WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — A Williamsburg-based group of parents, educators and community members will hold a rally for teachers and against Gov. Glenn Youngkin's newly launched school tip line.
The demonstration will take place take place at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Bell Tower in Richmond.
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The Youngkin administration has called it, "a resource for parents, teachers and students to relay questions or concerns."
"I have friends and family that are teachers," said Ti'Juana Gholson, who said she has school-aged grandchildren.
Gholson and a group of people from Williamsburg are spearheading a rally in support of educators, and they want to voice concerns about the impact they feel this tip line has on educators.
"I hope they see that not only educators stand up for themselves, but there’s a community that stands up for them as well," she said.
The tip line has received pushback from the Virginia Education Association, and Youngkin has said he does not plan to make submissions to his office public.
“My best friend is a middle school teacher, and other friends that are teachers, and they say it is terrible, and they are fearful," said Bridget Weinberg, one of the rally organizers and a leader for a group, Vigil for Racial Justice, based in Middlesex.
Weinberg said she’s speaking up for close friends, who are educators and who already felt the weight of the pandemic.
"I know teachers, fourth-grade teachers that are afraid to teach Black history," she said.
Gholson and Weinberg said they’re worried more educators feel that way.
“We hope that the governor realizes there are many more parents and grandparents that are for our teachers than against our teachers," Weinberg said. "And we want our children to learn our history, our Black history. It’s American history.”
Youngkin said, "no," when asked Thursday if he thought the tip line would discourage educators from teaching Black history. While touring a business in Virginia Beach, he told reporters that the resource provides all Virginians a chance to give feedback and for him to listen.
The rally will take place Saturday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bell Tower on Capitol Square in Richmond.
This group is not the only one planning to protest in Richmond Saturday.
The Virginia NAACP will rally in honor of Black History and will share pushback on the Youngkin administration’s policies. Scheduled speakers include Dr. James Fedderman, president of the Virginia Education Association.
The Virginia NAACP rally will start at 11 a.m., also at the Bell Tower.