Mr. Youngkin is clearly aware that his gesture will be seen as just that, a gesture, in the absence of concrete, durable results. Hence the governor has set a challenge not only for one small city but also for himself — a risky proposition given that some ills he vowed to address, such as violent crime, are fueled by factors beyond his control.
In unveiling his “Partnership for Petersburg,” the governor acknowledged government’s own limits. Still, he added, “I hold firmly to the responsibility of a public servant to be a catalyst, a full partner to empower, to uplift, to provide alternative solutions.”
It would be useful, not least for the citizens of Petersburg, if the governor would flesh out the metrics by which the state will measure progress. He said he expects to be regularly briefed and would remain focused on “outcomes and results,” but without identifying which ones would mark success.
For example, state Education Secretary Aimee Rogstad Guidera cited the establishment of a “lab school,” proposed by two local colleges in partnership with the local public school system. The effort to provide alternatives to the traditional school system and give parents choices is laudable; such alternatives have proved successful elsewhere. Much, though, depends upon the quality of the school, and improved student achievement is not ensured. Ditto for a new program touted by Ms. Guidera by which Virginia State University, a historically Black college, will train tutors and mentors to help in Petersburg’s K-12 schools, where absenteeism is more than twice the state average.
Similarly, Mr. Youngkin promised a major effort to improve public safety in the city, where violent crime is far above the state average and the per capita homicide rate has recently been among the nation’s worst. But he made no mention of the easy availability of guns that has contributed to that spree, nor any initiatives to impede access to firearms.
It would be an act of amnesia to hail the governor’s initiative to lift the fortunes of one predominantly Black city without noting the divisive tone on race he has set in his first year in office — with appointees who have made racially obtuse remarks; by campaigning with a GOP gubernatorial candidate in Maine known for blatantly racist comments; by attacking critical race theory, which is not taught in Virginia K-12 schools; and by eliminating equity initiatives in public schools.
By pledging to tackle Petersburg’s problems, Mr. Youngkin hardly negates all that. Nor, however, is his “Partnership for Petersburg” diminished by it. It should be judged, in time, by what matters: results.
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