Does your public school exist to teach the skills and values you want your kids to learn, or the political values of particular teachers and Big Labor bosses?
A guide for parents in today’s public schools
A guide for parents in today’s public schools
As a former public school teacher of 15 years, I always felt excitement and anticipation this time of year. Stepping into the classroom, I would see eager eyes, all sizing me up as I did the same to them. There’s always the squirrely young man in the back—definitely someone to keep an eye on. And there’s the pre-teen girl with rolling eyes whispering to her friend—I think she will need a classroom job to keep her occupied.
The students are assessing me as well. They quickly take in the classroom. The American flag is prominently displayed. No rainbow flags, pink triangles, or Black Lives Matter posters are in sight. The classroom library is stocked with classics carefully selected to be age appropriate. I address them as “ladies and gentlemen”—no gender-neutral language here. My classroom looks no different from the average middle school classroom of the 1990s, but, oh, how times have changed!
Activists Posing as Educators
Just a few doors down from me is your typical activist posing as an educator. Let’s call her Teacher X. You know the type. She leans left, and I use leans like a skydiver hurling toward the earth leans out the plane door. Behind her desk is a Women’s March poster, a pink triangle taped to the whiteboard, and pronouns written next to her name. A Black Lives Matter flag and a rainbow flag are proudly displayed. Her shelves are lined with…