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Last month, a Texas teacher was fired for assigning a novel based on Anne Frank’s diary. Across the country, teachers are losing their jobs because of the culture wars. As of last year, at least 160 educators had been fired, according to analysis by the Washington Post, for reasons such as displaying gay pride symbols in their classrooms, saying that white privilege is a fact, assigning readings acknowledging different viewpoints, and hanging up Black Lives Matter flags. Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association, commented that “our educators are being caught in the crosshairs of the culture wars.” Teachers are “trying to do what’s right for their students,” she added, but are “being verbally attacked and blamed.”
According to Education Week, 18 states have restricted the way teachers can talk about race. A total of 44 states are considering bills or another type of effort to censor education materials or restrict the teaching of critical race theory. Legislation restricting education around race often uses language that seems intentionally vague, making it nearly impossible for educators to adequately understand the restrictions and the potential consequences of breaking them. For instance, in a district in Oklahoma, there was a period of time teachers were told to avoid using the words “diversity” and “white privilege” in their classrooms. Schools across the country have been forced to modify curriculum, for instance eliminating materials that discuss Black Lives Matter or offer historical information on slavery and racism.
In many ways, the culture wars have been undermining our public school system. Our society has been telling librarians they aren’t trusted to evaluate library books, our teachers that they aren’t able to assess educational materials, and our schools that they aren’t permitted to create an inclusive and appropriate learning environment for our students. Forty-five percent of principals agreed that community-level conflict increased in the 2021-22 school year, largely due to the push for curriculum changes. Schools have experienced other deep consequences, including a spike in harassment of LGBTQ+ youth and increased teacher shortages. The culture wars aren’t just a divisive news headline, and it’s important our society doesn’t grow accustomed to an attack on our public education system. The current level of conflict isn’t normal or acceptable, and as education advocates, parents, teachers, and concerned citizens, it is essential that we fight back.
Students Fight Back (and win!)
Pennsylvania: Students at Pennsylvania’s Central York High School renewed their fight against book bans earlier this year in their district. Calling themselves the Panther Anti-Racist Union, students began protesting book bans in 2021, eventually forcing the school board to vote unanimously to reinstate the list of banned books. “[S]tanding out there together in solidarity and peacefully protesting helps take some of the sting away from the book bans themselves,” said PARU faculty sponsor Ben Hodge. “It feels like we are not helpless.”
South Carolina: A youth-led group called DAYLO, short for Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization, has chapters popping up across the state. In response to book bans, DAYLO members have spoken up at school board meetings for eight months, and have written letters to school board members and letters to the editor. DAYLO is involved in promoting literacy and anti-censorship and hosts monthly reading events for younger peers, participates in family nights at Title I elementary schools, and hosts book club discussions.
Events & Resources for Action
It’s Banned Books Week! Events and programs began Oct. 1 and run through Oct. 7. Celebrate Banned Books Week Handbook is a free publication with programming ideas, best practices for events, resources, and tips for handling censorship. They also have a resource with 5 things you can do to support the right to read.
The National Council of Teachers of English is a professional organization looking to improve the teaching and learning of English. The group’s Intellectual Freedom Center offers resources to fight censorship and information on how to report censorship.