The leadership of
Virginia’
s Thomas Jefferson High School, which hid
National Merit awards
from students, might soon face an
investigation
.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) announced Tuesday his request for Attorney General Jason Miyares to begin an investigation of the school’s leadership after it made headlines nationwide for withholding notification of the awards from students and their families. They were only informed of the achievements after critical deadlines had already passed with respect to college scholarships.
PARENTS DESERVE THE TRUTH, NOT SABOTAGE BY THEIR CHILDREN’S SCHOOLS
? NEW: Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin urges Attorney General @JasonMiyaresVA to launch an investigation and protect civil rights of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology students and parents. @7NewsDC pic.twitter.com/1xnL9nUxlM
— Nick Minock (@NickMinock) January 3, 2023
“We need to get to the bottom of what appears to be an egregious, deliberate attempt to disadvantage high-performing students at one of the best schools in the country,” Youngkin said. “Parents and students deserve answers and Attorney General Miyares will initiate a full investigation. I believe this failure may have caused material harm to those students and their parents, and that this failure may have violated the Virginia Human Rights Act.”
Last week, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears
brought attention
to the scandal, calling it “reprehensible.” She claimed she had reached out to the attorney general and governor to initiate an investigation, which she seems to have followed through on.
This is reprehensible. I have reached out to the Governor and Attorney General and asked for an investigation.
Our children’s education is not a zero-sum game. We cannot punish success in order to have “equal outcomes at all costs”. https://t.co/eH2VFXwQ3Q— Lt. Governor of Virginia – Winsome Earle-Sears (@WinsomeSears) December 30, 2022
Principal Ann Bonitatibus
reportedly
was notified in April of the students who would be recognized in the coming fall. However, certificates were not provided to students until November.
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A local mother, Shawna Yashar, called the act “theft by the state.”
Education was a pivotal issue in Virginia’s 2021 gubernatorial election, with many crediting Youngkin’s commitment to parents for the win. The then-candidate ran on a platform of listening to parents and fighting against critical race theory and transgender policies in schools.
