Youngkin discusses social media dangers, learning losses at ‘Parents Matter’ event

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Virginia, held his fourth “Parents Matter” event in Fredericksburg, where the topics surrounded his longstanding platform on parental rights.

His focus was on improving how students perform in schools and raising academic standards after “expectations were systematically lowered.” Youngkin blames previous policies that kept kids away from classrooms during the pandemic for a severe learning loss among different grades.

“In fourth-grade reading and math, Virginia had the largest learning loss in the nation,” Youngkin said. “This isn’t a political moment. It’s a parents matter movement.”

Parents discussed the need to address different learning capabilities, meet a child’s learning growth, analyze the learning models for middle school students, and how gifted children can receive more attention.

In most answers, Youngkin stressed getting the parents involved since he considered their role critical. He’s been synonymous with the parental rights in school movement, which helped catapult Youngkin into the office during his campaign.

Following the town hall event, Youngkin doubled down on a controversial change to the model policies, which required kids to use bathrooms and play in teams based on their sex at birth, not their gender identity. Parents must also give consent for their children to use pronouns of their gender identity.

School districts in Northern Virginia are rejecting the changes that would affect transgender students and sticking with the policies implemented by the previous administration.

Although Youngkin didn’t mention what would happen if school systems fail to adopt the policies, he said the policies are straight-forward meant to empower parents.

Youngkin held similar town hall events in Salem, Bristow, and Richmond. Most of the parents in attendance at the Falmouth Volunteer Fire Department were concerned about protecting their children from the dangers of social media, from its mental health impact to dangerous content and access to drug dealers.

“What we feel like is that these social media platforms are working against us with algorithms that promote content that's neither safe nor family-friendly,” one parent said.

“My goodness it affects their brain and the way they learn, and they need to be engaged in their community in doing things and learning things,” recently retired Stafford County Public Schools teacher Laurie Szymanski told WUSA9.

Youngkin tried to pass a bill last year that would give parents consent for minors to sign up for a social media account. He said he’s not giving up on putting more restrictions.

“I mean come on, we're not going to choose social media over our kids,” he said. “We're going to empower parents, and this is a top priority of mine as we get our legislature back in January.”

Youngkin was joined by Virginia House Delegate Tara Durant, R-Stafford County, who is running for re-election.