Classroom culture wars continue to fuel partisan debate throughout Virginia, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently took his veto pen to a bill that would've allowed students a choice to substitute World History 1 or World Geography with African American History or Advanced Placement African American Studies.
Under the bill, those classes — for the first time — could have counted toward a student's graduation requirements.
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WATCH HERE“No one was going to be required to offer these classes,” said Del. David Reid, a Democrat who represents part of Loudoun County. “It was simply going to be a choice for students and parents to be able to use these for graduation requirements instead of using World History 1 or World Geography."
Reid was the chief patron of the House bill that passed the General Assembly with some Republican support.
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SIGN UP Reid said more than 30 school districts already offer these courses as electives, but right now they don't count toward a student's history or social studies graduation requirements.
The Governor made amendments to the bill that the General Assembly rejected. Youngkin ultimately shot it down with a veto, saying, “While I am supportive of expanding choices in what elective classes students may take to satisfy graduation requirements, we must ensure that classes that replace others are germane to the comprehensive goals of high school education standards.”
Reid said Youngkin's veto flies in the face of his first executive order, which calls for an honest representation of history.
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“Right now in this anti-DEI Trump environment, he decided to forgo his stated goals from when he first got elected and instead be subservient to Trump," Reid said.
This is Youngkin's last year in the Governor's mansion, and Reid said he fully intends to reintroduce this bill next session with a new governor.
