It’s not over for Meg Scalia Bryce. She’s an intelligent woman with a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, and the mother of four children. For the record, I strongly supported her 2023 candidacy to serve the Albemarle County School Board. She fought against a campaign of smear, innuendo, and character assassination. In the end, she graciously conceded and wished her opponent well. Indulge me in explaining why I believe Meg is still being vilified—not for lack of credentials but because of her surname.
Politics assumes we should let bygones be bygones. Abraham Lincoln had to learn to lose to prove his worth as a public advocate. This past August, I was elated when Governor Youngkin nominated Meg Bryce to the Virginia State Board of Education—it was the better place for Meg’s talent. True to form, the Democrats vowed to resist Meg’s appointment from the onset. It made no sense, though. Meg’s impeccable reputation and educational background would serve the citizens of Virginia well. Yet, this quote from the Daily Progress speaks of a more cynical reason why:
“When Youngkin appointed Bryce to the state Board of Education, local leaders lashed out. Dels. Katrina Callsen and Amy Laufer, who represent Albemarle County and neighboring Charlottesville in the General Assembly’s lower chamber, called it a “slap in the face.” The pair promised to oppose Bryce’s confirmation …”
Was Meg’s appointment a “slap in the face” because she had lost and (they thought) she should stop caring about education? Neither Callsen nor Laufer were on the Ethics Committee to vote against advancing Meg’s nomination. In this political culture, it is reasonable to suspect the Albemarle delegation of sowing the seeds of discontent among their Party peers. Was Meg “canceled” simply because her late father was the respected, conservative jurist Anton Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court? The committee did not disclose reasons for blocking Meg Scalia Bryce from public service.
It takes great personal risk to accept a Governor’s nomination. But faithful servants will always be committed to worthy causes, and Meg Scalia Bryce is one such agent for change. Her voice is needed on our State Board of Education. I urge Virginia’s General Assembly to endorse Meg Bryce’s nomination to serve Virginians.
Rebecca Templeman
Ivy
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