Nice job by “mom, former teacher and school board member” Amy Laufer, a Democratic Candidate for House of Delegates 55:
ICYMI: Amy Laufer Addresses the Virginia Board Of Education
“Our children aren’t political props the governor can use for his 2024 ambitions.”
Albemarle, VA – Democratic Candidate for House of Delegates 55 Amy Laufer addressed members of the Virginia Board of Education opposing the draft Virginia History & Social Science standards.
A Full Transcript Of Amy Laufer’s Comments Is Available Below
“Thank you all for being here tonight. My name is Amy Laufer and I’m a mom, a former teacher and school board member, and a candidate for the House of Delegates. I’m here tonight because it’s vital that we teach real history in Virginia. We cannot expect future generations to be the leaders that our state needs when they’re not learning both the good and bad parts of our history.
If six-year-old Ruby Bridges could walk through that doorway and face that hatred as she desegregated her Louisiana school then our children are strong enough to learn about that hatred and her bravery. Students don’t learn history to memorize names and dates for a test. We study history to learn from past mistakes and apply those lessons to our present.
Based on your current draft: Teachers are expected to teach World War II without mentioning fascism. Teachers are expected to teach the history of our country without mentioning the role of unions. They’re the reason that we have a weekend and that child labor no longer exists! Teachers are expected to teach the 60s and 70s by only mentioning the Pro-Life movement while ignoring the Women’s Liberation Movement that secured Roe v. Wade.
These aren’t the only omissions in the January draft. The draft is littered with historical inaccuracies, chronological confusion, and biased presentation of information. Our children aren’t political props the governor can use for his 2024 ambitions. We must do better than this draft for them.
For those reasons, I urge the Virginia Board of Education to reject the January draft standards and restore the established process for SOL review directed by the History and Social Science office at the Virginia Department of Education. The past draft of the history curriculum consulted experts from across the commonwealth and truly represented the best of Virginia. I urge the Board of Education to return to that.”
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Amy is originally from a dairy farm in rural Wisconsin and is a first generation college graduate. Amy worked at Louisa Middle School and Tandem Friends School as a math and science teacher. Amy was first elected to Charlottesville City School Board in November of 2011, and then reelected. She was Vice Chair and Chair of the School Board from 2012-2016. In 2014, she founded a women’s empowerment group that has supported many women currently serving in the General Assembly. Amy ran for State Senate District 17 in 2018, earning 48% of the vote in a +12 Republican district.
Amy and her husband live in Albemarle County, where they are raising their three active children, Hannah, 18, Adam, 17 and Henry, 15. Amy enjoys traveling and walking their dog Skyler.
For more information please visit our website: www.LauferForDelegate.com
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