CNN’s Dana Bash asked Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, Sunday on “State of the Union,” about
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I mean, this defund the police lunacy, this take Abraham Lincoln’s name off of schools, that — people see that.
And it’s just — really have a suppressive effect all across the country to Democrats. Some of these people need to go to a woke detox center or something.
(LAUGHTER)
BASH: Are Democrats too woke, senator?
WARNER: Listen, I don’t support defund the police.
Matter of fact, I think you saw Democrats all around who were successful — the new mayor of New York, who you’re going to have on, has talked about investing additionally in our police forces. Are there ways that we need to make that policing more community-based?
Absolutely. The notion of what happened in Virginia — there is not a school in Virginia that teaches Critical Race Theory. But the governor-elect, Governor Youngkin, stirred up the cultural pot there.
BASH: That’s true.
WARNER: I hope he governs in a different way. I want him to succeed.
BASH: Can I just stop you there for a second? Can I just stop you there for a second?
That is true that there — that it’s not in the Virginia curriculum at all. But did Democrats miss a chance to signal to parents, in particular, that they understand their anxieties? I have talked to Democratic candidates and others who say that they didn’t really have a good answer to questions about children and what — not only what they’re being taught in schools, but the anxiety post — or as we’re coming out of the pandemic.
WARNER: Dana, I think Glenn Youngkin touched a nerve that was felt in Virginia, but, frankly, felt all over the country.
And I think, sometimes, our response, yes, we need to make sure that we increase teacher pay. Matter of fact, we have put — the federal government has put more money into education both under Trump and under Biden in the last 18 months after — through COVID than ever in our history.
I do think we need to acknowledge that it’s been hell for every parent living through COVID, disrupting their life. I think we need to thank our teachers. I think we need to thank our school board members. And I think we needed to have acknowledged the challenge that parents have felt and that we need parents’ involvement in their kids’ education.
And, candidly, when we think about additional funding for school, I think one of the most important things we need to have talked about and should be talking about is, I think a lot of those kids and a lot of folks, frankly, that have been working in schools are going to need some mental health assistance.
I think the aftermath of COVID is not going to be simply solved as we get these schools reopened.