I’ve heard the same thing from parents across Virginia: “We just want our kids to get a great education without all the politics.”

That shouldn’t be a big ask. But right now, too many families feel like they’re being ignored, pushed aside, or left guessing about what’s actually happening in their children’s classrooms.

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We’ve drifted away from the basics. Reading. Writing. Accountability. Real-world preparation. In their place, we’re getting buzzwords, lowered standards, and policies that treat parents like bystanders.

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It’s time to turn that around.

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I’m rolling out the beginning of my Academic Excellence Agenda: a clear, conservative approach to bring back common sense in our schools, raise expectations, and put students and families first.

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It’s not about headlines or culture war fights. It’s about making sure Virginia kids leave school ready to think clearly, work hard, and succeed no matter where they come from or where they’re headed.

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My opponent, Senator Ghazala Hashmi, has backed a different approach. One that treats merit like a dirty word, leaves parents out of the loop, and puts activist ideology ahead of academic results. I think Virginians are ready for a course correction and I’m ready to lead it.

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Here’s what that looks like:

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1. Protect Students. Respect Parents.

Schools work best when families and educators are on the same team. But that only happens when there’s transparency and trust.

• Locker rooms, bathrooms, and overnight accommodations must be based on biological sex. Period. This isn’t controversial, it’s common sense.

• Sensitive content, about gender identity, sexuality, or political ideology, should require parents to opt in. Not the other way around. If it’s not appropriate for public review, it’s not appropriate for the classroom.

• Mental health and gender-related services should never be provided without parents being notified. No more hidden “support plans” or quiet policy shifts. Families deserve full visibility.

 

Parents aren’t the problem, they’re the foundation. And it’s time we treat them that way.

 

2. Put Learning First Again

Somewhere along the way, we stopped asking the most important question in education: Are kids actually learning what they need to succeed? We’ve replaced rigor with rhetoric. Standards with slogans. And it’s showing. I’m committed to reversing that trend:

• Ban DEI mandates in K–12 curriculum and hiring. We need excellent teachers and high-quality instruction, not political litmus tests.

• End “equity grading.” Students deserve honest feedback and clear expectations. Lowering the bar helps no one.

• Guarantee access to both career and college pathways in every Virginia high school. Whether your child wants to weld, write code, or go pre-med, their school should open those doors, not close them.

• Launch a statewide “Merit Matters” dashboard so families can see real performance data from every district, every year. No spin, just results.

• Restore discipline and safety in every classroom. That starts with clear, consistent consequences. I support bringing back real suspensions for serious disruptions, reinstating school resource officers, and encouraging school uniform policies that promote focus and respect.

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We don’t need to reinvent public education. We just need to remember what it’s for and who it serves.

 

Let’s Raise the Bar Again

 

This isn’t about demonizing teachers or tearing down our public schools. It’s about getting them back on track with higher expectations, greater transparency, and real-world results.

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Virginia has the people, the resources, and the potential to lead the nation again in education. But it’s going to take new leadership and a renewed commitment to putting students and families first.

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That’s what the Academic Excellence Agenda is all about.

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In 2021 we reminded the world that Parents Matter. That’s at risk now with a potential Spanberger-Hashmi Administration. It’s time to live up to that promise and continue to put children and families first. Let’s get back to basics. Let’s demand better. And let’s make sure the next generation of Virginians is ready for whatever comes next.