GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx doesn’t pull punches, even when speaking to a child.
When 10-year-old Christian wrote to her about electric vehicles for a school project, the 82-year-old congresswoman quickly fired back.
The letter went public after the fourth grader’s mother, Emily Mango, 42, shared it on social media, calling it a “reprehensible response” to her son.
“He researched, cited facts, and made good arguments in his essay - an essay that had nothing to do with politics. He was proud of his essay,” the North Carolina mom said.
The Daily Beast has reached out to Mango for comment.
Foxx’s response began with a polite thank-you, telling the fourth grader that she was grateful he was “taking the time to share your thoughts.” It quickly took a turn for the worse when she slammed his proposal to offer $5000 tax rebates for electric cars as a foolish idea.
“Your request that ‘the federal government should give a $5,000 tax rebate for all new electric car purchases’ means that the federal government must take that money out of the pockets of hardworking people who may not have the means to buy an electric vehicle in the first place,” Foxx wrote.
“YOU and your classmates will be responsible for paying down the national debt,” she added pointedly, arguing that climate change wasn’t as pressing as the ballooning of the national debt.
She offered him links to learn more about climate change from Fox News, National Review, The Washington Times, and the Wall Street Journal editorial board.
The former college professor then took aim at his teachers, insinuating they were brainwashing him.
“‘Incidentally, please ask your teacher to explain propaganda to you,” Foxx wrote.
“While I will never be able to know, my guess is that your teachers will not give you a good educational experience and help you learn to think, as they are too interested in indoctrinating you. How sad,” she added.
The Daily Beast has reached out to Foxx’s office for comment.
Christian’s mother was furious about the letter, saying that the legislator “crossed a line” when attacking the 10-year-old and his teachers.
“You don’t deserve to be on a Committee for Education when you talk to children like this and think so lowly of teachers. No wonder NC is 50th in education funding level under your ‘leadership.’”
The congresswoman, who represents North Carolina’s fifth district, is running for re-election this year and has previously secured a Trump endorsement.
Prior to serving as a congresswoman, Foxx was a college professor, working at a local community college and Appalachian State University. She was also the president of Mayland Community College.
She made her first forays into politics while serving on the Watauga County Board of Education for 12 years.
