Highlights:
- JD Vance supported expanding private school funding and school choice while attacking public schools.
- Vance supported school choice and attacked public education.
- Vance supported vouchers for early education
- JD Vance opposed the use of affirmative action in college admissions.
- JD Vance opposed efforts to make higher education more affordable.
- Vance opposed relief from student loans.
- Vance criticized tuition-free college.
- JD Vance attacked inclusive education.
- JD Vance fear-mongered about critical race theory.
- JD Vance fear-mongered about foreign influence in universities.
- Vance claimed Chinese international students aimed to steal intellectual property.
- Vance opposed foreign donations to universities.
¶ Vance Supported Expanding Private School Funding And School Choice While Attacking Public Schools
¶ Vance Supported The School Choice Movement And Expanding Private School Funding While He Attacked Public Schools
AUDIO: Vance Said He Was “Very Pro-School Choice” And Said His Views On The Issue Were “More Conservative Or Even Radical.” According to a Dover Meet And Greet via SoundCloud, “VANCE: Yes, I'm very pro-school choice. I think that my views on this probably has gotten more conservative or even radical, over the last 18 months.” [Dover Meet and Greet via SoundCloud, 10/6/21]
Vance Tweeted That A Survey Asking For Students’ Pronouns Was “A Great Argument For School Choice.” According to a tweet from JD Vance’s campaign account, “Just totally unacceptable to do this, especially without notifying parents. This insanity, combined with the failure of remote learning to educate kids, is a great argument for school choice.” [Twitter, @JDVance1, 5/18/22]
¶ Vance Called For School Vouchers For Early Education
Vance Supported “Subsidizing Early Education In The Same Way We Subsidize College Education. Give People Money And Let Them Decide How To Spend It.” According to an op-ed by JD Vance in the National Review, “Not all early-childhood education is created equal. As progressives push for an expansion of the largely ineffective, federalized Head Start program, there is a better option: subsidizing early education in the same way we subsidize college education. Give people money and let them decide how to spend it.” [Op-Ed by JD Vance – National Review, 1/9/14]
Vance Praised Charter Schools And Vouchers. According to an op-ed by JD Vance in National Review, “This would require a conservative agenda that appealed to black Americans. Recent Pew polls suggest that black Americans care especially about residential segregation and access to good schools. Conservatives have potential answers for each of these problems. Urban ghettos, created by racist housing policy and sustained by bizarre administration of federal housing programs, constitute one of the few entrenched problems amenable to policy interventions. The administration of the federal Section 8 program, for instance, often ignores the importance of eradicating government-created concentrated poverty. Conservative ideas on vouchers and charter schools have delivered better, if still imperfect, schools — often with active participation from local [and progressive] school leaders.” [Op-Ed by JD Vance – National Review, 8/29/16]
¶ Vance Opposed Affirmative Action
¶ Vance Supported The Supreme Court Decision Striking Down Affirmative Action In College Admissions
Vance Said The Supreme Court “Rightly” Struck Down Affirmative Action In A 2023 Ruling. According to a press release from Senator Vance, “‘Every student in America is entitled to equal protection under the law, regardless of their background,’ said Senator Vance. ‘Yet for decades, America’s higher education cartel has discriminated against applicants and students by adhering to racial preferences under the banner of ‘equity.’ The Supreme Court’s landmark decision in SFFA v. Harvard rightly called for an end to these unjust practices. This bill creates the means necessary to enforce the Court’s decision and hold colleges and universities accountable for illegal discrimination on the basis of race.’” [Senator Vance Press Release, 12/5/23]
¶ June 2023: The Supreme Court Ruled Affirmative Action Programs Unconstitutional
June 2023: The Supreme Court Struck Down Affirmative Action. According to NBC News, “The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action programs at the University of North Carolina and Harvard in a major victory for conservative activists, ending the systematic consideration of race in the admissions process. The court ruled that both programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution and are therefore unlawful. The vote was 6-3 in the UNC case and 6-2 in the Harvard case, in which liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was recused. The decision was hailed by prominent conservatives, who say the Constitution should be ‘colorblind,’ with former President Donald Trump calling it ‘a great day for America.’ Liberals, however, condemned the ruling, saying affirmative action is a key tool for remedying historic race discrimination.” [NBC News, 6/29/23]
¶ 2023: Vance Warned Colleges To Comply With The Supreme Court’s Ruling Striking Down Affirmative Action In Admissions
2023: Vance Warned Colleges To Comply With The Supreme Court’s Ruling Striking Down Affirmative Action In Admissions. According to NBC News, “Freshman Sen. JD Vance is warning liberal arts colleges and Ivy League schools not to disregard the Supreme Court's recent ruling striking down affirmative action policies in the admissions process.
