Summary
Current Position: Teacher
Affiliation: Republican
Candidate: Senate District 36
I’m a teacher, a wife, and I am proud to be the Republican candidate for Virginia Senate, District 36.
My father served over 20 years in the United States Air Force, so growing up we moved around quite a bit. I learned the value of finding a place you could call home, and I found that, here in northern Virginia, with my husband, Mike.
My solutions are simple, common sense, and bipartisan. We need to educate and not indoctrinate our students. We need to prioritize public safety and adequate funding and resources for our first responders. We also need to rein in spending and reduce burdensome regulations that are driving families and businesses away from Virginia.
Source: Campaign site
OnAir Post: Julie Perry
News
A high school in Fairfax County , Virginia , is teaching students that they harbor inherent biases based on their religious or ethnic background under the guise of social-emotional learning, according to documents obtained by the Washington Examiner.
Centreville High School teacher Julie Perry told the Washington Examiner that she was told to present the “ROAR” materials during a general study or homeroom session in which students would have otherwise been working on their general class assignments. The program is geared toward high school students in all four grades.Perry said she just skipped over the lessons and had the students do their assignments as they would during any normal homeroom session.
“What it’s doing is it’s telling one group of students, ‘You need to check your privilege,’ and another group of students, ‘You’re a victim,’ and neither is good for anybody,” Perry said. “It ends up lowering expectations for them, and same with students that are taught to have the victim mindset.”
About
My name is Julie Perry – I’m a teacher, a wife, and I am proud to be the Republican candidate for Virginia Senate, District 36.
My father served over 20 years in the United States Air Force, so growing up we moved around quite a bit. I learned the value of finding a place you could call home, and I found that, here in northern Virginia, with my husband, Mike.
Education is a lifelong passion of mine—I get to live in my dream job every day, teaching high school World History in Northern Virginia.
As a teacher, I have had to watch our students struggle under the crushing pressure of being forced to stay at home and transition to online-based learning. I have seen the social and emotional toll it has taken on them, their families, and on my colleagues. Moreover, I watched their calls for help go unanswered at so many levels. I have also seen the damages of indoctrinating our students with the principals of the Cultural Relevant Teaching. It is very divisive, and it does not inspire students to better themselves because it teaches that every student must think alike and learn on the same level.
A few years ago, we saw riots, looting, violence in communities across America. At a moment in history when our public safety personnel needed our elected leaders the most—many, including my opponent, were not there. In fact, many stood in firm opposition to them.
They aren’t the only ones feeling abandoned though. Here in Virginia, regulations, increased taxes, and unchecked spending are driving people away. We are in a multi-year streak of citizens and businesses leaving our beautiful state.
My solutions are simple, common sense, and bipartisan. We need to educate and not indoctrinate our students. We need to prioritize public safety and adequate funding and resources for our first responders. We also need to rein in spending and reduce burdensome regulations that are driving families and businesses away from Virginia.
Lastly, we need to build bridges within the General Assembly—not burn them as we’ve seen my hyper-partisan opponent do. I think that all of us share a vision for a prosperous Virginia—one where government works for the people. Restoring the servant in public servant is my goal. My pledge to you is this—I will spend every day working to earn your vote and to understand the issues that mean the most to you. My name is Julie Perry, and I hope that I will receive your vote, and earn the privilege of being your voice in Richmond.
Senate District 36 map
Web Links
Issues
Education
As a teacher in Northern Virginia, I am dedicated to our community, educators, K-12 students and their parents. I am running for senate to make tomorrows future better than today. This begins with “We the People” working together to make schools safe, provide quality education and removing the learning loss caused by the pandemic.
1. School safety begins with supporting school administration, staff, and students. Supporting students and teachers with resources that help them combat school disciplinary issues.
2. Let’s bring the focus back to core education… reading, writing and arithmetic and vocational training.
3. Removing learning loss – this begins with reinstating academic excellence as a core value in our schools. Focus on making sure all kids have the academic preparation necessary to get into schools on their own merit instead? Drop the bigotry of low expectations and enact real reforms in our schools, letting every kid learn and compete.
4. Parental rights – Parents have the right to participate and decide what content, to include criteria such as age appropriateness, is being taught to your children. I will work with parents, only through our partnership can we provide the best future for our children.
Public Safety
The number 1 responsibility of government is to protect is citizens. Human trafficking, fentanyl deaths, violent crime and theft are on the rise—threatening more and more Virginians. As a Virginia Senator I will support increased prosecution and penalties for criminal offenses related to human trafficking, fentanyl, violent crimes, and organized theft. I will support legislation that provides more resources to law enforcement combatting these serious crimes. I will also support Mental Health legislation to remove the mentally ill from public areas who are endangering themselves and others.
1. Law Enforcement – Combating human trafficking, the fentanyl crises, violent crime, and organized theft require extensive law enforcing resources. I will support legislation that enable law enforcement to do their jobs effectively, so they can keep our communities safe.
2. Mental Health – Historically, the state’s infrastructure for dealing with residents with intellectual disabilities has been underfunded and understaff. In 2021, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services closed more than half of Virginia’s state-run mental hospitals to new admissions. Citing increased safety issues for hospital staff as the reason. https://www.virginiamercury.com/2021/07/09/more-than-half-of-virginias-state-run-mental-hospitals-are-closing-to-new-admissions/ Without more resources, many of the mental ill will remain on the streets endangering themself and other. I will support legislation to increasing funding to Mental Health facilities that are equipped to help them with their illness and protect the public.
