In the wake of yet another scandal in the Fairfax public school district, more evidence of a “maniacal focus on equal outcomes for all students at all costs” has been uncovered. The Republican Governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, has accused the school district of withholding notice of merit scholarships commendations to protect its own “equity” agenda.
CNN has responded to this allegation by claiming there is no evidence of such machinations. During Tuesday’s Inside Politics, host John King and national correspondent Athena Jones downplayed the seriousness of the situation. Jones admitted the commendations were an “honorable mention” for prospective college students, but tried to suggest that students were not missing out on any “real money”.
“Those students were not told about this commendation in a timely manner. This is the sort of thing that it is an honor, it’s something you’d want to include in your early decision college applications, it gives you access to some special scholarships down the line like corporate scholarships, business-sponsored scholarships that are usually smaller in number. But it does mean those students are out of the running of the National Merit Scholarship competition. So, this is a commendation but it’s not like taking money right out of their pockets.”
However, an image obtained by Parents Defending Education from a Fairfax County Public Schools strategic planning meeting directly contradicted Jones’s assertions. The slide clearly states the school’s goal is “Equitable access to resources and opportunities that guarantee fair, just, and affirming experiences and produce equal outcomes for every student, without exception.”
Jones and fellow panelist Nia-Malika Henderson suggested that Youngkin was simply using the issue to further his own political ambitions. King also claimed that Youngkin artificially inflated education as an issue Virginians cared about in 2018.
It’s clear that CNN is deliberately ignoring evidence of a “maniacal focus on equal outcomes” in this school district, and instead spinning the story to fit their own narrative. It’s an irresponsible approach to reporting, and one that is becoming increasingly common in the media.
Parents everywhere should be concerned that their children’s education is being compromised in the name of “equity”. The truth must be exposed and the voices of those who are being wronged must be heard.
Erica Carlin is an independent journalist, opinion writer and contributor to several news and opinion sources. She is based in Georgia.