In a letter Thursday to Ivy League schools, as well as Kenyon and Oberlin colleges in his home state, the Ohio Republican expressed concern about what he called their ‘openly defiant and potentially unlawful reaction to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision’ last week. ‘As you know, the Court has instructed you to honor the spirit, and not just the letter, of the ruling,’ he wrote, adding, ‘You and your institutions expressed open hostility to the decision and seemed to announce an intention to circumvent it.’” [NBC News, 7/6/23]
VANCE INTRODUCED A BILL TO FORCE COMPLIANCE WITH THE SUPREME COURT RULING ENDING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN ADMISSIONS
2023: Vance Introduced The “College Admissions Accountability Act.” According to a press release from Senator Vance, “Senator JD Vance (R-OH) and Congressman Jim Banks (R-IN-03) have introduced the College Admissions Accountability Act, which would require universities to respect applicants’ constitutional rights and comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.” [Senator Vance Press Release, 12/5/23]
The “College Admissions Accountability Act” Would Have Withheld Federal Student And Institutional Aid From Colleges Out Of Compliance From The Supreme Court Ruling. According to WFMJ, “If passed, the College Admissions Accountability Act would condition eligibility for federal student assistance and institutional aid on universities’ adherence to the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI prohibitions on racial discrimination and preference.” [WFMJ, 12/5/23]
The “College Admissions Accountability Act” Would Create A Special Inspector General To Investigate Compliance. According to WFMJ, “Additionally, the legislation would create a Special Inspector General for Unlawful Discrimination in Higher Education to investigate any college admissions department that may not be complying with the Supreme Court's ruling. The legislation would also create a mechanism for applicants and university employees to file allegations against college admissions departments, recommend corrective actions and penalties for offending institutions and require regular reports on allegations and corrective actions undertaken by offending institutions.” [WFMJ, 12/5/23]
¶ Vance Stood Against Efforts To Make Higher Education More Affordable
¶ Vance Voted Against The Biden Administration’s Efforts To Ameliorate Student Debt
2023: Vance Voted To Disapprove Of The Biden Administration’s Student Loan Forgiveness Rule, Which Sought To Forgive Up To $10,000 In Federal Student Debt And $20,000 For Pell Grant Recipients. In June 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Vance voted for a joint a resolution that would “provide for congressional disapproval of an October 2022 Education Department rule that allows for loan forgiveness of up to $10,000 in loan debt for federal student loan borrowers and another $10,000 for such borrowers who also received a Pell Grant. The rule limits eligibility for such loan forgiveness to borrowers with a maximum adjusted gross income of $125,000, or $250,000 for joint filers. The rule also extended, through the end of 2022, the suspension of student loan payments, the cessation of interest accrual and the suspension of involuntary loan collections. It allowed suspended loan payments during that period to count towards loan forgiveness or loan rehabilitation programs. The rule took effect on Oct. 12, 2022, but its loan forgiveness provisions have not been implemented pending legal challenges. Under the provisions of the joint resolution, the Education Department rule would have no force or effect, canceling the loan forgiveness program and reinstating loan payments and interest accrual that was suspended under the rule.” The vote was on passage. The Senate passed the resolution by a vote of 52 to 46, thus the resolution was sent to the President. President Biden vetoed the resolution and the House failed to override the veto. However, the Supreme Court struck down the rule. [Senate Vote 135, 6/1/23; Congressional Quarterly, 6/1/23; Congressional Actions, H.J. Res. 45]
- The Student Loan Relief Program Would Have Cancelled Up To $10,000 In Debt For Most Students And Up To $20,000 For Pell Grant Recipients. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Biden announced the student loan relief program in August, fulfilling a campaign promise and winning applause from progressives, some of whom had sought a far higher debt relief threshold. The plan, which has been put on hold by court challenges, would cancel up to $10,000 in debt for most students, and up to $20,000 for those who received a Pell Grant.” [Congressional Quarterly, 5/24/23]
2023: Vance Effectively Voted To Disapprove Of The Biden Administration’s Student Loan Forgiveness. In May 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Vance voted for the “motion to proceed to the joint resolution that would provide for congressional disapproval of an October 2022 Education Department rule that allows for loan forgiveness of up to $10,000 in loan debt for federal student loan borrowers and another $10,000 for such borrowers who also received a Pell Grant. The rule limits eligibility for such loan forgiveness to borrowers with a maximum adjusted gross income of $125,000, or $250,000 for joint filers. The rule also extended, through the end of 2022, the suspension of student loan payments, the cessation of interest accrual and the suspension of involuntary loan collections. It allowed suspended loan payments during that period to count towards loan forgiveness or loan rehabilitation programs. The rule took effect on Oct. 12, 2022, but its loan forgiveness provisions have not been implemented pending legal challenges. Under the provisions of the joint resolution, the Education Department rule would have no force or effect, canceling the loan forgiveness program and reinstating loan payments and interest accrual that was suspended under the rule.” The vote was on a motion to proceed. The Senate agreed to the motion by a vote of 51 to 46. [Senate Vote 134, 5/31/23; Congressional Quarterly, 5/31/23; Congressional Actions, H.J. Res. 45]
