Glenn Youngkin appoints ‘failed Moms for Liberty candidate’ to Virginia Board of Education

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican known for his anti-trans school policies, has appointed Meg Bryce, daughter of the lateU.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, to the Virginia Board of Education. Bryce, an educator in psychology, who critics argue aligns with the mindset of Moms for Liberty, is now the eighth member Youngkin has appointed to the nine-member board.

Moms for Liberty, a group that supports book bans and is hostile towardLGBTQ+ youth, has been designated as an anti-government extremist group by theSouthern Poverty Law Center.

Bryce, who holds a Ph.D. in cognitive science from the University of Virginia, teaches psychology, Virginia Mercuryreports. Her decision to remove her children from public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a point of contention. Bryce cited her lack of confidence in the school’s administration as the reason she withdrew her kids from school.

Bryce previously ran for an at-large seat on the Albemarle County School Board, focusing her campaign on transparency, raising standards, and restoring what she termed “common sense” to the school district, Virginia Mercury reports. Despite not being a Republican candidate, her campaign found support among conservative voters. She ultimately lost to Democrat Allison Spillman, who pointed at Bryce as favoring book bans and withholding parts of history from students.According to the Daily Progress, Bryce received only 37 percent of the vote.

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Related: Antonin Scalia's Daughter Loses School Board Race to Mother of LGBTQ+ Child

During a candidate forum hosted by the Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP, Bryce remarked on systemic racism, suggesting there should be room for disagreement on its existence, the Daily Progress reports. She also addressed the vandalism of her campaign signs with her father’s name, expressing frustration at being reduced to a caricature based on her family ties.

Reactions to Bryce’s appointment have been polarized. According to ABC News, Youngkin’s spokesperson, Christian Martinez, lauded her qualifications and commitment to education, noting her advocacy for student-centered policies and common sense as vital for Virginia’s education system. The board of education develops curriculum and policy measures for Virginia’s public schools.

However, many Democrats and education advocates have voiced strong objections. Del. Katrina Callsen labeled Bryce as a “failed Moms for Liberty candidate.”

Callsen wrote on social media, “You know what’s easier to win than an Albemarle County School Board seat? An unearned appointment to the State Board of Education from Gov. Youngkin. Today starts Meg Bryce’s term on the Board and while I’m disappointed, I am not shocked that the Governor would rather appoint a failed Moms for Liberty candidate over someone that has a record of support for public education.”

James J. Fedderman, president of the Virginia Education Association, described the appointment as a politically motivated decision that could harm LGBTQ+ students, ABC Newsreports.

Bryce’s appointment is framed by recent legal battles over education policies in Virginia.According to Norfolk CBS affiliate WTKR, a York County judge recently dismissed a lawsuit challenging Governor Youngkin’s Department of Education model policies affecting transgender students.

Many school districts in Virginiahave rejected Youngkin’s controversial “Model Policies on Ensuring Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for All Students and Parents in Virginia’s Public Schools” fortransgender students. The policies mandate that students use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their assigned sex at birth and require parental permission for any student wishing to use a different name or pronoun at school. Youngkin has faced criticism for these policies, which advocates say discriminate against transgender students.