Hanover referendum gives parents a voice [Video]

If Hanover County’s elected school board referendum succeeds, I will celebrate with those who have worked tirelessly for years to see it through as an entirely local, grassroots effort. I will thank, with sincere admiration, the core handful of citizens (almost entirely mothers) who led — at great sacrifice — the campaign for a simple change in the law, not driven by politics or agenda, but a basic belief in parents’ rights to a voice and vote in their children’s education. Then, with exhausted dismay, I will reflect on the miserable slander and misinformation the campaign and its volunteers fought through to get to that point.

Elected school board advocates — Republicans and Democrats — have been called “disgusting,” “pedophiles,” “groomers,” “evil” and more by the opposition, merely for wanting to elect a school board. When a local high school was vandalized with a swastika this week, one commenter suggested …