The Virginia Education Association (VEA), long billed as the voice of educators across the Commonwealth, has revealed its true priorities and they are political, not educational.
Recent reports exposing Democratic nominee Jay Jones’s violent rhetoric toward a Republican lawmaker and his family were shocking. Texts revealed fantasies of harm against children and threats of personal violence. These words are unfit for anyone seeking public office, let alone the role of Virginia’s attorney general, where impartial law enforcement is essential.
Despite these revelations, the VEA doubled down and maintained its endorsement of Jones. When confronted by concerned citizens, the VEA blocked dissenting voices on social media. The union showed that defending its political picks matters more than defending decency, civility, or the educators it claims to represent.
This is not just about one candidate. It’s about the power of government unions and how they operate. The VEA, as an affiliate of the National Education Association, has long funneled its political contributions to Democrats. Its refusal to reconsider an endorsement of someone espousing violent, anti-civil rhetoric is proof that the union’s partisan loyalty outweighs principle.
Parents, voters, and teachers should take note. By supporting candidates who normalize threats and hostility, these unions send a dangerous message: that aggressive, violent rhetoric is acceptable if directed at those with differing views. Parents and community members who value safe, civil schools deserve better.
Teachers appalled by the VEA’s stance have a tool at their disposal: opting out of union membership. Every dollar withheld from political agendas is a dollar that refuses to underwrite radical partisan schemes. Organizations like AFFT offer ways to protect educators while ensuring their dues aren’t used to support extremism.
Voters must also act. A decisive rejection at the ballot box sends a signal that rhetoric of this nature is unacceptable, not just for candidates but for the unions that empower them. Virginia families and educators deserve unions that focus on students and teachers, not politics and partisan loyalty.
The VEA’s handling of this crisis is a reminder that when unions prioritize politics over people, accountability falls to teachers, parents, and voters. It’s time for Virginians to demand better and to act.