¶ Vance Voted Against A Student Loan Repayment Plan
Vance Voted To Disapprove Of A Biden Administration Rule That Created The SAVE Student Loan Repayment Plan. In November 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Vance voted for “the joint resolution that would provide for congressional disapproval of a July 2023 Education Department rule that would modify the Direct Loan Program by categorizing existing student loan repayment plans into three types: fixed repayment plans; income-driven repayment plans, which vary based on income and family size; and alternative repayment plans, which would apply in exceptional circumstances or when the borrower fails to certify income information. The rule would also increase the amount of income exempted from calculation of the borrower’s payment amount from 150 percent to 225 percent of the federal poverty level. It would lower the share of discretionary income used to calculate the borrower’s monthly payment to 5 percent for undergraduate study loans and 10 percent for other loans. For borrowers with both types of loans, it would provide for calculation of a monthly payment rate between 5 and 10 percent based on a weighted average of the loan balance. The rule would go into effect on July 1, 2024. Under the provisions of the joint resolution, the rule would have no force or effect.” [Senate Vote 310, 11/15/23; Congressional Quarterly, 11/15/23; Congressional Actions, S.J. Res. 43]
- The SAVE Plan Allowed Borrowers Earning Less Than $15 An Hour To Have A $0 Monthly Payment. According to Congressional Quarterly, the resolution “would disapprove of an Education Department rule that includes family size and income in calculating the amount borrowers must repay. The option would allow borrowers who have earnings of less than $15 per hour to pay $0.” [Congressional Quarterly, 12/7/23]
¶ Vance Claimed That Student Debt Forgiveness Would Be A “Massive Windfall To The Rich”
VIDEO: 2019: Vance Characterized Democratic Proposals To Cancel Student Loan Debt As A “Big Handout” To Doctors And Other Highly-Educated Professionals. According to Fox News via YouTube, “VANCE: Well, at a big level, the Democratic Party increasingly represents professional class elites. CARLSON: Yes. VANCE: And Republicans represent middle- and working-class wage earners in the middle of the country. Now, I will say, I think Democratic leaders kind of get this. If you look at the big proposals from the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates: universal child care, debt-free college, even Medicare-for-All, which is framed as this lurch to the left, but is really just a big handout to doctors, physicians, pharmaceutical companies and hospitals.’” [Fox News via YouTube, 7/5/19]
Vance Tweeted: “Forgiving Student Debt Is A Massive Windfall To The Rich, To The College Educated, And Most Of All To The Corrupt University Administrators Of America.” According to a tweet from JD Vance’s campaign account, “Forgiving student debt is a massive windfall to the rich, to the college educated, and most of all to the corrupt university administrators of America. No bailouts for a corrupt system. Republicans must fight this with every ounce of our energy and power.” [Twitter, @JDVance1, 4/27/22]
¶ Vance Opposed Free College
Vance Opposed Free College, Arguing That College Was Already Affordable. According to an op-ed by JD Vance in the Springfield News-Leader, “Democrats today, like Republicans four years ago, appear unable to consider the poor as they actually are. Free college tuition sounds great. But the reason disadvantaged children don't attend college has little to do with finances and more to do with a lack of preparedness. Indeed, existing public and private need-based aid programs make most colleges affordable for the poor now. Many European countries devote significant resources to non-university higher education -- vocational schools, apprenticeships and other skills-based training. In Switzerland, more students opt for vocational training over a traditional education. Consequently, Switzerland has one of the lowest youth unemployment rates.” [Op-Ed by JD Vance – Springfield News-Leader, 7/30/16]
¶ Vance Attacked Inclusive Education
¶ Vance REPEATEDLY Attacked Schools For Teaching About Gender Identity And Sexual Orientation
Vance Said That Teaching People To Talk About The Identities In Schools Was “A National Embarrassment.” According to a tweet from JD Vance’s campaign account, “That our universities teach people to talk like this is a national embarrassment.” [Twitter, @JDVance1, 5/3/21]
Vance Tweeted: “Talking To Preschoolers About Consent Should Get You Thrown In Jail.” According to a tweet from JD Vance’s campaign account, “Talking to preschoolers about ‘consent’ should get you thrown in jail.” [Twitter, @JDVance1, 8/17/21]
