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Winsome Earle-Sears Calls for Student-First Reform at CPAC Latino, Tying Education to Virginia’s Future


Top Points

  • Put Students First: Sears said Virginia must focus on students, not teachers unions or politics.

  • Education Drives Her Campaign: She linked school reform to her 2025 governor’s race and pledged to put families in control.

  • Unite for Virginia’s Future: Sears called on parents and communities to join her in building stronger schools and opportunities.


Full Report:

On a recent appearance at CPAC Latino Virginia, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears spoke passionately about the need to prioritize students over teachers unions, connecting her message to the upcoming Virginia governor’s race. Speaking to a packed room of conservative leaders, parents, and educators, Sears argued that the future of Virginia depends on whether leaders are willing to stand up to entrenched union interests and put children first.


Putting Students First

Sears opened her remarks by saying that the education system in Virginia has lost sight of its true mission: helping students succeed. She said that too often, political power and union priorities take precedence over children’s needs, resulting in declining test scores, widening achievement gaps, and frustrated parents.


Our kids deserve better than bureaucratic excuses, she said. Education should serve students, not special interests. Sears emphasized that while teachers play a vital role in shaping young minds, the system that represents them has become too focused on protecting itself instead of improving learning outcomes.


She reminded the audience that education reform is not about taking power from teachers but about returning accountability to families. Parents know what is best for their children, Sears said. It is time we listen to them again.


Standing Up to Unions for the Sake of Children

Throughout her speech, Sears took direct aim at the teachers unions, describing them as political machines that resist accountability and stifle innovation. She argued that they often oppose measures that would empower parents or promote school choice, even when those reforms have overwhelming public support.


When unions stand in the way of progress, it is the students who suffer, she said. Sears cited examples of union opposition to charter school expansion, merit-based pay, and curriculum transparency laws. She said those positions have alienated many parents who simply want better options for their children.


She also linked the fight for education reform to the values of the Latino community, where families often place a strong emphasis on opportunity and education as the pathway to success. Latino parents want what every parent wants, a fair chance for their kids, Sears said. That is why this movement is growing across every community in Virginia.


Connecting Education to the 2025 Governor’s Race

Sears then tied her education message directly to her campaign for governor, calling the 2025 election a turning point for Virginia’s future. She told attendees that voters face a clear choice: continue with a system that protects special interests or elect leadership that puts students and families first.


This race is about who we fight for, she said. Do we fight for the union bosses, or do we fight for the next generation. Sears pledged that if elected governor, she would expand school choice, strengthen curriculum transparency, and ensure that education funding follows the student, not the bureaucracy.


Her campaign has built much of its momentum around this message, with Students Over Systems becoming a central theme. She framed education reform as both a moral and economic issue, arguing that the future workforce depends on how well Virginia educates its children today.


A Vision for Virginia’s Future

Sears closed her CPAC Latino address with a call to action for parents, teachers, and community leaders to unite behind a vision of accountability and opportunity. She urged Virginians to look beyond politics and focus on the future they want to build.


We can fix this, she said. We can give our kids the education they deserve, the opportunities they dream of, and the future our state needs. But it starts with courage, the courage to say no to special interests and yes to students.


Conclusion

In her remarks at CPAC Latino, Winsome Earle-Sears made education reform the cornerstone of her campaign, arguing that Virginia’s success depends on restoring balance between parents, teachers, and the state. She portrayed herself as a leader unafraid to confront unions, stand for families, and make difficult choices in the name of progress.


For Sears, the message is simple: when Virginia’s students come first, the entire Commonwealth moves forward. As the governor’s race heats up, her vision of accountability, school choice, and opportunity could become the rallying cry for a new chapter in Virginia’s education story.


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