to do, and&#8230;
KARL: Would you support him?
YOUNGKIN: Well, at this point I&#8217;m not supporting anybody.
KARL: But are you looking at running for president? Is that &#8212; is that a possibility?
YOUNGKIN: I&#8217;m looking at November the 8th.
KARL: I understand, but, you know &#8212; you know, I mean&#8230;
YOUNGKIN: The reality is I&#8217;m always humbled by this question because I get it a lot. And yet the reality is what I have done in Virginia over the last year is bring a sense of urgency to deliver. It was a blue state and we flipped it red.
KARL: Would Trump running make you more or less likely to run yourself? Would it affect your decision?
YOUNGKIN: I really have not given it any real consideration. And I have been so focused on making sure that I&#8217;m doing a great job in Virginia and supporting candidates that I think will deliver for their constituents. This is a November 8th moment, and the reality is, folks that are talking about things beyond November the 8th, I think, are missing the priority of today&#8217;s moment.</blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/glenn-youngkin-hits-the-trail-for-oregon-gop-gubernatorial-candidate-christine-drazan">Glenn Youngkin Hits The Trail For Oregon GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Christine Drazan</a>

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

ABC’s Jon Karl Expresses Concern That Republicans Are Going To Investigate Biden If They Win Midterms

2022 Midterms

Elections

Jonathan Karl

This Week

America&#8217;s top political fundraiser is heading to New York to help push Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lee-zeldin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lee Zeldin</a> (R-NY) over the top in New York&#8217;s gubernatorial race next month.
Most polls <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-poll-shows-zeldin-with-a-small-lead-over-kathy-hochul-in-deep-blue-new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">show</a> the race between Zeldin and New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) to be close, and one recent survey even indicated that Zeldin had a slight lead in the race. Hochul is now even referring to herself as &#8220;the underdog in this race.&#8221;
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) has become a prominent national political figure, raising <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-shatters-all-time-fundraising-record-gives-money-to-republican-candidates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more money</a> for his political operation than all other potential 2024 candidates. DeSantis also has the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mainstream-poll-ron-desantis-ranks-1-for-major-american-politicians-in-net-favorability" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highest</a> net approval rating of any major U.S. politician.
“I do have to say, New York, we may elect, I think we will elect a Republican Governor Lee Zeldin,” DeSantis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-predicts-republicans-pick-up-major-governorship-in-deep-blue-state-next-month" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News during a town hall event Thursday night.
Zeldin has hammered Hochul on crime in the state, which is one of the top issues for voters this election cycle, saying that criminals need to be locked up and not out roaming the streets.
&#8220;Anyone who commits a crime under our laws, especially with the change we made to bail, has consequences,&#8221; Hochul <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hochul-responds-to-zeldin-demanding-criminals-be-locked-up-i-dont-know-why-thats-so-important-to-you" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> to Zeldin on the issue during a debate earlier this week. &#8220;I don’t know why that’s so important you.&#8221;
Zeldin said during a recent interview that he plans to declare a crime emergency on his first day in office to combat the issue.
“I want to do everything I possibly can in the first 100 minutes,” Zeldin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lee-zeldin-to-declare-emergency-on-day-1-in-office-if-elected-ny-governor-as-polls-show-race-a-toss-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “I mean, I want to have a very active day one. I just announced a couple days ago that as soon as I am sworn into office, I’m going to be declaring a crime emergency here in the state of New York. I’m going to suspend New York’s cashless bail laws and some other pro-criminal laws that have been passed, force the legislature to come to the table to negotiate an improvement because we have to take back our streets. We need law abiding New Yorkers back in control of New York streets instead of criminals.”
“I’ve previously announced that my first action, my first day that I’m in office, is telling them the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg that he’s being removed for his refusal to enforce the law,” he later added. “But it doesn’t stop there. We need to support our men and women in law enforcement, we need to make sure whether it’s cashless bail, less is more, raise the age, hall tax, some of these other names of laws that have passed, which don’t get as much attention, are resulting in people getting hurt, law abiding New Yorkers getting hurt.”
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) will also campaign for Zeldin in New York in the coming days as he heads to Westchester County on Monday.

