Schools are becoming hotbeds of political conflict – especially in purple districts
USA Today
Perhaps it’s no surprise that partisan politics have trickled into education, nor that the past couple of years have seen a wave of legislation and outcry targeting lessons and books about racism, sexual orientation and gender identity. Until now, though, it’s been difficult to grasp how the phenomenon has affected what’s happening within school buildings.
A new study, based on a survey of nearly 700 nationally representative high school principals, helps complete the picture. The culture wars have taken an immense toll on many schools, the study by University of California researchers finds, leading to increased rates of hostility and harassment among teens and adults alike.
According to the study, these trends contribute to and are enabled by the chilling effects of today’s hyper-politicized environment. And such conflict has become particularly pervasive in so-called “purple communities,” congressional districts where Donald Trump received between 45% and 54.9% of the vote in 2020.