By WMAL.com

The Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS), which represents all 133 of the Virginia’s local divisions, sent a letter to Governor Youngkin speaking out against his proposed planned to remove divisive material from the state’s public-school curriculums. Evidence shows that VASS failed to include its members in the decision to draft and send this letter, according to a report by the Daily Wire.

• Why the letter was sent: was a response to Gov. Youngkins executive order banning the teaching of Critical Race Theory in Virginia’s schools that he issued on his first month in office. While parents largely supported the measure local school boards and VASS officials did not.

• What VASS said: “Division superintendents disagree with your having rescinded much of the Ed Equity work by the Department of Education,” stated the letter sent to Youngkin. The letter came as surprise to a number of superintedents in the state who claim they were never consulted before it was sent.

• One superintendent said: “It was a surprise to read a letter that presumed my agreement in the Washington Post as reported through various news sources … I think several of the superintendents in the state were a little surprised that we were attributed to something that we had not seen.” He continued, “I was not made aware of the letter prior to it being sent and I would say I’d certainly appreciate it being consulted with prior to the letter going out indicating a representation of my – and along with my colleagues across the commonwealth’s – views.”

• What Youngkin said: “This letter is a gross misrepresentation of what superintendents believe, I believe,” he said. “It’s my understanding that in fact there was not a vote, this was a board of an association that wrote a letter and mischaracterized the support they had for that letter. I think that’s wrong. This is what these associations are trying to do: which is again put bureaucracy, put politicians in between parents and their children.”

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