For the politically informed, the classic conservative Republican agenda is pretty easy to summarize. From the middle of the 20th century when the modern conception of the party came to form, from Reagan, to Bush and all the way up to the present, Republicans have campaigned for a free economy, lower taxes, highly secure borders, intense red-white-and-blue patriotism, hard-line policy for criminals, prioritizing personal liberties over socioeconomic equality, and many more traditional conservative dogma.
However, the policy area of schooling has always been quite inconsistent within the Republican party. This is made apparent through examining past Republican presidents. Ronald Reagan’s most notable educational policy was his desire to prevent “forced” public school busing that fostered racial integration in schools, something that had extreme cultural and racial connotations. George H.W. Bush’s administration, on the other hand, recommended national educational goals and strategies via legislation (that was not passed) known as “America 2000,” and wanted to empower “entrepreneurial activity in education,” something that was less culturally charged. Continuing this trend of academically focused policy, George W. Bush enacted “No Child Left Behind,” which made sure that schools maintained a certain level of academic success through the use of standardized tests. Trump, on the other hand, made a big point of removing the federal government from schools in terms of policy, enforcement of student civil rights, and general oversight of public schools.
These days, though, the modern Republican agenda for education is far more sinister. Republicans now strive for something far more ideological and hateful. With newer, more progressive ideas about race, gender, sexuality, and overall societal dynamics becoming more prevalent in the academic space, conservative sects of society, including the GOP, feel attacked. The symbolic figurehead of the modern Republican party, Donald Trump, put it quite succinctly when he stated in Iowa this past March that he would, “prohibit the teaching of ‘critical race theory’, ‘transgender insanity’ and ‘any other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content.’” Trump along with his Republican contemporaries plan to rid schools of truths about this country and its people for their own hateful agenda.
We can see this happening in front of our very eyes. As society progresses more, the call for institutions of education to progress with it only grows louder. Leaders in America, such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have stressed the importance of crucial concepts such as critical race theory, queer history, gender dynamics, and other topics that flesh out some of the most important dynamics in American history. Out of ignorance, conservative politicians and policymakers vehemently reject these notions. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, for example, boldly stated, “What we won’t do is teach our children to view everything through the lens of race. On day one, I will ban critical race theory.” He also claimed that schools that teach about issues of race and gender partake in a “culture war.” Their actions go beyond just conjecturing, however. Conservative policymakers have created a list of what they want banned from schools. This list includes books with mentions of queer or trans characters or history, anything that claims socialism isn’t an incompatible and inferior system to capitalism, and much more.
Furthermore, they want to adopt a principle of racial “color-blindness” in teaching. Rather than coming from a place of pushing equality, this comes as a direct response to critical race theory, which emphasizes the systemic hierarchy of race in America and the history of it. When figureheads of the Republican party like Ron Desantis preach about Critical Race Theory causing children to, “hate our country” and “each other,” the truth bares itself. They see the reality of America’s morbid history and institutions as a threat.
Perhaps most notable of all in this battle on holistic education is Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” which has completely banned any material about sexuality or gender identity within classrooms. The goal of the bill is clear: prevent children from learning about the real and important presence of queer and trans people in our society.
Another aspect of the Republican agenda in schools comes from their view on the role of parents in schools and student life. Republicans insist on parents having the right to know everything about their children if it happens in a school. The House passed the “Parents Bill of Rights” which gives parents far more information about what their children learn and do. The desire for “transparency” has gone so far that Republicans believe that teachers and administrators ought to out transgender and gay students if they know about their identity, such as in Oklahoma where the state’s Department of Education proposed a rule that would require staff to tell parents if their child expresses any questions about their gender identity. This behavior from Republican policymakers not only has nothing to do with school performance or reform, but also makes the lives of trans children more unsafe and insecure.
The age of a Republican agenda on education focused on performance and results are long gone. Now, hate, erasure, and ideological radicalism cloud the goals of the party. When they see progress in schools’ pedagogy about society, they snuff it out in order to maintain their illusion of the country. When they notice schools as safe spaces for trans and queer youth, they tear away that veil of security and eradicate the security of children. Using fear and ignorance as tools, it seems as if Republicans plan on turning schools into their own political playground with no regard for those affected.
