A win! VA EdDept removes 'Virginia Math Pathways Initiative'
Initiative was set to dumb down math in Virginia
Yes, Virginia, there is critical race theory in the state. Read our examples at Parents Defending Education. There were 20. Now, there are 19.
FAIRFAX COUTY, Va. — In their first week in office, Jillian Balow, the new Virginia superintendent of schools, and Elizabeth Schultz, the new Virginia assistant superintendent, have eliminated the Virginia Department of Education’s controversial "Virginia Math Pathways Initiative" that was set to eliminate accelerated math options for students.
The initiative outraged many parents for dumbing down math in the state and reducing advanced math courses for students prior to 11th grade, essentially blocking advanced learners from from moving forward in earlier grades.
At Parents Defending Education, where we confirmed the development with a screenshot of the announcement, we have moved from 20 examples of the divisive ideology of critical race theory being expressed in Virginia schools to 19 examples. You can see the list here.
New Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin took office, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, on the mandate that he would return high standards to education in Virginia, rather than focusing on the "social justice” agenda of critical race theory, which too often eliminates advanced learning in the name of “equity.” In Executive Order 1, Youngkin said he would eliminate indoctrination in schools and promote excellence in education.
On Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, when visitors to the Virginia Department of Education go to the website link that the Northam administration had created for the "Virginia Math Pathways Initiative," they are now greeted with a message that flashes quickly, saying:
The Virginia Department of Education has ended the Virginia Math Pathways Initiative (VMPI) project. Please see the Mathematics Instruction page, if your browser does not refresh.
The news will be a welcome development as parents around the state face stubborn school boards and superintendents who are fighting Executive Order No. 1 to give parents choice over whether their children wear masks to school or not.
Old URL: Virginia Mathematics Pathway Initiative (VMPI). https://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/mathematics/vmpi/index.shtml
Hyperlinks to new URL: https://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/mathematics/index.shtml
My daughter was an advanced math student in FCPS and excelled at the same and engineering in college. I cannot imagine how bored, frustrated and uninspired she would have been without the ability to enroll in the more advanced math programs. When this announcement was posted here, I was literally watching a YouTube lecture where the woman mentioned that those types of students develop behavioral problems when they are forced into lower level match classes...