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Across the country, the culture wars have taken a toll on schools, teachers, students, and education budgets. According to a new report from researchers at four major universities, right-wing attacks on education have cost public schools roughly $3.2 billion in the 2023-24 school year. These attacks, the report notes, often opposed teaching racism in schools and spread fear about LGBTQ+ students.
School districts have been forced to spend exorbitant sums defending LGBTQ+ students, amping up security because of debates on book bans, increasing staffing to counter misinformation, hiring additional police officers after Moms for Liberty members accused schools of indoctrination, and generally playing defense on wide-ranging attacks.
These costly culture wars aim to create distrust in the public school system and to make privatizing public education the answer. By claiming that public schools indoctrinate our children when they teach an accurate depiction of history, the extremists aim to justify alternatives, such as funding private, religious, education with public dollars. However, vouchers continue to be rejected when they are put to voters. Across the nation on Election Day, voters rejected proposals that would privatize public school funds in every state that they were introduced. In Nebraska, voters rejected a school choice program that allowed state funding for private schools with nearly 60% of the vote. In Kentucky, voters in every single county voted to defeat an amendment to change the state’s constitution to say that public school funds can be used for private education. In Colorado, a similar constitutional amendment to enshrine school choice into the state’s constitution failed.
Repeatedly, school choice measures have proven unpopular when voters are faced with the option to divert public school funds. It is important that our policymakers uphold the wishes of their constituents and vote against the privatization of public school funds.
LGBTQ+ Advocates Fight Back (and win!)
Georgia: In the 2024 legislative session, almost 20 anti-inclusion bills were introduced, including bills that sought to limit medical care for transgender youth and legislation attacking libraries that had programs inclusive of LGBTQ+ students. Advocates from the Southern Poverty Law Center testified, lobbied, and mobilized the community to challenge these harmful proposals. Their efforts paid off as the bill was ultimately blocked from reaching a vote, scoring a significant victory for LGBTQ+ students and allies in Georgia.
Florida: Students, parents, and authors jointly filed a federal lawsuit against Nassau County school officials after several books were removed from school libraries due to content involving themes of racism, immigration, LGBTQ+ characters, and other underrepresented communities. The case resulted in a settlement where the district agreed to restore 36 books to libraries and establish a more transparent review process for future challenges. This victory highlights the continued fight for access to inclusive and diverse educational content and materials.
Events & Resources for Action
The National Education Association (NEA) champions LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality in schools, offering a comprehensive toolkit to empower educators and students. This resource provides practical strategies, advocacy tools, and an overview of rights and protections to help schools navigate the challenges posed by anti-LGBTQ+ efforts. With this guidance, educators can create safe school climates and promote social justice.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is actively campaigning for the Right to Learn, fighting against classroom censorship and book bans. They equip educators, students, and community members with tools to resist laws that restrict discussions of race, gender, and sexuality. Their efforts include a toolkit, readings of banned books, and shared talking points to empower communities in advocating for freedom and diversity in schools.