Washington Examiner
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/keep-up-the-fight-against-critical-race-theory-and-election-fraud
We are in a fight for the future of this nation, but thanks to the millions across the country who are speaking up and refusing to let this land of freedom and opportunity turn into a socialist nation, I’m feeling incredibly optimistic.
To parents who are worried about their children’s education and voters who are eager to restore election integrity, I’m here to tell you that I’ve seen a shift. We hear you — so keep at it!
When schools shut down at the start of the pandemic, many families adapted if they were able. But when the science became clear that students could safely return to the classroom, some school districts sided with teachers unions and kept schools closed, and parents were rightfully frustrated.
Additionally, now we are seeing an increasing number of school districts implementing the widely debunked 1619 Project and other critical race theory-based curriculum. But parents don’t want precious time and taxpayer dollars spent on historically inaccurate and divisive ideologies; they want their children to learn to love their neighbors and master the skills to equip them for a successful career.
The increasing number of families expressing grievances about their children’s education is paving the way for a fresh debate on the need to enact school choice policies. Already this year, 13 states have created or expanded choice programs. I’m excited that you — our parents and families — are leading a grassroots effort on this much-needed conversation.
Recent polling from Echelon Insights suggests school choice should not be controversial in any way. When asked, 65% of survey respondents were supportive of school choice. Allowing families to choose a menu of options for their child’s education is not a view held only by one political party: 75% of Republicans, 60% of independents, and 61% of Democratic survey respondents all said they support school choice.
During a recent House Education and Labor Committee hearing, I shared this data with U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and asked him if the Biden administration will embrace the idea of school choice. Unfortunately, in his response, he prioritized schools over students, but as the data clearly show, the public wants choice. I’m encouraging every concerned parent to keep sounding the alarm until action is taken at the local, state, and national levels.
As a member of the House Education and Labor’s K-12 subcommittee, I believe that every child, regardless of their ZIP code, should have the opportunity to attend the school of their choice, whether it’s a faith-based, public, or technical education. I will continue to champion policies that will expand education opportunities for all families.
I’m hopeful that we can make this a reality, as we’ve already seen the success of grassroots efforts.
When it comes to our democracy, after Democrats jammed their No. 1 legislative priority, H.R. 1, the For the People Act, through the House, the people vocally opposed this radical legislation that would federalize our elections and ban voter ID. In fact, voters overwhelmingly want to restore commonsense measures in the election process, with new polls showing that 80% support requiring voters to show photo identification in order to cast a ballot.
Thankfully, my Republican colleagues in the Senate heard your call and blocked this bill from moving forward. Unfortunately, since the Democrats couldn’t get this done legislatively, that same week, the Biden administration’s Department of Justice announced a federal lawsuit to overturn Georgia’s Election Integrity Act. This political move comes after months of the Left spreading lies and misinformation about the bill, which in reality expands access for legal voting and makes it harder to cheat.
I’m confident the courts will side with Georgia, since the legislature enacted this law the constitutional way — at the state level. I will continue fighting for integrity in our elections, and I encourage you to keep speaking out against the Democrats’ radical election agenda.
To my fellow people who are worried about the future of this country, thank you for speaking up. Change happens most efficiently and effectively when it starts from the ground up. After all, America is and always will be a grassroots country.