Congressman Lee Zeldin, candidate from Republican Party for

The Republican Party’s Big Guns Head To New York To Push Lee Zeldin Over The Top In Governor’s Race

Ron DeSantis And Glenn Youngkin Head To New York To Help Lee Zeldin In Governor’s Race

Kathy Hochul

Lee Zeldin

New York

Academic proficiency plummeted in 2022 to among the lowest on record following the coronavirus school shutdowns, and children in Democrat-run states where teachers union demands led to extended school shutdowns bore the brunt, data released Monday from a national test known as the “nation’s report card” showed.
The <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/highlights/mathematics/2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Assessment of Educational Progress</a> (NAEP) is administered to fourth and eighth graders every few years, allowing for a comparison of reading and math proficiency by state between 2019 — just before the pandemic — and 2022. The decline in math scores was the sharpest ever since the test began in 1990, and the average math scores were the lowest since 2005. The average eighth grade reading score was the lowest since 1998.
&#8220;Today&#8217;s NAEP results are the proverbial final nail in the coffin,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican who won election in 2021 in a blue-leaning state largely because of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/loudoun-county-schools-tried-to-conceal-sexual-assault-against-daughter-in-bathroom-father-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fury over Democrats’ education policies</a>, said Monday. “If this doesn&#8217;t wake you up, then you&#8217;re clearly trying to cover up your own bad decisions. In the business world, if this was your report card, there would be an immediate change in management. You would be fired. And I think that&#8217;s what voters did.&#8221;
He said leaders kept &#8220;schools shut for an unnecessary amount of time, forcing students to learn through a screen and telling them that&#8217;s a meaningful education,&#8221; and that coronavirus decisions followed decades of similarly bad education decisions.
The map at the top of this article shows how badly the number of fourth-graders who scored at least “basic” in reading fell compared to before the pandemic in each state. Basic is the <a href="https://www.nagb.gov/content/dam/nagb/en/documents/naep/achievement-levels-descriptions.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lowest</a> of the three tiers — basic, proficient, and advanced — and those who do not have even basic reading skills by fourth grade are at risk of serious problems when it comes to employment and higher education later in life.
While almost all schools closed in March 2020, schools in conservative areas were often open for the following 2020-21 school year, while those in areas where teachers unions’ Democrat allies hold power were closed or in some sort of hybrid schedule for much of the year.
In the following chart, The Daily Wire plotted the same drop in reading scores according to how much of the 2020-21 school year the average student spent in actual, in-person school — as opposed to so-called distance learning that often consisted of little actual work, and with significant truancy from students. The state names are colored according to whether it had a Republican or Democrat governor at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-454539" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/g4_reading_basic_scatter-763x576.png" alt="" width="763" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/g4_reading_basic_scatter-763x576.png 763w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/g4_reading_basic_scatter-300x227.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/g4_reading_basic_scatter-768x580.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/g4_reading_basic_scatter-1536x1160.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/g4_reading_basic_scatter.png 2023w" sizes="(max-width: 763px) 100vw, 763px" /></div>
Clustered in the lower-left are Virginia, Oregon, Minnesota, Maryland, D.C., Nevada, and New York. That&#8217;s because all of them had among the longest school shutdowns — and drops approaching 9%. Only four states saw improvements in this measure of reading: Florida, whose schools remained open, Louisiana and Alabama, whose schools were also mostly open, and Hawaii — an outlier which saw improvement despite closed schools.
For the percent of time in-person, The Daily Wire drew from <a href="http://www.covidschooldatahub.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COVID School Data Hub</a>, which tracked schools’ status across the country — though the average figure isn’t perfect since some decisions about remote learning varied across school districts and grade levels. Four states are also missing.
Here we have the same thing but for Grade 8 math. This time, we look at the drop in the percent who scored “proficient.” The even larger drops in this tier highlights that school shutdowns did not only harm students who were barely hanging on even before the pandemic, but were also devastating to previously good students.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-454540" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/g8_math_proficient-769x576.png" alt="" width="769" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/g8_math_proficient-769x576.png 769w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/g8_math_proficient-300x225.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/g8_math_proficient-768x575.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/g8_math_proficient-1536x1150.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/g8_math_proficient.png 2040w" sizes="(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px" />
Deep-blue states including Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Washington had drops of 12% — far more than states that spent more of the year in-person. Every state saw declines, but deep-red Alabama saw the smallest decline.
Though the scores are mostly at the state level, results are also provided for certain large cities. In Miami-Dade, Florida, 71% of 8th graders scored at least &#8220;basic&#8221; in reading, and in 2022, that actually rose to 72%. Meanwhile, in Chicago, the 2019 figure of 64% dropped to 61%. While Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered Florida&#8217;s schools open, the Chicago teachers union refused to work, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chicago-teachers-union-claims-push-to-open-schools-is-racist-and-sexist-sues-to-stop-plan">claiming</a> “The push to reopen schools is rooted in sexism, racism and misogyny.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blue-states-have-worse-inequality-than-red-ones-new-census-data-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blue Vs. Red: Income Inequality Far Worse In Dem-Run States, New Census Data Shows</a>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/red-vs-blue-as-dems-deny-defunding-the-police-major-cities-police-forces-are-at-record-lows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blue Vs. Red: Major Cities’ Police Forces Are At Record Lows As Dems Deny Defunding The Police</a>

