‘Maniacal focus on equal outcomes’: Gov. Glenn Youngkin slams liberal educators for withholding merit awards

(Daily Caller) – Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Sunday slammed liberal educators’ “maniacal focus on equal outcomes” after a number of schools in the state withheld merit awards…

(Daily Caller) – Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Sunday slammed liberal educators’ “maniacal focus on equal outcomes” after a number of schools in the state withheld merit awards from their students.

Seven high schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, admitted to withholding national merit recognition from students while college application deadlines passed by, ABC7 News reported. The schools failed to notify students about receiving the National Merit Scholarship commendation, a prestigious award used for college and scholarship applications, according to the outlet.

“I think this is part of our investigation,” Youngkin said in an interview with ABC7, referring to an investigation by Virginia Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares into the schools’ alleged decision to withhold merit awards. Miyares began the investigation after Youngkin publicly called for one following a report from parents rights in education activist Asra Nomani about the merit awards being withheld.

“[Fairfax County Public Schools has] a maniacal focus on equal outcomes for all students at all costs. And at the heart of the American dream, is excelling, is advancing, is stretching and recognizing that we have students that have different capabilities. Some students have the ability to perform at one level, others need more help, and we have to allow students to run as fast as they can to dream the biggest dreams they can possibly dream and then go get them,” Youngkin continued in the ABC7 interview.

“The reality is that we have a superintendent in Fairfax schools who has explicitly stated that her top objective is equal outcomes for all students, regardless of the price,” Youngkin told ABC7.

Fairfax County Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid spent $450,000 on an “equity” consultant from the Equity Collaborative firm, according to ABC7.

“Now we know the price includes paying $450,000 to a liberal consultant to come in and teach the administrators in Fairfax County how to do this. What it appears happened is that principals in schools decided that they were going to systematically withhold accolades and a path to college admission and scholarships from high-performing students,” Youngkin continued in the interview.

Reid said in an email that she will be transparent to the community about the findings in Fairfax County Public Schools’ review of the situation, ABC7 reported. She has met with parents at three of the seven high schools to listen to their concerns, according to the outlet.