Vance On Gender Studies Education: “The University System That Produces Thinking Like This Is Not Just Useless, But Actively Destructive.” According to a tweet from JD Vance’s campaign account, “Read this. The university system that produces thinking like this is not just useless, but actively destructive.” [Twitter, @JDVance1, 11/19/21]
¶ Vance Fear-Mongered About Critical Race Theory In Schools
¶ Vance Fear-mongered About Critical Race Theory In Schools
¶ Vance Fear Mongered About So Called “Critical Race Theory” Being Taught To Children In Schools
Vance Was Part Of Republican Push To Oppose Critical Race Theory Tweeting It “Makes You Dismiss And Ignore Your Fellow Citizens, All Because They Have The Wrong Skin Color.” According to Spectrum News 1, “There’s a growing push by Republicans across the country to limit how race and racism are taught in schools, and Ohio has become a prime example of it. In addition to Timken, some of her Senate rivals are also talking about critical race theory. […] Author J.D. Vance, who’s exploring his own Senate run, tweeted that critical race theory ‘makes you dismiss and ignore your fellow citizens, all because they have the wrong skin color.’” [Spectrum News 1, 6/2/21]
¶ Vance Repeatedly Attempted To Downplay The Wave Of Criminal Conduct And Threats Of Violence Towards School Board Members Over Critical Race Theory
Vance Defended Aggressive Opposition And Threats Of Violence To School Board Members Over Critical Race Theory. According to a tweet from JD Vance’s campaign account, “After protesting CRT, these parents should put on BLM shirts, shout ‘no justice, no peace’ and then throw Molotov cocktails at school board members. Then our attorney general will praise them for their courage and the Ford Foundation will shower them with money.” [Twitter, @JDVance1, 10/4/21]
Vance Dismissed The Harassment Of School Board Members. According to a tweet from JD Vance’s campaign account, “Chris Hayes is very concerned about disorderly conduct. This is why he aggressively criticized left wing lawlessness, looting, and murder last summer.” [Twitter, @JDVance1, 10/6/21]
¶ Vance Called For Merrick Garland’s Resignation Over His Guidance To Prosecute Participants In The Wave Of Threats And Violence Against School Board Members
Vance Released A Statement Calling For Merrick Garland’s Resignation In Which He Claimed “Garland Has Decided The Real Threat To Our Republic Is Moms Protesting Racist Critical Race Theory At School Board Meetings.” According to a press release from JD Vance, “As crime and murder have exploded across our country and Mexican drug cartels flood our country with deadly fentanyl, Merrick Garland has decided that the real threat to our republic is moms protesting racist Critical Race Theory at school board meetings.” [Press Release - JD Vance, 10/7/21]
¶ Vance Supported Defunding Ohio Universities That Taught “Critical Race Theory” Or “Radical Gender Ideology”
Vance Said That Schools In Ohio That Taught Critical Race Theory, Or “Radical Gender Ideology” Should Not Receive Funding. According to jdvance.com, “It’s time for us to fight back. Not a single additional dollar for universities—in Ohio or out—that teach critical race theory or radical gender ideology. We need to force our schools to give an honest, patriotic account of American history. And we must give parents resources to control their kids’ education—whether they choose a traditional public school, a charter school, a religious school, or a home school.” [jdvance.com, accessed 6/29/22]
¶ Vance Fear-Mongered About Foreign Students And Influence At Universities
¶ Vance Accused Chinese Graduate Students Of Trying “To Steal Our Intellectual Property”
Vance Called For The Governor To “Aggressively Investigate And Prosecute University Professors—And Their Chinese National Graduate Students—Who Conspire To Steal Our Intellectual Property.” According to an op-ed by JD Vance published in American Mind, “Meanwhile, we can take direct aim at the institutions that stand at the nexus of elite credentialism and globalism: our prestigious universities. We’ve learned recently how financially dependent Ivy League universities are on donations from overseas oligarchs, and that they’ve apparently hidden that dependence from our own Department of Education. Penalize those donations and the endowments that have grown in their midst, and aggressively investigate and prosecute university professors—and their Chinese national graduate students—who conspire to steal our intellectual property.” [Op-Ed by JD Vance, American Mind, 4/21/20]
¶ Vance Advocated For Penalizing Universities That Accept Donations From Foreign Countries
2020: Vance Called For Penalizing Universities That Accept Donations From Foreign Countries. According to an op-ed by JD Vance published in American Mind, “Meanwhile, we can take direct aim at the institutions that stand at the nexus of elite credentialism and globalism: our prestigious universities. We’ve learned recently how financially dependent Ivy League universities are on donations from overseas oligarchs, and that they’ve apparently hidden that dependence from our own Department of Education. Penalize those donations and the endowments that have grown in their midst, and aggressively investigate and prosecute university professors—and their Chinese national graduate students—who conspire to steal our intellectual property.” [Op-Ed by JD Vance, American Mind, 4/21/20]