150,000+ for Target Boycott; Despite Virginia Being Last on Ed Report Card Youngkin Wants Control of Education; Virginia's Grassroots Want to Chuck Chuck
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Despite Virginia Coming in Dead Last on Nation’s Report Card, Gov. Youngkin Says He Can’t Wait to Control Education
After President Trump signed an executive order yesterday abolishing the Department of Education, Gov. Glenn Youngkin had a lot to say about taking responsibility for education policy in Virginia.
“Virginia is ready to take full responsibility for K-12 education. We have implemented a high-expectations agenda that sets rigorous standards, holds schools accountable for results and prioritizes resources to the students and schools that need the most support,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin in a statement yesterday Trump signed an executive order to close the Department of Education.
“We welcome the federal government’s shift of responsibility to the states—and we are grateful that President Trump's executive order does just that. The EO also makes it clear that there will be no discrimination in the classrooms. We will continue to ensure every student graduates career-, college-, or military-ready.”
But on February 13, Virginia schools ranked dead last nationally in math recovery since the pandemic according to a report by the Nation’s Report Card.
“The Education Recovery Scorecard, in its third year, from Harvard and Stanford and obtained by the Associated Press, looks at National Assessment of Education Progress numbers to gauge academic recovery in more than 8,700 school districts across 43 states and D.C,” reported USA9 on Feb. 13, 2025.
Trump’s move to demolish the Department of Education is unconstitutional.
“This decision is a step backwards, an affront to everything my parents, grandparents, and great grandparents fought for, and a blatant attempt to raid support for teachers and students to give tax breaks to billionaires,” Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan said in a statement yesterday.
“Education is the great equalizer, and every student—no matter where they live—deserves access to a world-class education,” said Speaker Don Scott in a statement on March 20.
“Dissolving the Department of Education reverses that promise and sets our children back. Trump continues to hurt Virginians, our families, our children, and our communities, and Virginia's Republicans continue to let him—it's shameful,” the Speaker added.
Virginia’s Grassroots Want Schumer Out of Leadership and Want the Party to Forcefully Resist Trump
After Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer announced he would stand against the House Republican crafted continuing resolution — only to switch positions on March 13 — many in the Democratic Party are calling for Schumer to step down from leadership.
Democrats in the U.S. Senate have lost several seats in the 2024 cycle. When Congress returned to session at the start of January 2025, many noted a lack of aggressive resistance. Many grassroots Democrats noted that their Democratic Senators voted for Trump’s cabinet picks. Democrats in Congress appeared to have no organized strategy when Trump took office.
Demorats in Alexandria noticed. On March 11, the Alexandria Democratic Committee passed a resolution noting the “ongoing constitutional crisis” requesting that Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner oppose Trump’s agenda, “at every opportunity.”
“In light of the ongoing constitutional crisis, the Alexandria Democratic Committee calls upon Senators Kaine and Warner to withhold any support in any form—including requests for unanimous consent on procedural matters—for any nomination subject to Senate confirmation while President Trump continues to violate the United States Constitution and his oath of office,” the Alexandria Democrats resolution stated.
Now there’s more pushback from Virginia’s grassroots, including Network NOVA, and other groups in the DMV. Their press release is seen below.
DC, MD, VA Indivisible & Grassroots groups call on Senator Chuck Schumer to step aside as Minority Leader DC, MD, VA
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer broke with the vast majority of his caucus to allow a GOP funding bill to advance, without making any restrictions on the ongoing efforts by Donald Trump and Elon Musk to dismantle the federal government.
On Friday, March 14, under Senator Chuck Schumer’s leadership, Senate Democrats surrendered their leverage to rein in the chaos and destruction enacted by Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Congressional Republicans. By voting to allow cloture and subsequently advancing the GOP government funding bill without demanding anything in return, Schumer handed more power to the extremists destroying our government. Now Trump, who promised to make even more cuts to Federal agencies, will be free to slash at will. Schumer’s YES vote was not just a strategic mistake; it was a betrayal of Democratic values and a demonstration that he is not prepared to lead the Democratic opposition to fascism and protect our Democracy.
The members of our organizations worked tirelessly organizing Congressional office visits and rallies, making phone calls, sending emails, and pressing for assurances from our representatives that they would vote NO on the Continuing Resolution (CR), which would prevent the continuation of the Trump-Musk Coup and the dismantlement of our Government.
We are extremely grateful for the NO votes from our Maryland and Virginia Senators Warner (VA), Kaine (VA), Van Hollen (MD), Alsobrooks (MD), and Democratic House members. Still, despite the clear will of their constituents, 10 Democratic Senators caved and followed Minority Leader Schumer, voting for cloture, giving the poisonous GOP CR a direct path to passage.
We thank Senator Schumer for his years of service, but now we call on him to step aside as minority leader. We do not come to this decision lightly, but the stakes for the country are too high.
