The Role of Public Schools and Political Activism

The North American Values Institute has examined a series of webinars discussing how public schools can serve as centers to promote the cause of “free Palestine.” These webinars were organized by Code Pink’s Marci Winograd, leading the pro-Palestinian caucus within the California Teachers Association. A notable session featured dance teacher Laura Pinho, who has shared antisemitic views on social media, referring to Jews as “Satanic bankers.” Pinho explained methods to incorporate Palestinian resistance themes into dance lessons.

This instruction was not an exploration of Palestinian culture, but rather a way to use educational standards to guide students toward specific political views. Having previously served on the California State Board of Education, I am aware that the standards were designed to encourage independent thinking in students. However, Pinho’s lessons aimed to indoctrinate rather than educate.

Such instances are not isolated. The California Teachers Association and its Los Angeles chapter have repeatedly permitted anti-Israel activism within the Los Angeles Unified School District. This activism often involves one-sided narratives that marginalize Jewish parents and educators. Recently, a Jewish teacher was publicly criticized and excluded from a union leadership meeting for being a “known Zionist.” Despite Amy Leserman’s 25-year career as an educator and union leader, this detail was ignored by United Teachers Los Angeles President Cecily Myart Cruz, who prioritized excluding Leserman to allow voting on five Israel-Palestine motions.

Public schools have turned into platforms for adult political activism while students need a focus on learning basics. Schools should present political conflicts and the evidence supporting various perspectives, but they should not pressure students to join teachers’ political causes, nor exclude members with differing views.

The issue is not limited to left-leaning politics. Right-wing activists also strive to bring their views into classrooms. For example, Oklahoma lawmakers have sought to include election conspiracy theories in teaching about the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, and Texas has approved educational standards requiring bible verses.

Both extremes share a harmful notion: that public schools are for adult political agendas rather than education fostering knowledge, judgment, and civic responsibility. This political focus detracts from student performance, evidenced by declining 12th grade reading and math scores.

The primary issue lies not only in some educators using classrooms for advocacy but also in the lack of enforceable rights for students and parents to ensure education quality. Despite a legal right to free education, students are compelled to attend underperforming schools, leaving parents powerless to insist on improvements.

This scenario creates an opening for indoctrination rather than genuine teaching. It is crucial to end this ideological conflict and understand that providing high-quality, unbiased public education is a civil rights issue. Ensuring quality education as a civil right would ensure all children are taught essential skills and schools adhere to transparent academic standards. Families would gain the leverage needed to demand accountability from educational systems.

Making educational quality a civil right also shifts the power dynamics, putting students and parents, not political actors, in charge of demanding that schools meet their obligations. Public schools belong to the families of America, not political factions.

Ben Austin is the founding director of Education Civil Rights Now.