In November, Virginia’s gubernatorial election resulted in the selection of Abigail Spanberger, a former intelligence officer turned prominent Democrat, as the new governor. With the electoral outcome came many questions, and for students at the school, a curiosity surrounding what Spanberger plans to do to benefit Virginia public schools.

In August, Spanberger introduced the Strengthening Virginia School Plan, or SVSP. The plan comprises multiple sections, including prioritizing student safety, equipping students with the tools to succeed, increasing support for students with disabilities and more. All components are designed to grow and help Virginia’s public schools, because, as the SVSP states, “Virginia’s kids deserve strong schools that prepare them for success – regardless of their zip code.” 

As the SVSP notes , safety is a major concern for Spanberger. In order to prioritize student safety in Virginia schools, she proposes to “Strengthen Virginia’s safe storage laws to decrease gun violence, address bullying and cyberbullying” ensure schools have access to “opioid overdose medication,” and promote the Virginia Record of Arrest and Prosecution (RAP) Back Service, which performs continual background check monitoring of school administrators. With over 200 firearm incidents, 19% of bullying cases, and rising reports of student use of illicit substances occurring across the nation in the last year, it is safe to say that harmful incidents are continually occurring to student bodies, and with Spanberger as governor, policies depicted in the SVSP will likely be implemented to effectively combat an array of safety issues. 

Virginia schools are currently ranked 51st in math recovery, the lowest ranking in the country. In an effort to improve this statistic, the SVSP plan pledges to “uphold programs for academic excellence and rigor in Virginia’s public schools.” With the intention to help students perform well academically, Spanberger will work to ensure teachers receive adequate amounts of training and make it easier for families to access their child’s math scores on exams such as the SOL, in hopes of providing classroom support.

Additionally, to further support students, the SVSP states that Spanberger will address teacher  shortages and “increase pay for Virginia’s teachers to keep our best and brightest in the classroom”. By working to make teacher pay more equitable, there is hope that teaching shortages will be resolved and that, with professional guidance, students will be better equipped with the tools necessary to learn efficiently. 

Perhaps one of the most controversial and widely discussed topics amid communities and schools is the subject of gender neutral bathrooms and locker rooms. This polarized issue debates whether transgender students should be able to use the bathroom that pertains to the gender they identify as. Winsome Earle-Sears and Glen Youngkin have advocated in the past for transgender students to be restricted to use the bathroom of their biological sex. While Spanberger evaded the topic in the Virginia gubernatorial debate, her campaign team did release a statement in an attempt to clarify her views on the issue after the debate, stating that “the safety of Virginia’s kids is Abigail’s top priority, and she believes that parents have the right to make decisions about what is best for their child.” However, Spanberger herself has been very quiet on the issue and has not given a clear answer.

Spanberger has also suggested that Youngkin’s restrictions on gender-affiliated bathrooms “could be unconstitutional and could have an adverse effect on the state’s business prospects and economy,” according to the National Review. In relation, it should also be noted that Spanberger co-sponsored the Equality Act, which would allow biological males in female bathrooms and locker rooms. The Equality Act “prohibits an individual from being denied access to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual’s gender identity.” 

This is not the only controversial topic on which Spanberger and her opponents have different views. Critical race theory (CRT) is a set of ideas that indicates systemic racism is part of American society, and has been protested by some politicians in an effort to eliminate it from the curriculum. Such calls have been backed by Youngkin. While in office in 2022, Youngkin signed Executive Order 1, calling to end “inherently divisive concepts, including critical race theory.”

Again, Spanberger has not engaged in the controversial conversation and has not explicitly threatened the teaching of cultural topics such as CRT.

Ultimately, Spanberger, according to abigail.spanberger.com  “believes that all parents deserve to know that their child will receive an outstanding education” and citizens of the Commonwealth will soon see if Spanberger’s actions as governor maintain this ideology. Whether she increases safety, works to better student performance, increases teacher pay, or tackles more multifaceted issues, it is evident that change is coming, with Spanberger bringing in new ideas to transform Virginia’s schools.