Article Summary –
Republican attacks on public education have led to restrictive laws and scrutiny, causing a climate of distrust and driving teachers away, with notable instances in Florida and Alabama through “Don’t Say Gay” laws, while similar attempts in Pennsylvania were vetoed by the Democratic governor. Local-level restrictions in Pennsylvania, such as book bans and curriculum changes in districts like Central York and Pennridge, have exacerbated the situation, impacting teachers and students and leading to disciplinary actions against educators who face backlash from conservative groups. This environment has left teachers wary of their decisions in the classroom and contributed to existing teacher shortages, potentially affecting the country’s long-term educational stability and innovation.
Across the nation, educators have increasingly become targets of Republican attacks on public education.
State and local politicians have criticized teachers for fulfilling their duties and have enacted laws restricting curricula, fueling distrust and driving educators away.
The harshest restrictions have been passed outside Pennsylvania, with Florida and Alabama adopting “Don’t Say Gay” laws that ban discussions of sexual orientation or gender identity, impacting even high schools in Florida.
Pennsylvania Republicans tried to pass a similar law in 2022 but it was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.
Most restrictions in Pennsylvania occur at the local level. The Central York School District, near Harrisburg, banned certain teaching materials, including books by prominent creators of color, as reported by the York Dispatch at the time. The district eventually reversed the ban after significant backlash.
In Pennridge School District, the former conservative board spent two years secretly banning books. The board aligned curriculum with nationwide conservative agendas, introducing a social studies curriculum viewed as a “sanitized” version of slavery, as one report described. Even after the board’s conservative majority was ousted, complaints over library book scrutiny persist.
Pressures and scrutiny affect teachers in all districts. Educators in areas outside conservative regions also feel affected.
Margaret Myers-Atac, a Philadelphia teacher, shared that while the city’s schools have sidestepped the worst of the education culture war, her classroom isn’t shielded from right-wing attacks.
“You become wary about donated books in your classroom library that might cause trouble,” Myers-Atac stated.
She noted potential right-wing opposition is a constant concern, saying, “It’s a little scary when preparing lessons, considering if a student records a TikTok or misrepresents a lesson, how does it reflect on me?”
Kate Sundeen, also teaching in Philadelphia, recounted asking students to create name tags with pronouns, sparking immediate parental concern. She explained her reasoning, which was accepted, but acknowledged colleagues face harsher resistance due to broader political narratives.
Myers-Atac highlighted that educators nationwide, including in Pennsylvania, face discipline after negative conservative attention.
In 2022, Hempfield School District teachers were investigated over a drag show hosted by an LGBTQ+ club, which initially had district approval. This decision changed after criticism from the Libs of TikTok account and a conservative blog.
In Central Bucks School District, a middle school teacher was suspended for supporting bullied LGBTQ+ students; he later sued and settled with the district.
Sundeen, a debate team coach, observed adults targeting students at competitions for arguments they disagree with, a behavior she hadn’t seen in her 24 years of teaching until recently.
“The assumption of nefarious intent in our work is more frequent now,” she explained.
Myers-Atac expressed concern that this environment could exacerbate teacher shortages, already a significant issue. She emphasized the impact on students’ education when constantly facing new teachers unprepared for classroom challenges.
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