Community members and parents in Pennsylvania’s Bucks County, which is north of Philadelphia, are mobilizing to defend diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools from the conservative group Moms for Liberty.
Moms for Liberty, a group that has been referred to as an anti-government extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, has been a leading actor against the rights of students, espousing anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and challenging inclusive curricula and LGBTQ-themed books.
Residents have accused the conservative majority on the school board of shadow-banning books and adopting a curriculum that could foster an environment of discrimination and harassment, Salon reports.
Books acclaimed for their exploration of race, gender, and sexuality were allegedly taken off the shelves through a “weeding” process, which has riled up parents and local activists. This supposed attempt to sanitize school libraries of progressive ideas is viewed as part of a broader scheme to influence local politics toward conservative ideologies.
Related: Library That Kicked Out Moms for Liberty Group Suffers Third Bomb Threat
The Ridge Network, a collective of parents and community members in the Pennridge school district, has emerged as a formidable force against attempts by conservative factions to censor certain books and alter the school curriculum to reflect a more conservative viewpoint. They have continually filed right-to-know requests to unearth the details surrounding the censorship of books and to shed light on the school board’s opaque operations.
Concerned parent Darren Laustsen, in particular, has sought legal avenues to challenge the school district’s actions. He described the board’s use of lawyers against public inquiries as a tactic to create roadblocks, saying to Salon, “The more they did that, the more I was just like, f**k this. It just pissed me off, so I’ve spent, like, so much goddamn money trying to beat this.”
Moreover, the engagement extends beyond the courts. Ridge Network members and local journalists have filed numerous right-to-know requests to unveil the links between the conservative board and right-wing networks, shedding light on an alleged clandestine agenda.
The unfolding drama in Pennridge is seen as emblematic of a national trend where conservative factions aim to leverage school board positions to steer local politics. In the backdrop, the narrative generated on the right paints progressive ideologies, particularly around LGBTQ+ inclusivity, as harmful to children, thus necessitating a conservative intervention.
Laura Foster, another local parent, shared her distress about the discrimination her queer child faced.
“The school counselors’ hands were tied in terms of responding, and it broke my heart,” Foster said. “Ever since then, I’ll do whatever I can to show my daughter that I will stand up for her and other kids like her.”
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Moms for Liberty, on a broader scale, is seen as part of a concerted effort to sway public opinion by capitalizing on local educational frameworks. However, as Salon highlighted, the pushback is growing. Groups like Stop Moms for Liberty and the Ridge Network are galvanizing community members to challenge the conservative wave, advocating for an inclusive educational environment that reflects a diverse society.
In reflecting on the battle for inclusivity in education, Pennridge board member Ron Wurz, who transitioned from Republican to Democrat due to the GOP’s approach to education, shared his insights with Salon.
“The way they’re going about running schools, too political and not really focused on the kids,” Wurz said.
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