How Political Bias in Schools Affects Students
US Capitol
Although political bias in American public schools has always existed, the bias has been exacerbated since January 20, 2017 when Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. Public Schools, especially, teach all types of students with different political views and students and teachers alike have been known to discriminate against students for having different views than themselves.
In MHS alone, I have witnessed students bashing Trump supporters, calling them nazis, racists, and misogynist, in the halls of the school and on social media. Although everyone in America has the freedom of speech and the right to share their views, liberal students should not resort to vicious name calling to try and force others to have the ‘right’ opinion on political matters, or opinions that match up with their own.
Instead of being encouraged to have their own beliefs and ideals, students are being told that if they do not agree with certain views, it could affect their social standing and class ranking. In Mountain View, California, a history teacher lectured about the similarities between Trump and Hitler, saying that both men wanted to “make their countries great again.” The teacher was later suspended due to his insentiviness. As The Economist points out, “Students who dissent from the teacher’s view may feel alienated from the discussion and uncomfortable expressing their ideas openly” (Daily Caller).
A New Jersey student that would like to remain anonymous, shared with me her experiences at her public high school, where she was defending a friend when controversy broke out between a student of color and a white student with different political views. The white student was trying to prove that even though the two were from different heritages and different political backgrounds, they were both human, so he put his arm next to hers and told her that they “were not so different”. The student become upset by this analogy and accused the him of “directing racial slurs at her” and he was taken to the hallway to discuss the situation. My source, upset about the false allegations taken against her friend, responded to the accuser saying, “It’s not okay to silence voices of dissent simply because you have an opposing viewpoint.” The accuser yet again become uspest and went to the principal and claimed that she called her a “brown b*tch”, even though these words were never said.
My source was then given an HIB without knowing an investigation about the incident was occurring. The school completely ignored her side of the story and was quick to judge the claims made against her. To defend herself, my source was forced to give a statement of the Board of Education to remove the HIB, the board decided to reverse their decision at a district level after the hearing. If the situation escalated and the Board did not repeal the HUB, my source would have gone to court over the matter do to the clear violation of an unfair trial and the school’s disregard to judge fairly.
To stop issues from forming in the future, school should be a safe environment for students. Teachers should not share their political views and try to force them on students and current political situations should be discussed in the classroom, unless the environment is complete safe for students with political views.
john e reed • Sep 17, 2018 at 8:19 am
My name is John Reed. I was on channel 5 news last week. Although they did a 20-minute piece on me about the school. Most of what I said did not end up in the news video and only about 75 percent I ended up in the editorial on WPTV Channel 5 news about Colin Kaepernick. Over a week ago my my daughter’s 5th grade teacher for reading. An editorial which is an opinion anyway period on a one-sided view of Colin Kaepernick. She started where my daughter did not know who this man was with he knelt for veterans a veteran yelled at him and he explained it was for Veterans. So Colin Kaepernick and The veteran became friends. Then she went on with this article that made him sound like he was a historical figure and because Nike sets Trends he was a great guy and should have the NFL forced into letting it back. Then she interjected that her father threw her out of the house two years before because she was dating a black man. It was A3 Day weekend so Tuesday I caught went and waited and then have the principal call me after an hour. Explain the situation and had the principal look into it and call me back. As of 10 year old my daughter looked on YouTube and saw it was and police shooting people and the US government being racist. As well since the teacher mentioned veterans which I am a veteran and my daughter has no Mom. It made my daughter scared to say anything because if the teacher could get thrown out of her. Dad’s house. Maybe it could happen to her. This terrorized My daughter all weekend. The teacher then on Tuesday after the 3 Day weekend apologize to my ten-year-old daughter. The next day the teacher printed up the editorial with a questionnaire of opinion. And then afterwards Mark what the right opinion was. Unfortunately that’s not the way the news presented my story. It did cause me to get the action I needed from the Palm Beach County School Board. But then I had senators politicians and political groups calling me wanting to set up suing the school board and setting up protest outside the school. I told him I did not believe when Colin Kaepernick did was the right thing because he had the right to do it but wasn’t the right thing to do period Cause and Effect. Did it cost more hate and harm than good. Having a bunch of people standing outside that I don’t know protesting the school and hoping that no one gets into a fight and no one gets into a physical confrontation and no one is armed. What’s the total opposite of what I wanted to keep the children out of this to keep people’s personal lives dating lives and everything else of the teacher out of the classroom kids have enough to deal with these days that we do not have to. As well how are they going to keep the school secure with a new security officer it part of the children are scared up or hate the police. Not a good topic. As well as some psycho wanted to come in and do something that would open the door for that. As well not in any way when I wanted. Unfortunately it was twisted what I said and they made comment that the school board commented and they did not either. Some yes in some ways it was fake news. As much as I hate to say that. I do understand the news had a few minutes and they did what they thought was socially relevant for their story. That doesn’t mean they represented all of the truth. And that exactly proves by political Messi things like this depending on where you get your story will editorial will be one-sided and not factual. So it should not be in the classroom. You went to see me Story look under the Colin Kaepernick story but WPTV Channel 5 News West Palm Beach Florida