The failure of Democratic leadership over the last few decades has culminated in this most recent debacle. We all must defend our democracy against Trump, and our leaders must fight as hard as the people they represent. Schumer must step aside as Minority Leader so another Democrat more willing to lead the opposition against the growing fascist oligarchy can take his place.
Defend Democracy NOVA, Fairfax, VA, Fairfax Indivisible, Fairfax Co, VA, Herndon-Reston Indivisible, VA, Indivisible MoCoWoMen, Montgomery Co, MD, Indivisible Montgomery, Montgomery Co, MD, Indivisible NoVa West, Virginia, Indivisible Prince George's County, Maryland, Indivisible Virginia, Virginia, Network NOVA, Virginia, New River Valley Indivisible, Southwest Virginia, ShenCo Indivisible, Shenandoah County, VA, We of Action (WofA), Virginia, Williamsburg JCC Indivisible, Williamsburg, VA, VADF, Virginia, Viva la Resistance, Virginia, Lisa Billow, Norfolk, VA, Marianne Burke, Fairfax, VA, Lisa L Fuller, North Potomac, MD, Jennifer Katt, ‘A small group of thoughtful, committed citizens’ (FB), Sierra R. Guynn, NRV Indivisible, Blacksburg, VA, Nancy D Hall, EdD, Fairfax County, Ann Hunter, Fairfax County, VA, M.A. Huttinger, DC, Debra Lewis, Kenbridge, VA, Pat Lashway, WA, Ginger, Longmont, CO, Laura Mack, Fairfax, VA, Laura Martinez, Falls Church, VA, Bob Miller, Blacksburg VA, Finale Norton, Viva La Resistance, Jamesville, VA, Merrie Pearl, Network NOVA, DC, Micaela Pond, WofA, Arlington County, VA, Elizabeth M, Blacksburg, VA, Sharon Shutler, Arlington, VA, Eric Thompson, Arlington, VA, Ilene Trachtenberg, Vienna, VA and Carl E. Zipper, NRV Indivisible, Blacksburg, VA.
🎙️ On the Virginia Press Room podcast this week: Lauren Burke, Chris Saxman and Rich Meagher of the RVA's Got Issues podcast.
Boycott Target: Rev. Jamal Bryant’s Mobilizes 150,000 and Counting
By Stacy Brown for Black Press USA. Rev. Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant, an Atlanta-based pastor of the New Birth Baptist Church, has reported a robust national turnout for his consumer boycott against Minneapolis-based retail giant Target.
According to Bryant, the boycott has mobilized over 150,000 participants and persuaded over 100 Black vendors to withdraw their products from Target.
The fast-selective-buying campaign, which began during the Lent Season from March 5 to April 17, targets what Bryant describes as the company’s neglect of the Black community. According to Bryant, the boycott has mobilized over 150,000 participants and persuaded over 100 Black vendors to withdraw their products from Target. The movement has led to a $12 drop per share in Target’s stock and a $2 billion decrease in its overall value. “We just hit 150 thousand people who have signed up to be part of it, with over 100 black vendors that pulled out of Target, so the momentum is going steadily,” Bryant explained.
The NAACP and the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, have simultaneously announced the planning and implementation of a national public education and selective buying campaign in response to Target and other corporations that have dismantled their respective Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) commitments, programs and staffing.
“Now is the time for the Black Press of America once again to speak and publish truth to power emphatically,” NNPA Chairman Emeritus Danny Bakewell Sr. explained. NNPA Chairman Bobby R. Henry Sr. added, “We are the trusted voice of Black America, and we will not be silent or nonresponsive to the rapid rise of renewed Jim Crow racist policies in corporate America.” “The Black Press of America continues to remain on the frontline keeping our families and communities informed and engaged on all the issues that impact our quality of life,” Henry noted. READ ENTIRE at Black Press USA
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Valerie Scott Price 🌹 Celebrating & Honoring Her Life:The service has been entrusted to O. H. Smith & Son Funeral Home. The Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the Hampton University Memorial Chapel, 100 E Queen Street, Hampton, VA 23669. The public AKA Service will begin at 6:00 pm, and the Episcopal Memorial Service will follow immediately.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Valerie Scott Price Memorial Endowed Scholarship with Hampton University at bit.ly/GiveToHU - choose the amount, click “other” and search for and select The Valerie Scott Price Memorial Endowed Scholarship. Then proceed to enter the other information.
Or consider giving to the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank at bit.ly/FoodbankDonationVSP - Click “Yes, this is an honor or memorial gift” and choose “In Memory of” and then enter Valerie Price as the Honoree Name and the Honoree Recipient information is The Price Family, P.O. Box 196, Newport News, VA 23607. Then proceed to enter the other information.
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