Democrat Wisconsin State Representative Lee Snodgrass created a Twitter storm Thursday when she chimed in on the debate over school choice, and the result of her opinion was anything but what she intended.
"If parents want to 'have a say' in their child's education, they should home school or pay for private school tuition out of their family budget," Snodgrass tweeted, before subsequently deleting the tweet — an understandable decision after saying... that.
Wisconsin Representative Lee Snodgrass (@RepSnodgrass) tweeted and then quickly deleted a powerful reminder that Democrats believe you have no say in your children's education if you send them to a public school. pic.twitter.com/464x9HUeng
— Dan O'Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) February 10, 2022
Ironically, Snodgrass herself should know that deleting a tweet doesn't make its contents disappear, as she explained in a tweet just the day before she said the quiet part of Democrats' attitude toward parents out loud.
But screen caps live forever, baby!! ??
— Rep. Lee Snodgrass (@RepSnodgrass) February 10, 2022
In addition to her claim that public school parents don't have a say in their kids' education, Snodgrass made school choice out to be something that is reserved only for those who have time to educate their children at home or pay private school tuition. Big yikes.
"only rich people should have school choice!" pic.twitter.com/LOdNCUYqqA
— Corey A. DeAngelis (@DeAngelisCorey) February 10, 2022
Despite Snodgrass' best efforts to memory-hole her statement, "screen caps live forever, baby!!" Amid escalating criticism, Snodgrass then decided to admit she'd deleted her earlier tweet while blaming the decision on a lack of "nuance" and supposedly prevent anyone from misinterpreting her words. Newsflash: No interpretation was needed.
I deleted my Tweet since it was lacking in nuance and easily misinterpreted. I wouldn't want anyone to think that parents do not have a role in their child's public education-I sure did. I encourage all parents to engage in voting for school board, join PTO and meet with teachers
— Rep. Lee Snodgrass (@RepSnodgrass) February 10, 2022
Snodgrass then extended her thread trying to further prove that she hadn't meant what she said. What's that line about how "if you're explaining, you're losing?"
Of course parents need to have a say in their kids’ education and their classrooms! I’m a parent, and I have a say, as should every parent. I shouldn’t have been cavalier or glib—that wasn’t my intention, and I apologize. Carry on!
— Rep. Lee Snodgrass (@RepSnodgrass) February 10, 2022
Needless to say, Snodgrass' attempt to explain that the doesn't actually think what she just told everyone she thinks did not go over well. Within minutes of her initial attempt at explaining away her since-deleted comments, the post has been ratio'd and quoted into oblivion.
Nothing to "misinterpret" here. You were open and honest about the contempt you have for parents. pic.twitter.com/JKtcdKcvgq
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 10, 2022
Clearly Rep. Snodgrass did not glean any lessons from Virginia's 2021 elections in which education became the top issue among voters and in which Terry McAuliffe's statement in a debate that parents shouldn't have a role in their kids' education was the beginning of the end of his hopes of returning to the Governor's Mansion.