Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears: School choice is 'the new fight in the Brown vs. Board of Education'

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Winsome Sears: Sinking test scores are a 'national security crisis'

Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears breaks down education as a campaign issue for parents in the upcoming midterms and sharp declines in math and reading scores during COVID on 'Sunday Night in America.'

Virginia Lt. Governor Winsome Sears previewed on "Sunday Night in America" what she considered the most important issue coming into the 2022 election season: education.

Host Trey Gowdy discussed the ongoing efforts by many Republican figures like Sears to expand school choice for parents of school children as President Biden seeks to cancel loan debts for university students. Sears argued that Black families such as hers have been forced to fight the teachers’ unions to provide school choice for their kids.

"People who look like me say it’s about time we have that same ability as everybody else because the other side, unfortunately, is using education as a political weapon. But, as a parent, there’s only one question: is my child learning? That’s it. Full stop. Is my child learning, because with a good education my child will have a future, will have a hope, will be able to create generational wealth," Sears said.

She further suggested that the fight for school choice has become a new "Brown vs. Board of Education" issue among Black and minority families.

Former Republican Delegate Winsome Sears celebrates winning the race for Lt. Governor of Virginia as she introduces Republican candidate for Governor Glenn Youngkin during an election night party in Chantilly Virginia, U.S., November 3, 2021. (REUTERS/ Jonathan Ernst)

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"This, to me, is the new fight in the Brown vs. Board of Education. Because what was that about? That was about a parent’s ability to choose the best school for the child. And here we are, 50-something years later, and we’re still making that request. Actually, we’re not requesting it anymore. We’re going to get it. The Democrats are not going to keep using this as a wedge to drive us against each other," Sears said.

Gowdy relayed reports that some students are now two decades behind in education due to COVID policies and lockdowns.

"Pre-COVID, the children weren’t doing all that great either," she noted. "This is a national security crisis, and now COVID has made it worse. I have a teacher in one of our inner-city schools. She said, ‘Lieutenant Governor, our children normally come to us two grade levels behind. Now they are four grade levels behind.’ She said, ‘what am I supposed to do?’"

Recent statistics have shown students' education have fallen nearly two decades behind due to COVID shutdowns.  (ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Sears also attacked the White House for blaming Republicans for the school lockdowns that have exacerbated learning issues among children.

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"We as Republicans and libertarians and independents wanted to reopen the schools during COVID, yes, because the private schools were open. You know what, the unions said that we were being white supremacists for wanting the schools to be open again. Now we’re told by the Biden administration that no, it was the Republicans who wanted the schools closed. We’re playing the stupid games. Our children are not advancing," Sears said.

She promoted efforts by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Va., to hire and support more capable teachers to help students in Virginia. 

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin held a "Back to School" rally on Wednesday in support of parents fighting against coronavirus policies. (Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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"The teachers just want to teach. They don’t want to be part of the social this and social that. They just want to teach and leave the political stuff out of it. That is what they’re trying to do. Yes, we do have teachers who do take it upon themselves to do other things, but, for the majority, they just want to teach," Sears said.