Letter to our Legislators

Our Fellow Virginians,

We write to you as a coalition of middle school, high school, and college students who are displeased with our Commonwealth's recent pursuance of banning "divisive concepts" in Virginia's public schools. We are equally frustrated that our perspective has been entirely ignored throughout the policy changes of this past year. A weakening integrity of Virginia’s educational institutions will preclude each and every young student’s ability to develop into brilliant, productive adults. With this letter, we demand that Virginia’s legislators and executives cease efforts to censor free thought in our Commonwealth’s classrooms. To voters, we ask that you consider this letter as you continue to make choices at the ballot box that will greatly affect our education. We ask that you support policies that protect the intellectual capabilities and analytical skills of Virginia's students.

Our Commonwealth has decided that high school students are not mature enough to handle “divisive concepts”. Let us be clear—current curricula are not packed with political indoctrination. Nor are teachers attempting to imbue notions of anti-patriotism and other radical ideologies onto their pupils. In order to properly develop the next generation of active citizens and nuanced thinkers, our educational institutions must support developing critical analysis skills and must not shy away from addressing the difficult issues that have shaped and continue to shape our country. Opting for a censored and one-sided curriculum for the sake of preserving the comfort of students who never asked for this action is a grave mistake. In a Socratic seminar (a common teacher's tool for approaching social studies), students are provided a safe space to explore historical and social arguments where disagreements are viewed as a basis for growth. Are we not trustworthy enough to manage our own mature discourse? Young Virginians are fully capable of forming our own values separately from what we are taught in the classroom. To devalue our individuality in thought is to render us as inept societal participants. We can handle ourselves, and we deserve to be allowed to flourish independently.

The recent behavior of our state politicians is anti-democratic and dangerous. Instead of instituting new methods of further connecting schools to their local communities, our state politicians suggest they are the sole arbiters of what is and is not appropriate for the classroom environment. This behavior is blatant government overreach. Such precedent of restricting various avenues of thought mirrors the authoritarian dystopias illustrated in novels such as 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. The 133 Superintendents recognized the extremity of Executive Order 1 when they wrote their joint letter condemning the actions of Virginia's Superintendent of Instruction. CollegeBoard also understood the dangers of censorship when they explained that Virginia may lose AP designations if certain curriculum is restricted. Losing AP designation in Virginia will not only limit our academic potentials, but will cost our families thousands of dollars in lost college credits. Autonomy of local school systems must not be attacked by authoritarian action from Virginia’s state government. The right to think freely must not be impeded upon by leaders who fear discourse. Democracy must prevail in our schools.

Lastly, we hope Virginians will reconsider the lack of support currently being offered to teachers and faculty. We are noticing that our teachers, who dedicate much of their time and energy to ensure that every student reaches their full potential, are becoming anxious to come to work, and many are questioning their futures as educators. Threatening punishment by installing a tip line to tattle on teachers is a disastrous imposition that causes our educators to lose focus on instruction and instead fear retribution for any action deemed “divisive”. We fear that if such harmful rhetoric and lack of respect toward educators continues in Virginia, we will lose a large portion of the most qualified and passionate teachers across the Commonwealth. If we lose these instructors, we will only increase the educational instability that students have already suffered under for over two years.

As the current legislative session comes to an end, we understand that the conversation surrounding what is and is not appropriate in the classroom will persist. With this letter, we hope that each and every Virginian reconsiders their treatment of the students and faculty of the many great schools in our Commonwealth. We strongly urge Virginia’s lawmakers to listen to the voices of your constituents who yearn for an education system that uplifts and supports students instead of one that demeans and threatens our abilities to think freely. We students, we people, we Virginians plead that you protect our freedoms, protect our educations, and keep our futures safe.

For ourselves and our posterity,

The Student Alliance for Fair Education