(FREE BEACON) – Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe took $25,000 from the American Federation of Teachers in April as the union's leader defended teaching the controversial 1619 Project in classrooms.
McAuliffe accepted the contribution just days before AFT president Randi Weingarten praised the New York Times feature as a "factual version of oppression in America" targeted by "people who have no idea what [critical race theory] means." Weingarten again defended the project during a May Fox News appearance, saying she has "not arrived" at the conclusion that its findings are historically inaccurate—despite objections from prominent historians over the project's numerous "factual errors."
McAuliffe's deep ties to the union—he's received $175,000 from the AFT since 2013—could prove to be a vulnerability as growing numbers of Virginia parents bristle at the union's embrace of controversial critical race theory programs while resisting in-person schooling. In Loudoun County, a group of parents are attempting to recall school board members for pushing critical race theory after the district shelled out more than $400,000 in taxpayer funds to conduct diversity training and establish an "equity plan."
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