GOP Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has called out seven Fairfax County schools for withholding from students whether they got a prestigious national merit recognition as part of an "equal outcomes for all" approach — calling the tactic "maniacal."
Only awarded to 50,000 of 1.5 million high-schoolers who score well on the PSAT exam, the prestigious award can help students compete for scholarships, honors accolades, and college admissions.
But the Virginia schools have defended their decision to keep the results secret as a form of "equity," and part of a new strategy meant to provide "equal outcomes for every student, without exceptions."
Last week, the acting Superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools said at least three high schools didn't notify students of their national merit recognition, ABC affiliate 7News reported.
Youngkin was furious — and tore into the schools for shelling out $450,000 for "equity counselors," saying the spending was under investigation.
"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," Younkin told the news outlet.
"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," he said.
Youngkin also took aim at the district's equity strategy.
"They have a maniacal focus on equal outcomes for all students at all costs," he charged, the news outlet reported.
"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."
Supporters of the approach argue it helps those who've struggled to reach their potential because of societal racism and unfairness. Detractors say it often works by lowering standards for top performing students to create the impression of equal outcomes, rather than uplifting students to excellence.
Youngkin won the gubernatorial election victory in 2021 by targeting such measures.
The high schools involved include Annandale, West Potomac, John R. Lewis, Edison, Thomas Jefferson for Science and Technology, Westfield, and Langley High Schools, the news outlet reported. They account for 25% of the high schools in Fairfax County.
"It impacts students ability to apply to college for scholarships, and in this idea of a golden ticket as it is called was withheld from them and it seems to have been withheld from them for the purpose of not wanting to make people feel bad who didn't achieve it," Youngkin said, the Daily Mail reported. "And all of a sudden, we see it spreading around to the rest of Fairfax County."
The impact on students and their families can be significant, as some scholarships and grants can be worth over $90,000.
"Only three percent of high school seniors get recognized. It's a huge issue," Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares told the ABC affiliate.
"We actually know of some schools that give a full four-year scholarship if you are one of those who get recognized a national merit award commendation," he said.
"How you pay for college can be as stressful as getting into college. The idea that sometimes these are $90,000-100,000 plus benefits of scholarships that were never going to be told that these students are eligible to apply for. That's wrong," Miyares said.
Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
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