This past Friday, four more Virginia high schools admitted to withholding National Merit notifications from students who had earned them.

…Shawn DeRose, principal of Annandale High School wrote a letter for parents noting that when the delay of award notifications came to light at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), they did their own internal review and discovered that the high school “did not receive their Commended Scholar certificates from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.”

DeRose said they immediately notified students who had applied and the high school is now “a part of the investigative review by an independent third party into the circumstances surrounding this situation that has already been initiated by FCPS.”

“Please be assured that we remain resolutely committed to supporting every student in reaching their unique and fullest potential,” the Annandale High School principal said in the letter.

Edison High School principal Pamela Brumfield in Alexandria, Virginia also notified parents in an identical letter Friday night.

“It has come to light that notifications to Edison High School students designated as Commended Students this past fall were also delayed,” Brumfield wrote. “While we were able to mark this achievement with a celebration of these students in late November, the notifications happened later than we had hoped.”

Alfonso Smith, principal of Lewis High School in Springfield, wrote the same letter Friday night saying that they notified students “later than we would have hoped.”

The fourth principal to submit the same letter to parents on Friday was West Potomac High School principal Tanganyika Millard.

Pretty big “oops” wouldn’t you say? And the excuse is rather thin, considering that’s part of a principal’s job description – ensuring that your students achieve everything they’re capable of and take advantage of every opportunity that is afforded to them to further their education. If you are the one withholding opportunities, you should probably seek another position.

In the meantime, these schools are scrambling with colleges to cover their shady sixes and “listening to parents’ concerns.” Parents aren’t buying any of it, as the burgeoning scandal has now spread to two Northern VA counties.

…“Fairfax County Public Schools has spent far too much time on pet projects and not academics. It’s time for that to change,” mother Shawna Yashar told a local news outlet.

25% of Fairfax County high schools have admitted they didn’t tell students of their national merit recognition in time for important college scholarship and admission deadlines.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin is blasting FCPS’s ‘maniacal focus’ on equal outcomes. https://t.co/cklTieOBse

— Nick Minock (@NickMinock) January 16, 2023

Virginia’s governor Glenn Youngkin isn’t buying it either, as he made clear during an interview with local D.C. ABC affiliate WJLA on Friday.

Seven high schools in Fairfax County have now admitted they didn’t tell students of their prestigious national merit recognition in time for important college scholarship and admissions deadlines.

The high schools include Annandale High School, West Potomac High School, John R. Lewis High School, Edison High School, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Westfield High School, and Langley High School.

These high schools account for 25% of the high schools in Fairfax County.

…In a 7News interview, Youngkin blasted Fairfax County’s superintendent for spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on equity consultants.

“The reality is that we have a superintendent in Fairfax schools who has explicitly stated that her top objective is equal outcomes for all students, regardless of the price,” said Youngkin. “Now we know the price includes paying $450,000 to a liberal consultant to come in and teach the administrators in Fairfax County how to do this. What it appears happened is that principals in schools decided that they were going to systematically withhold accolades and a path to college admission and scholarships from high-performing students.”

To the reporter’s credit, she has the goods on the outrageous amount of money the Loudon and Fairfax school systems have spent on equity consultants and asks the governor point blank about the money and philosophies involved. He doesn’t hold back, on both what a blatant abuse of funds and the public trust it has been. When a school system is actively teaching and advocating that administrators and teachers themselves disenfranchise any student? Actively keep them from achieving the highest level they can?

It’s a disgrace.

…Last week, the acting Superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools confirmed at least three high schools didn’t notify students of their national merit recognition.

“There’s been a lot of federal money and state money lavished on these school districts over the last few years, and like you said, half a million dollars for a consulting firm to come in to do strategic planning for Fairfax County Public Schools,” 7News Reporter Nick Minock told Governor Youngkin in a sitidown interview. “They [Fairfax County Public Schools] also spent $20,000 for one hour for an author to speak to teachers over Zoom and in Loudoun County, Equity Collaborative has been the firm that school district has hired. Do you think they’re misusing public funds?”

“I think this is part of our investigation,” Youngkin answered.

“They have a maniacal focus on equal outcomes for all students at all costs.”

“And at the heart of the American dream, is excelling, is advancing, is stretching and recognizing that we have students that have different capabilities. Some students have the ability to perform at one level, others need more help, and we have to allow students to run as fast as they can to dream the biggest dreams they can possibly dream and then go get them.”

HOW IT BEGAN: Video flashback from 10/30/2021–On the campaign trail, protecting advanced math and education was an applause line for candidate @GlennYoungkin.

HOW IT’S GOING: 2023–Parents are overjoyed @GovernorVA has their backs as they stand up to #SaveMerit. https://t.co/zsPzEjBy5T pic.twitter.com/Ko7AvoXuy8

— Asra Nomani (@AsraNomani) January 14, 2023

It’ll be something to see how many more principals and school superintendents – especially in the liberal northern counties – come crawling out of the woodwork with Merit mea culpas. God knows what else they’ve been doing, and you know they have to have been.

This will be like finding Biden classified docs – here, there, and everywhere. Soon so ubiquitous, they won’t see why anyone would be mad when it happened to everyone. Classic liberals.

Virginia’s parents put Youngkin in office. The teachers’ unions, DEI disciples, and liberal school boards are doing their damndest to make sure he stays there.