November 16, 2022
2022 Membership
Del. Lamont Bagby, Chair
Sen. Jennifer McClellan, Vice Chair
Del. Marcia Price, Secretary
Del. Sam Rasoul, Treasurer
Del. Luke Torian, Chaplain
Del. Jeff Bourne
Del. Nadarius Clark
Del. Jackie Glass
Del. Cliff Hayes
Del. Charniele Herring
Del. Clinton Jenkins
Sen. Mamie Locke
Sen. Louise Lucas
Del. Michelle Maldonado
Del. Delores McQuinn
Del. Candi Mundon King
Del. Don Scott
Del. Briana Sewell
Sen. Lionell Spruill, Sr.
Del. Jeion Ward
Del. Angelia Williams Graves
Executive Director:
Adele McClure
Address:
P.O. Box 15512
Richmond, VA 23227
Website:
TheVLBC.com
Twitter/Facebook:
@VABlackCaucus
The Honorable Daniel A. Gecker
Virginia Board of Education
101 North 14th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Dear President Gecker:
The members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus (VLBC) write to condemn and
reject the revised draft Virginia History and Social Science standards of learning
proposed last Friday by the Governor’s Administration. The members of the VLBC have
deep concerns with the politically-drafted revised standards that literally revise,
whitewash, and omit important history in Virginia’s school curriculum.
These revisionist standards prevent Virginia’s students from learning about Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks until 6th grade. Students will not learn about important
leaders and cultures that greatly contribute to the history and makeup of the United
States. The new revisions also include coded racist appeals and blatant partisan bias.
Members of the VLBC also take offense to the focus on “identifying slave trade as
profitable business in America” and “identifying the kinship, family ties, and common
values that helped enslaved people cope with the conditions of slavery.” Many African
Americans today do not have records or knowledge of their ancestral history due to the
cruel and intentional separation of families and poor record-keeping for African
Americans. It is crucial to teach the true and full history of our Commonwealth and our
nation and not sugarcoat and revise history in order to make people feel good.
This new revisionist proposal also completely disregards the thoughtful, professional,
and rigorous two-year process and proposal set forth on August 17th by experts,
historians, and educators with public input. The revised draft proposal also disregarded
and removed a majority of the recommendations made in 2020 by the Virginia
Commission on African American History Education.
The members of the VLBC strongly urge the Board of Education to reject these
revisionist standards that were written in order to advance a political agenda. We
instead urge the Board to move forward with the review process using the original
August 17th draft that was thoughtfully and carefully developed by Virginia experts,
stakeholders, and educators with public input.
Sincerely,
Lamont Bagby
Member, 74th District
Virginia House of Delegates
Chair, Virginia Legislative Black Caucus