Youngkin’s “Opportunity Scholarships”: A Christmas Gift You Can’t Open
Well, folks, Governor Glenn “Red Vest” Youngkin has trotted out another one of his big ideas to revolutionize education in Virginia: a $50 million scholarship program to give low-income families $5,000 each to send their kids to private schools. Sounds great, right? But here’s the rub—most of those low-income families in Southwest Virginia don’t live anywhere near a private school. So, unless Youngkin’s planning to toss in free helicopter rides to the nearest private academy, these “opportunity scholarships” are about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.
“Opportunity” for Who?
Let’s start with the basics: where are these private schools? For families in Southwest Virginia, where public schools are often the only option for miles, the nearest private school might as well be on Mars. How are these kids supposed to get there? Hitch a ride on a coal truck? Strap a saddle on a mountain goat? Youngkin’s plan seems less like an “opportunity” and more like a cruel joke.
Meanwhile, the $5,000 scholarship might cover a fraction of tuition at Virginia’s elite private schools—leaving families still unable to afford the rest. So who benefits here? Certainly not the kids in Appalachia. It’s starting to look like this program is more about funneling public money to private institutions than actually helping the families who need it most.
The Red Vest Robs “Average Joe” MAGA
Here’s where the irony really hits. Youngkin, the self-proclaimed champion of MAGA values, is pitching a program that takes public resources from the very people who voted for him. Southwest Virginia families, already struggling to make ends meet, are being sold a fantasy while public schools—the backbone of rural communities—get drained of resources. This isn’t helping “Average Joe” MAGA; it’s robbing him blind.
No Ride, No Dice
Let’s be real. If you live in Scott County or Wise County, how are you supposed to even use one of these scholarships? There’s no private school down the road. There’s no bus to ferry kids to the nearest academy. And even if there were, $5,000 barely scratches the surface of what it costs to attend a private school in Virginia. This isn’t an opportunity—it’s a shiny ornament on a policy Christmas tree that’s completely out of reach for most families in Appalachia.
Draining Public Schools, One Red Vest at a Time
While Youngkin’s plan pretends to be about “choice,” let’s not forget what’s really happening. These vouchers siphon money away from public schools—schools that are already underfunded and overburdened, especially in Southwest Virginia. Public schools are mandated to serve all kids, including those with disabilities or special needs. Private schools? Not so much. Youngkin’s plan is like cutting off the lifeboats on the Titanic and offering families a chance to buy tickets for a luxury yacht they can’t even see.
The MAGA Elite Strikes Again
For all his talk about empowering low-income families, Youngkin’s “opportunity scholarships” are just another example of the MAGA elite taking care of their own while leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves. The governor’s flashy plan doesn’t solve the real problems facing our schools—it just makes life harder for the kids and teachers who rely on them every day.
So, the next time Governor Red Vest rolls into Southwest Virginia to talk about “opportunity,” let’s ask him how many private schools he’s planning to build out here in the mountains—and how our kids are supposed to get to them. Until then, his scholarships are about as real as Santa’s sleigh, and just as likely to show up on Christmas morning.