g4_reading_basic_map-main-image

Blue Vs. Red: 2022 Test Scores Show Devastating Toll Of School Shutdowns

Blue Vs. Red: 2022 Test Scores Show Lasting Toll Of Blue-State School Shutdowns

Coronavirus

Democrats

Los Angeles

Miami

School Shutdowns

Teachers Unions

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/republicans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican governors</a> throughout the nation are rushing to assure parents that young children will not be required to get COVID vaccines despite a looming, <a href="http://dailywire.com/news/catastrophic-error-doctors-warn-cdc-pushing-covid-vaccine-for-kids-risks-public-rejecting-measles-mumps-polio-vaccines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">likely CDC decision</a> to put the jab on a list of immunizations recommended for schoolchildren.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/theyre-a-joke-theyve-disgraced-themselves-megyn-kelly-rips-cdc-on-kids-vaccines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mixed signals, panic and anger</a> followed Thursday’s unanimous decision by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to advise the CDC to add the COVID vaccine to the recommended immunization schedule for people including children as young as 6 months. While some states have adopted the federal recommendations through their own state and local health agencies, they retain the right to determine what vaccines are required for schoolchildren.
“COVID-19 mandates should be in our rear-view mirror,” Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, who was elected a year ago on a wave of parental activism, said in a statement. “The decision to vaccinate a child against COVID-19 is for Virginia parents to make about what’s best for them and their family. We will not adhere to these CDC mandates. In Virginia, parents matter.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
COVID-19 mandates should be in our rear view mirror. The decision to vaccinate a child against COVID-19 is for Virginia parents to make about what’s best for them and their family. We will not adhere to these <a href="https://twitter.com/CDCgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CDCgov</a> mandates. 
In Virginia, parents matter.
&mdash; Governor Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorVA/status/1583272988752781313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The CDC is widely expected to affirm the panel’s recommendation and put the COVID vaccination on the schedule with other vaccines that have been thoroughly tested and in wide use for decades. Youngkin is one of at least 20 governors who have spoken out in recent days to assure worried parents that the COVID vaccine, which the CDC already recommends for children as young as 5, will not become a requirement for attending public school.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, whose state bucked the economically crippling pandemic shutdowns and who has been a vocal opponent of mask and vaccine mandates, likewise assured his constituents that COVID jabs will not be mandatory.
“I know a lot of parents are concerned about that because if that’s on the immunization schedule, the fear is that schools could potentially mandate your child to get a COVID shot, even if that’s not something that you want to do,” DeSantis said. “So I just want to let everyone be clear. You know, as long as I’m around and as long as I’m kicking and screaming there will be no Covid shot mandates for your kids. That is your decision to make as a parent.”
One example of a vaccine being added to the recommended schedule, but not being widely adopted by states is the HPV vaccine. Although it was added to the schedule in 2006, only Rhode Island and Washington, D.C., require it for school-age boys and girls, and Virginia requires it for girls.
&#8220;Moving Covid-19 to the recommended immunization schedule does not impact what vaccines are required for school entrance, if any,&#8221; Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and a member of the advisory board, said at Thursday’s meeting. &#8220;Local control matters. And we honor that the decision around school entrance for vaccines rests where it did before, which is with the state level, the county level, and at the municipal level if it exists at all.&#8221;
Critics say young children are not in substantial danger of contracting serious cases of COVID and may in fact be more at risk from the mRNA vaccines themselves, which have been linked to myocarditis, or heart inflammation. And the recent revelation from a Pfizer executive that the vaccine was never tested to see if it prevented the spread of COVID has undermined the idea that children should be vaccinated in order to prevent them from infecting adults.
“I’ve always said mandates are the wrong approach, &amp; TN has led in pushing back on federal COVID vaccine requirements,” Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee tweeted. “Thanks to our work with the General Assembly, TN families won’t be impacted by today’s CDC vote. We’ll continue to stand for TN children &amp; for personal freedom.”
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem said no mandatory COVID vaccines will be coming to her state&#8217;s public schools.
&#8220;As a mother and a grandmother, I will not allow this government overreach into our families’ personal decisions,&#8221; Norm tweeted. &#8220;And as Governor, I will do everything in my power to fight against this for our kids.&#8221;
Other GOP governors rushing to assured voters and parents that the pending CDC decision will not affect their kids included Kay Ivey, of Alabama; Asa Hutchinson, of Arkansas; Brian Kemp, of Georgia; Brad Little, of Idaho; Kim Reynolds, of Iowa; Mike Parson, of Missouri; Greg Gianforte, of Montana; Mike DeWine, of Ohio; Kevin Stitt, of Oklahoma; Henry McMaster, of South Carolina; Spencer Cox, of Utah; and Mark Gordon, of Wyoming.
The <a href="https://www.nashp.org/states-enact-policies-to-support-students-transition-back-to-school/">National Academy for State Health Policy</a> lists 20 states that have already banned the COVID vaccines from being included in school mandates, including Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

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