Like Florida, Virginia Takes Heat for Its Race-Based Education Goals
The presidential election suppressed what would otherwise have been a firestorm into a two-day ho-hum. The Florida Board of Education’s decision to sign off on race-based school goals was quickly brushed aside as it didn’t sell newspapers like presidential politics will. But its in the news again as another state which President Obama carried, Virginia, now has similar goals in place. Like Florida, Virginia is bound by Obama-Arne Duncan’s No Child Left Behind waivers. From NPR reporter Claudio Sanchez:
As part of Virginia’s waiver to opt out of mandates set out in the No Child Left Behind law, the state has created a controversial new set of education goals that are higher for white and Asian kids than for blacks, Latinos and students with disabilities.
Virginia Democratic state Sen. Donald McEachin first read about the state’s new performance