Those loud angry voices in town have a new out of town megaphone: a group called Parents Defending Education. You may already be familiar with the terming astroturfing, defined by Merriam-Webster as follows:
organized activity that is intended to create a false impression of a widespread, spontaneously arising, grassroots movement in support of or in opposition to something (such as a political policy) but that is in reality initiated and controlled by a concealed group or organization (such as a corporation)
This is astroturfing, plain and simple. At the moment they’ve set their sights on issues concerning how human sexuality is addressed in the Howard County Public Schools. PDE popped up in my Twitter feed last night attacking both teachers and curriculum.
This group calls itself a grassroots organization. I’m dubious about that. Take a look at this post on Curmudgucation, “Astroturf goes hard right.” There’s more to learn in the attached post which defines PDE as “Prefab Grassroots”. In short, where the funding is coming from is a source of deep concern. This is not a mom and pop operation. PDE and similar groups are attacking public education on a number of fronts. It’s not just about what books are in the school library. They’re also connected to the spurious “CRT” outrage that’s sweeping the country right now.
Parents Defending Education encourages people to “turn in” teachers and schools with a handy-dandy form right on their website.
Let’s let that sink in for a minute.
When was in high school I performed in a one act play by Bertolt Brecht entitled The Informer. In the play, set in Nazi Germany, a teacher fears he has been reported to the authorities by his own son. As an adolescent I viewed the play as more of an historical exercise than a living, relevant warning. That couldn’t happen again, right?
Here’s some food for thought from Curmudgucation:
Call it a culture war, or just call it plain old racist baloney, this appears to be the next front in the education debates. It's gaslighting on the same order as the abusive partner who says, "If you report me to the police, you'll be tearing this family apart." It will be argued on two fronts-- one trying to inculcate the belief that America is #1 and the most awesomest, and the other working to silence everyone who says differently. PDE is particularly odious because of its whole "turn in any teacher or school that offends you" approach to chilling conversation and teaching. This is not just astroturf, but astroturf with its brown shirt on.
This is something we will have to fight. Public education is meant to be for all children. Telling the truth about history and/or human sexuality is an important part of its mission.
It has to be our mission.
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