Economy & Jobs
Reinvigorating Virginia’s Tax Structure
The current tax structure is too high for Commonwealth individuals and businesses. Also, it does not incentivize businesses to move to Virginia. Virginian families and businesses deserve to keep more of their hard-earned income. We need more businesses to come Virginia to create jobs and strengthen our economy. As a member of State Senate, I will fully support tax relief legislation such as, HB 2138 and 2319, that recently passed the House of Delegates and is headed to the Virginia Senate for consideration. These bills provide savings to Virginia families and local businesses and incentivize other businesses to locate to the Commonwealth.
1. Reduction in individual income tax – Legislation such as HB 2138 and 2319 if passed in the Virginia Senate will create reductions in individual income tax to 86% of taxpaying Virginians, and an additional 14,000 Virginians will pay no taxes.
2. Business Tax – HB 2138 and 2319 would also result in lower taxes for approximately 475,000 resident small business owners and local businesses across the Commonwealth. They will also make Virginia’s tax structure competitive with other states, attracting businesses to the state that strengthen our economy.
3. Reduce High Tolls – Virginias commuting costs on the Dulles Greenway and I66 express lanes can be upwards to $500 a month. I will support legislation that lowers this monthly burden on families and businesses.
Human Rights
Abortion
The Supreme Court Dobbs decision overruled both Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), returning to individual states the power to regulate any aspect of abortion not protected by federal law. I fully embrace this important decision and the responsibility it brings. As a Virginia State Senator, I will support responsible legislation that respects all human life and provides protection for mothers and unborn babies.
First, based on the current science surrounding abortion and my faith based guided conscience that all humans should be treated with compassion, dignity and love, I will oppose any effort to codify an unlimited “Right to Abortion” amendment to the Virginia Constitution. Instead I will support responsible legislation that respects every human life and provides protection to mothers and their unborn babies.
1. Lifesaving laws
The health and welfare of woman and their child in complicated pregnancies is my priority. Current Virginia law allow for public funding for abortion only in cases of life endangerment, rape, incest, or fetal impairment. As a Senator I would continue to support this.
The substantial scientific research concerning fetal development has allowed a more precise understanding of the health and welfare of an unborn child. Numerous peer reviewed research papers substantiate that babies feel pain at the 15th week of a pregnancy. (https://lozierinstitute.org/fact-sheet-science-of-fetal-pain/ ) Therefore, I support the Governors Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act offered in 2023. This legislation is not only rational but reflect the compassion most of the people in the Commonwealth have towards other humans.
I will vehemently support legislation that protects the life of a child that survives an abortion.
2. Provide care/assistance/support to pregnant women and their families.
As a member of the State Senate, I would fight to provide resources to advance more health care for women in complicated pregnancy situations. Women/mothers are not helped when we advance an agenda that dictates the only solution to a complicated pregnancy is abortion. Let’s create legislation that lets them know they and the unborn child are not alone. I will support any and all legislation that provide support to pregnant women and their families.
Virginia currently has 41 pro-life pregnancy resource centers (PRCs), throughout the Commonwealth. They offer free support, services, medical care to any pregnant women and their children. I support private-public partnership with these PRCs, expanding resources and awareness in order to help all the women and families of Virginia.
I would also support legislation for shared responsibility of fathers. They must provide financial resources to the mother and child they help to create. Examples of such legislation include HB 2290, proposed by Del. Emily Brewer (R – Suffolk), and SB 1314 patroned by Senator Siobhan Dunnavant (R – Henrico).
3. Protect Virginia’s parental involvement laws
Currently, in almost all cases, if you are younger than 18 and wish to consider an abortion, you must get consent of one of your parents, your guardian, or loco parentis. I will continue to support Virginia law(s) that protects family decision support to all young women in the Commonwealth.
Energy & Environment
Protecting the Environment
Climate change is impacting people’s lives and welfare people in the Commonwealth of Virginia. To affect the negative impacts of climate change, we need to implement strategies that mitigate greenhouse emissions while avoiding and minimizing the economic, human, and environmental problems that may result while we implement these strategies.
1. “All-of-the-above” Energy Strategy: we must utilize all available sources of energy, both renewable and nonrenewable, to ensure Virginia has a stable, secure, and reliable energy supply. This means not only investing in renewable energy technologies like wind and solar power but also developing the nations abundant oil and natural gas resources responsibly. It also includes nuclear energy, America’s largest source of clean, emission-free electricity, emitting no greenhouse gases or air pollutants, while producing large amounts of electricity around the clock.
2. Innovation is our best hope for reducing emission of greenhouse gases. The United States already produces energy cleaner and safer than anywhere else in the world because of our innovation. Virginia can be a leader in further innovation in removing and lowering carbon emissions in non-renewables as we advance renewable sources of wind and solar, nuclear and Hydrogen.
3. Social Responsibility. As we developed our energy strategy, we must understand the impact on humans. Where and how and renewable energy products being made? I will not support the import of solar and wind products that harm others. Virginia should not allow the purchase of solar panels or wind turbines being built in foreign factories using carbon-based energy that does not produce cleaner energy than the United States. Additionally, wind, solar and electric vehicles (EVs) batteries need precious metals. This demand is at times met by workers, including children in third world countries with little oversight. This led to deaths and serious injury; and exposes communities to toxic metals affecting the long-term health of these individuals.
4. I will not support adopting California’s plan to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles. We cannot force low-income and middle-class families buy expensive EVs. I will support letting Virginians decide how and when they will enter the new car market as it continues to develop.