john reed • Sep 13, 2018 at 12:57 pm
My daughter goes to an elementary school in Palm Beach County on Friday at teacher interjected that she had a news Ela approved by Palm Beach County School District article on Colin Kaepernick she said he kneel for veterans and Veteran got mad and after he told me that her and they became friends she went on with the story about Nike and how Colin Kaepernick was a good guy then said that her father and her arguing about this and her father threw her out of her husband’s house because she was dating a black man. I did not find out about this until Monday morning when there was no school Tuesday I called the principal and the school board and made it clear I did not think this was proper subject matter and was not proper that she interjected political and social views I did not agree with. As well as did not tell the truth. That is a child that her mother has not been in her life it terrified her all weekend she looked online and saw all the hatred on YouTube and was afraid her father would throw her out of her house like the teacher and she had a different View. As well was worried since the teacher said that it was also about the police I’m a government would shoot her father because he’s a veteran and her half-sister because her mother of her half-sister my other daughter is from Dominica so she has dark skin. The teacher apologized on Tuesday. But then Wednesday sent an article about Colin Kaepernick drop the class with a questionnaire which she also marked as what the correct opinion is on my daughter’s paper. I was upset said I was going to get a lawyer and Sue the teacher and the school board because I made every attempt to make it clear I did not agree with this type of one sided View of the situation especially since children look at YouTube to follow up on things at school. This morning the principal called me and told me she would be issuing a new teacher for both morning and afternoon for my daughter and moved her to a new class. Said she would not discuss it anymore and hung up on meOn Friday I found out my ten-year-old daughter in 5th grade at Discovery Key Elementary in Lake Worth Florida have the teacher read an article from news Ela about Colin Kaepernick which I clearly feel is not a fifth grade subject. I’m raising my daughter as a single father with her mother not in her life . My daughter felt that since the teacher made it sound like Colin Kaepernick milk for veterans and then she looked it up later . She didn’t want to go anywhere all weekend. She thought that the police would be shooting black people or veterans because the teacher mentioned veterans and therefore since I’m a veteran I would get shot . As well when the teacher interjected that in her own private life her father threw her out of the house over disapproval on her view of Colin Kaepernick 2 years ago . Am I allowed her was too scared to say anything thinking she would get thrown out of my house She made Colin Kaepernick sound like he was some hero when reading the article she said something about he kneel for veterans and a veteran objected he told the veteran about why he knew and now they are friends. He ran on about how people are burning Nikes and how Colin Kaepernick is going to end up a historical person. They whitewash the article and made it sound like he was a hero and that Nike picked him because he was so good. Then the teacher interjected that her father and her got into the argument about this and her father threw her out of his house. I objected to this on Tuesday I called the principal I called Palm Beach County School Board stating that I did not want this type of thing give me talk to my daughter and it was a one-sided thing it was too politically explosive for adults when is not appropriate for children in 5th grade. That was Tuesday yesterday the teacher not only printed the article made the kids do work on it but told them on this opinion article what was the right answer according to her this article is written with a Democrat left View and the teacher is also pushing her political agenda I am completely appalled and trying to get ahold of me I’ve already spoken to Steve Rossi and I’m looking for possibly an attorney that might take this on a contingency. Any help would be welcome and I would be grateful to have I have the article and have taken pictures of it will be glad to scan it and give you a better version or make copies for anyone who wants it. Would love to get an organized some kind of protest against this type of thing in Palm Beach County Schools. If it is not appropriate the teach all of the facts which of the children go on YouTube and see all the violence online then it is not appropriate to teaching this in a fifth grade class I have made it more than clear that I do not want religious political or such Frederick views put to my child. I’ve had to tell my daughter that if it starts coming up in the class you’re asking me removed from the class and sent to the office I made this clear to the teacher and she said she would give my daughter other material. This was in curriculum like last night. Unfortunately only nine other parents showed up and some of them brought their children even though it said clearly no children on curriculum night. One child and her daughter said if I don’t like this type of thing I should get my daughter home school. If this is not the type of thing that the young Republicans stands up to help fight please let me know who I would contact thank you . The article is from news Ela I would be happy to forward the article and the questionnaire from the teacher today at 1:30 I’ll be meeting with wflx Channel 5 News Palm Beach to do a story on
Jeffrey Witte • Jan 29, 2018 at 11:42 am
I couldn’t agree more. Politics have no place in the classroom, especially if it’s going to lead to such horrible situations. Teachers should have no right to discuss their political beliefs in school.