Article Summary –
Jeff Peterson, a former principal of Raymond Elementary, claims his contract was not renewed due to his sexual orientation, leading him to sue the school district for discrimination, which has resulted in significant legal costs for the district. The rise of extremism and partisan division on local school boards, exemplified by incidents in Raymond and the Central York School District, has led to increased financial burdens due to legal fees, additional security, and the handling of public records requests, severely impacting educational priorities and community relations. A report by the UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access highlights the immense financial and cultural toll of these conflicts, estimating a $3.2 billion cost to public schools nationwide during the 2023-2024 school year and underscoring the need for districts to address cultural divisions to protect educational integrity and resources.
Jeff Peterson, once a principal in Raymond, south of Milwaukee, is all too familiar with the consequences of extremism in local schools.
Peterson led Raymond Elementary from 2021 to 2023 until the board decided not to renew his contract, attributing it to his sexual orientation. He’s now suing for discrimination.
This situation exemplifies the chaos and financial burden arising as partisan politics invade school boards. Extremism leads to costly divisions within communities.
Peterson reported issues even before his departure, citing a complaint by a future board member about a library book that necessitated committee reviews.
“There were about eight to ten on the committee,” he stated. “We discussed the book’s suitability for students and its library placement.”
Peterson said this distraction took away valuable time from classroom interactions and community relations crucial for the school’s limited budget.
His removal highlights the financial strain extremism imposes on schools.
The Raymond School District overran its 2023-2024 budget by nearly $700,000, with $200,000 in legal fees linked to Peterson’s lawsuit. Raymond School District declined to comment.
Other districts face similar challenges.
The UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access report suggests a district of 10,000 students with high conflict might spend over $800,000 on extra security and legal issues, compared to $250,000 in low-conflict districts.
The report surveyed 467 superintendents nationwide about conflicts over “culturally divisive issues,” revealing significant financial impacts.
Local school board conflicts escalated since the 2020-2021 school year, fueled by disputes over COVID-19, racism education, and LGBTQ+ student support.
“We repeatedly heard about substantial costs from these conflicts, diverting funds from educational priorities,” the report states.
A superintendent disclosed an additional $100,000 spent on security due to unruly board meetings driven by “extremist” members backed by groups like Moms for Liberty, resulting in over $500,000 in legal fees.
“It’s become extremely contentious,” the superintendent remarked, “Their goal is disruption.”
The report anonymized superintendents to protect their identities.
In total, culturally divisive conflicts cost U.S. schools approximately $3.2 billion in the 2023-2024 school year.
Patricia Jackson and Ben Hodge, teachers from Central York School District, experienced similar issues, witnessing costs from an extremist board between 2020 and 2023.
Jackson and Hodge, co-advisers of the Panther Anti-Racist Union, fought against content bans, including one targeting a list of resources prepared by a diversity committee.
“Investigations and Right-to-Know requests against us added legal fees, escalating costs,” Hodge noted.
Jackson mentioned that former board allies used Right-to-Know requests to pressure teachers, costing the district about $20,000 each.
The report showed one superintendent dealing with over 600 public records requests annually, up from 150.
Another superintendent said: “The financial and cultural costs of not opposing extremists are enormous. Students and staff are losing. It’s unprecedented.”
—
Read More Wisconsin News
