Brian Moran Focuses on Public Education in Response to McDonnell's State of the Commonwealth

Brian Moran sent out a statement today in response to Governor McDonnell's State of the Commonwealth. What's kind of interesting about the statement is that it focuses on the importance of a public education. As someone who has literally spent years as a community organizer working to improve access to a quality education, I strongly agree that public education is a value that we all should work towards promoting. I just find it rather odd that Moran decided to focus on public education. I say this because anyone who follows Virginia's Democratic politics is aware of the controversy surrounding his job as a lobbyist for for-profit colleges. His lobbying job, after all, is something that I constantly hear grassroots activists use to criticize his chairmanship.

With that in mind, here's Moran's full statement.

"In his speech tonight Governor McDonnell outlined many goals for Virginia that Democrats and Republicans share, even as we disagree on how best to accomplish them.

"While Virginia Democrats agree with Governor McDonnell about the need to increase funding for higher education and transportation, we stand with Senators McEachin and Barker and Democratic legislators in insisting that those increases cannot come at the expense of public schools, public safety, and other core services that create jobs and opportunity for Virginia families.

"Given that the overwhelming majority of Virginia students attend public schools, Democrats are ready to remind Governor McDonnell that offering every child a world-class education in a public school should be our top priority, and fight efforts to raid education and other core services to pay for transportation or subsidize private schools.

"Under the Democratic leadership of Governors Warner and Kaine, Virginia was a national leader in our commitment to education, and that helped make this Commonwealth the best state to do business and the best state to raise a child for lifetime success. On behalf of all Virginia Democrats, I urge Governor McDonnell and legislative Republicans to emulate that commitment to good schools, good jobs and good opportunities for Virginia families by funding important priorities like transportation without siphoning money away from education and other services that Virginians need."