DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — The Central Bucks school board is scheduled to vote Tuesday night on a controversial policy that restricts what teachers can display in classrooms. Proponents say the effort is about neutrality in schools, while critics argue it is really about politics.
The vote is about revising Policy 321, which has been on the books in Central Bucks since 2018. The policy prohibits district employees from participating in political activities while on the clock and on district property.
The school board’s 6-3 conservative majority is looking to revise the policy to include language so that “it is designed to promote education instead of indoctrination or endorsement of partisan, political or social policy matters,” the proposed policy reads.
There are six guidelines, including one that states, “Employees shall not display any flag, banner, poster, sign, sticker, pin, button, insignia, paraphernalia, photograph, or other similar material that advocates concerning any partisan, political, or social policy issue.”
“It’s not meant to trigger people. It’s meant to state simply that we want to teach children how to think and not what to think,” said board President Dana Hunter.
“A student should never walk into a classroom and know the politics of their teacher,” Hunter continued. “Teachers should be in a position where they’re facilitating conversation and they’re presenting information, but they are not advocating for one side or another.”
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Those in opposition, including the Democratic members of the board and a number of parents, have been pushing back. They say the policy change is, in large part, to prevent teachers from flying pride flags in support of the LGBTQ community.
Hunter said that was a “narrow” interpretation and maintains this is about neutrality and more open dialogue in classrooms. She said some are misunderstanding the policy, claiming that teaching historical events, like the Holocaust, would not be allowed.
Critics like Anusha Viswanathan, a parent in the district, maintain that this change is part of the concerted conservative effort to stifle public education.
“These sort of culture wars that have a national agenda are coming to [Central
Bucks]. They’re coming to impact real kids. They’re coming to impact our kids,” Viswanathan said.
A similar policy went into effect in neighboring Pennridge School District. Those in opposition say such changes offer solutions to problems that do not exist, and teachers would not be able to do their jobs properly if they are always looking over their shoulder.
Hunter said there have been “some advocacy issues in the classroom” but acknowledged that it “isn’t a large problem” and “it’s very infrequent.” And, at times, she said there have just been misunderstandings.
The board meeting is set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The draft that will be voted on is a bit different than the initial draft that the board looked at in the fall.
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In October, the ACLU filed a complaint against the district that “alleges a longtime toxic environment” for LGBTQ students.
Hunter said they hired law firm Duane Morris to conduct a review of their policies, and attorneys suggested language changes to Policy 321. Now, the draft being presented at Tuesday’s board meeting no longer includes any specific mention of “gender identity” or “sexual orientation.”