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Newest Youngkin Board of Ed appointee draws Democrats' ire

Newest Virgnia Board of Education member Meg Bryce, Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons and Board President Grace Creasey at the July, 2024 board meeting.
Brad Kutner
/
Radio IQ
Newest Virgnia Board of Education member Meg Bryce (left), Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons and Board President Grace Creasey at the July, 2024 board meeting.

Governor Glenn Youngkin’s newest Board of Education appointee is getting push back from state Democrats.

Following Thursday's board meeting, Meg Scalia Bryce, daughter of former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, told Radio IQ she’s long cared about education and was excited to advocate for students at the state level.

“I’ve worked locally to try and increase accountability, transparency and academic vigor,” Bryce said.

The new appointee said she was approached by Youngkin several weeks ago and asked to take up the post.

But Democrats in the legislature point to some of the work she’s done locally, specifically comments she made during a bid for Albemarle County School Board last fall. Among those comments?

“Not everybody agrees there’s systemic racism and it has to be okay for people to disagree about that,” Bryce said during an October debate hosted by the Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP.

Bryce lost that race, but the comment stuck with Charlottesville Delegate Amy Laufer.

“These views should not be concerning just to Albemarle County, but the whole of Virginia,” Laufer told Radio IQ.

She and fellow Charlottesville Delegate Katrina Callsen both said Thursday they’ll vote against Bryce’s confirmation during the 2025 session.

But at Thursday’s meeting, Board of Ed President Grace Creasey defended the newest member and pointed to her background in cognitive psychology as a valuable asset.

“She’s going to be a phenomenal addition to the board and a champion for students,” Creasey said.

Bryce’s term runs through June 2028 pending approval by the legislature.

The board also took its first steps in approving new regulations for a new standard of accreditation for the state’s public schools Thursday.

Board member Mashea Ashton said they were designed to increase student expectations and transparency.

“It should be the floor, in terms of expectations, and not the ceiling, of what Virginia’s students and families can achieve,” Ashton said.

But Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras said at the meeting he was worried the new system focuses on the wrong issues and didn’t ensure schools who fail to meet the new standards get the resources they need.

“I’ve yet to see from this body a comprehensive plan to but more dollars where they’re most needed,” Kamras said before the body.

A final vote on the new standards is expected to take place in August with implementation anticipated for the 2024-25 school year.

This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.

Brad Kutner is Radio IQ's reporter in Richmond.