The unstoppable politicization
of American public education

© David Chartrand

    It comes as no surprise that more and more parents are demanding a say in how schools teach biology and which books students are required to read.

   In my hometown, parents not only oppose the teaching of evolution in science class, they want children taught the “Abstinence Only” version of sex education. Religious conservatives prefer this over the “Abstinence Plus” approach that stresses the virtues of both abstinence and contraception. No word yet on whether there is an “Abstinence Deluxe” version.

   Personally, I blame public television. America is witnessing the political mobilization of the Sesame Street Generation — parents who were encouraged to meddle — I mean get actively involved — in their children’s education. Modern educators and child psychologists advised modern moms and dads to ask questions about homework assignments and reading lists, to visit classrooms and interfere with — I mean show interest in — the teaching staff.

   Unfortunately, some parents took this suggestion way too seriously. To make things worse, many were registered voters.

   Since school-aged children cannot vote, the public debates are rarely about what’s needed in the classrooms. It’s about hypocritical grownups trying to impose their religious and political viewpoints on one another. That’s my definition of democracy, and no one is innocent.

   Religious conservatives who resent having an “evolution only” science curriculum imposed on their children are perfectly content to impose an “abstinence only” sex education classes on someone else’s children. What the teachers think is irrelevant as long as you get enough angry parents to sign petitions, or elect new school board members.

   The behavior of local educators isn’t much better. In official posturing, school boards rightfully argue that teaching methods should follow professional and scientific standards and not be influenced by popular opinion. In practice, no one loses any sleep over the wall between politics and education, assuming there is a wall. Consider the recent explanation by one Midwestern administrator who was asked how her school district came to adopt the “abstinence-only” model for sex education.

   The decision, she explained, was based on the recommendation of a community task force that represented “the prominent beliefs of the Olathe community.”

   Prominent beliefs? High school students learn about personal hygiene and human reproduction based on the “prominent beliefs” in their community? What if the voters believe kissing causes pregnancy? Or that homosexuals should not attend gym class?

   Elected officials are always taking the temperature of their community. School boards know better than to get out of step with the town ministerial alliance, the chamber of commerce, or the directors of the local “Character Counts” chapter. Politicians may be manipulative and hypocritical, but they’re not intentionally self-destructive.

   As long as school administrators are chosen by the voters there will never be separation between education and politicians, between church and state. Whether separation is good or bad is no longer the issue. The issue is whose politics and which religious beliefs get the most votes, or generate the most noise.

   If public education is to be run this way, however, let everyone participate. If biology textbooks must meet the litmus test of local opinion, put the question on a ballot. TO CAST YOUR VOTE, SELECT one of the following sex education FORMATS: (a) Abstinence Only (b) Abstinence Plus Rhythm (c) Abstinence for the Promiscuous Teen (d) Contraception for Dummies.

   At least communities would have a reliable head count before choosing their official values and beliefs. Before school boards can ever hope to achieve the status of a true, three-ring political circus, they need to hear from all the loudmouths in town instead of just some of them.