A Group Planned to Protest a Visit to James Monroe High School by Gov. Glenn Youngkin
Youngkin, and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., went to Louisa High School on Monday instead.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Email Adele
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include information provided after press time by a spokesman from Louisa County schools.
Concerned members of the Fredericksburg community planned a rally in support of public education outside of James Monroe High School Monday morning, in response to rumors of a visit to the school by Governor Glenn Youngkin—a visit that ended up not happening.
Youngkin instead visited Louisa County High School on Monday morning, and was joined by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The reason for the visit was for Youngkin to hear about cell phone free education, Fredericksburg schools spokeswoman Katie Hornung said. Fredericksburg school leaders including superintendent Marci Catlett, deputy superintendent Matt Eberhardt, and the School Board Chair and Vice Chair attended the visit to share the city’s experience with implementing a cell phone-free policy.
On Sunday, a group called “FXBG is for Ed Lovers” posted an invitation on Instagram to join “concerned parents and FXBG residents” outside the high school “during Gov. [Glenn] Youngkin’s surprise visit on Monday, 3/17.”
“Join us to demand that our leaders support our children and stand against the defunding of public education in Virginia and across the US!” the post read.
According to the post, which was shared by the Fredericksburg Democratic Committee, “Governor Glenn Youngkin and other VIPs plan to visit James Monroe High School on Monday, 3/17. US Marshals have been involved with the planning of the visit, indicating that VIPs may be federal officials, potentially members of President Trump’s cabinet. The visit was not announced to parents or the media.”
The Advance reached out to Youngkin’s press secretary on Sunday to ask about his public schedule for Monday. In response, the press office sent a schedule showing that Youngkin would attend a cabinet meeting in Richmond at 1:45 p.m. and receive a briefing from the finance secretary at 5 p.m. The schedule does not show any planned visits to local schools.
There was no messaging from Fredericksburg City Public Schools to the wider community about a possible visit until Monday morning, when the division sent an email to the James Monroe community informing them that “dignitaries will not be visiting the school.”
“We understand that there has been community discussion regarding the potential visit of dignitaries to James Monroe High School,” the message, which the division shared with the Advance, stated. “At this time, we want to clarify that dignitaries will not be visiting the school, today, Monday, March 17.”
Youngkin was also joined at Louisa High School by the state Secretary of Education, Aimee Guidera, according to Andrew Woolfolk, public information officer for Louisa County schools.
“The purpose was to speak with students and staff about our Cell-Phone Free Education policy,” Woolfolk said in an email. “We haven’t allowed cell phones since at least 2008, so it’s been well-ingrained in our practices for many years now. We’ve had great success and they want to see it in action firsthand.”
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To be clear, Youngkin and RFK Jr. chickened out of coming to Fredericksburg because they got word that the people here weren't having any of it, and a whole lot of students were planning a walkout when the MAGAs showed up. The faculty and staff at James Monroe had been told that Youngkin and the Wormbrain were coming--not Cheryl Hines, but what in the world has come over her?--and to be prepared. They were. The cowards slunk off to Louisa instead.