Virginia accepted a new governor on Jan. 15, Glenn Youngkin. Youngkin began his campaign running as a moderate Republican, flying under the radar. Voters admitted to not really knowing what he was running on, but voted for him regardless. Prior to the election, he took a turn and revealed his more radical views, gaining him popularity with Trump voters. 

Youngkin, the pro-life, anti-mask governor, has set a precedent for public office candidates in the upcoming elections, setting the stage for his GOP peers who are taking after his approach and plans.

Youngkin’s website, gleenyoungkinforgovernor.com, outlines his goals throughout his next four years as governor. The basics, such as creating better-paying jobs, quality education, safe communities, and a government for the people, are followed by his more personalized goals. These include to “defend – not defund” law enforcement workers, end human trafficking, upgrade the menal health system, and ensure that they people hold the power rather than politicians. Youngkin plans to “make state government honest, efficient, and modern.” He plans to modernize Virginia by protecting Constitutional rights written 235 years ago. 

On his first day in office, Youngkin created an executive order banning the teaching of critical race theory in public schools. Critical race theory examines the intersection of race and law in the US government, and how race and racism has and continues to impact the treatment of people in the legal system and society “based on the premise that race is a socially constructed category” (Britannica). 

The governor also implemented a hotline parents can call if they suspect their students are being taught Critical Race Theory in schools.

Youngkin’s order claims that Critical Race Theory teaches students “to only view life through the lens of race and presumes that some students are consciously or unconsciously racist, sexist, or oppressive, and that other students are victims.” 

There is criticism across educators and administrators in schools, firstly noting that Critical Race Theory is not a tenant of the curriculum, and secondly criticizing his possible misinterpretation of what Critical Race Theory actually is. It is not teaching students to either feel like racists or victims, but to demonstrate the major grasp that racism holds on daily life and government affairs for everyone, but specifically people of color.

America was built on racial oppression, and while some deny the statistics behind the ongoing existence and detrimental presence of racism, much of our public policy was shaped during a time in which our society practiced slavery or segregation. Policies created during oppression are inherently continuing oppression.

Youngkin’s banning of critical race theory in schools and implementation of hotlines for parents to call is what will continue the epidemic of under-education of American racism and allow it to continue to thrive. His ban is a symptom of a larger problem plaguing our nation, which he continues to perpetuate through his misinformed construct of Critical Race Theory.