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Chris Graham: Transgender school policy politics

Chris Graham
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The controversy we’re seeing at school board meetings over transgender policies feels a lot like something out of a political playbook.

Think: Tea Party.

Think: Second Amendment sanctuaries.

Is it a coincidence that we’re seeing this now when there’s a statewide election in November?

Of course not.

This is astroturfing of the highest order, which, credit to the operatives for generating political momentum in the doldrums of the summer dead period.

Forget that it’s a dumb hill to die on.

Yes, the speakers at the meetings in the corners of the Commonwealth are spouting nonsense about this all being about boys wanting to identify as girls so that they can peek at girls in the bathroom, that the whole transgender thing is a cover for pedophiles.

Sure, these folks claim to be Christians, thump a book that guides them to love their neighbors, to not judge others, but ignore those in favor of an obscure text that calls for the stoning of people for pretty much everything, including eating pork.

It doesn’t add up, but not anymore that it also doesn’t add up that these self-pious folks worship Donald Trump as the third coming.

And it doesn’t matter that none of it adds up or makes sense.

What matters is that they’re being energized, and it doesn’t hurt the political cause that they’re fated to be frustrated.

Because the school boards being overrun at their summer meetings have no choice but to update their policies in line with state and federal law.

Meaning: you think there’s a groundswell now?

This is just the beginning.

The fall elections very well could end up being a referendum on transgender policies in schools.

Glenn Youngkin sure doesn’t want it to be a referendum on how well Democrats have been governing here in the Commonwealth.

The whining that we saw yesterday about how CNBC fudged its numbers to rank Virginia the top state for business doesn’t energize the base, doesn’t even bring moderate Republicans uneasy over his allegiance to Donald Trump back into the fold.

And what else does he got here? The COVID shutdown is already in the rear view, and give us three more months and see how that one does with the focus groups.

The state just reported a record budget surplus, people are back to work, we’re not waking up every day wondering what the president is tweeting about.

It might seem like a dumb reason to get people riled up, but the transgender policy thing is what they have.

Tipping you off here that you’re going to be seeing commercial after commercial on this on your local news and football games this fall.

Story by Chris Graham

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Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected]. Support AFP by signing up for our newsletter and/or powering our work with a one-time or monthly contribution.

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