EdReform Virginia Founder Shares His Family’s Educational Journey
EdNews Virginia | March 16, 2026
ARLINGTON, VA — Following a heartfelt invocation from board chairman Steven Mosley and the Pledge of Allegiance led by American Heritage Girls, EdReform Virginia Executive Director Nathan Brinkman framed the organization’s fourth annual school choice event through his own lens of a local father.
Sharing his family’s journey, Brinkman described the emotional toll of having a kid “stuck” in a learning environment that doesn’t serve his best interests.
“I’ve experienced the pain and frustration of having a child effectively stuck in a school that clearly just wasn’t the right fit for him,” he told the crowd of more than 100 gathered in Arlington. Brinkman recounted the “lows” of hearing stories from his son regarding “profanity, disrespect, racial slurs and violence” at his public, government-run middle school.
The turning point came when Brinkman’s son, Vinny, transitioned to O’Connell High School, where he is currently a sophomore. Brinkman then shared “the relief and joy as a parent knowing that my son is in the right learning environment for him.”
However, Brinkman acknowledged that such a transition remains “virtually impossible” for many families in the Commonwealth due to financial barriers or a lack of available seats in alternative programs.
The mission of EdReform Virginia, Brinkman said, is to “empower parents — no matter their ZIP code, no matter their family income level — to direct their educational tax dollars to the school that meets their kids’ unique needs.”
Brinkman additionally framed “educational freedom” as a way to “tamp down the passions and the divisions” currently seen in local school controversies. By allowing funding to follow students, he argued, every Virginia family could have access to a safe learning environment that aligns with their own deeply-held values.
Watch Nathan Brinkman’s Full Remarks
The EdReform Virginia executive director’s full 4-minute address can be viewed below.