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Public commenter urges local policy to require neutral instruction if state mandates language on Jan. 6 and 'affirming'
Summary
Karen Hayes told the Augusta County School Board she supports comprehensive history instruction but urged a local policy that ensures neutral, non‑advocacy teaching if state bills (including language describing Jan. 6 as 'insurrection' or using the term 'affirming') become law.
Karen Hayes, who identified herself as a resident of the Pastors District, used the delegation slot to flag two pieces of legislation before the General Assembly and to ask the board to protect local instructional discretion.
She cited House Bill 333, which she said would require standards of learning references that use the term "insurrection" for Jan. 6, and House Bill 614, which she said uses the word "affirming" in ways that could affect instruction related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Hayes said the board retains authority under Virginia Code (cited in her remarks) to supervise instruction, select textbooks and control implementation.
"Teaching only one official narrative to children without context or competing viewpoints crosses from education into advocacy," Hayes said, urging the board to adopt a local policy that requires neutral, non‑advocacy language, presents multiple scholarly and legal viewpoints, includes primary sources and distinguishes legal findings from political rhetoric.
She said the division’s existing policy appendix emphasizes teacher neutrality, and she asked the board to use its local authority to protect students from being required to "affirm a political label or viewpoint." The board did not take action on the request at the meeting; Hayes’s remarks were delivered during the public comment period for the budget hearing.
