Letter to the Editor

‘BIPARTISAN’ EVENT DISPLAYED ‘UNIPARTISAN’ MINDSET
By Del. Phillip A. Scott

This week, I attended the Hunt Institute’s Education Summit, which was organized by an interest group and hosted by House Democrats. The event was advertised as a "bipartisan" effort, aimed at addressing the pressing issues in our education system. However, it became clear very quickly that this was far from the truth. While I had hoped to engage in constructive dialogue and contribute to the conversation, the atmosphere was anything but open to diverse viewpoints.

Several of my Republican colleagues tried to ask questions and offer our perspectives, they were interrupted, dismissed, and effectively silenced. Any attempt to provide constructive dissent or challenge the dominant narrative was met with hostility. The voices of those we represent were silenced. It was disappointing to see such a lack of willingness to engage in meaningful debate, especially on an issue as critical as education.

Our students are struggling, and our schools are failing. We, as elected officials, have a responsibility to address these challenges head-on and work together to find real solutions. But when the other side shuts down debate and pushes their own dogmas without room for discussion, it’s our students who ultimately suffer.

On Monday, I made the decision, along with several of my Republican colleagues, to leave the summit early. We left not out of protest for the sake of disruption, but out of frustration for the unwillingness of the event organizers to truly engage with opposing views. We want to fix our schools. We want to lift up our students, and that requires collaboration, transparency, and a willingness to have hard conversations—even when we don’t all agree.

What happened at the summit is a perfect example of how shutting down dissent and refusing to hear different perspectives hurts our ability to solve problems. It’s not about being right or wrong; it’s about finding common ground for the sake of our children’s futures.

I remain committed to working on meaningful education reform that prioritizes students, empowers parents and addresses the core issues in our schools. But that can only happen if we are all willing to listen to each other and work together. This week’s experience only reinforces my belief that we need more open dialogue, not less, to truly make a difference.

Del. Phillip Scott represents the 63rd District in the Virginia House of Delegates

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