Vote Like Kids’ Lives Depend on It ‘Cause They Do
 Steve Bannon might be missing from the witness stand in Congress, but he is omnipresent at the ballot box, especially in this November’s school board elections. This is no surprise because last May he explained his motives, “The path to save the nation is very simple — it’s going to go through the school boards.”
Bannon’s approach mirrors that of zealot Ralph Reed who led the socially conservative crusade in the 1990s with the rally cry of “I’d rather have a thousand school board members than one president and no school board members.” Bannon’s real goal, though, is a takeover of every office from school board to the White House.
School board races are vitally important this year. The vitriol and threats of bodily harm are causing dedicated school board members – both Republican and Democratic – to resign their seats or not run again. You have to ask yourself who would want this unpaid volunteer job in the face of such animosity? Generally, two types of people: those who care about children and those who are promoting a political agenda.
A cursory review of school board races shockingly found Bannon-esque candidates seeking seats on Central Bucks, Council Rock, New Hope-Solebury, Palisades, Pennridge, Pennsbury, and West Chester school boards. Some of these candidates are proud devotees of QAnon, others actively peddle the COVID hoax, and others are clamoring to stop nonexistent Marxist threats or anti-White instruction they see lurking in every classroom.
To make sure these candidates win, Bannon and others are tapping into the darkest instincts of our fellow citizens to get them to get out and vote. Bannon’s been very explicit, telling Politico that Republicans are leveraging fears about Critical Race Theory because it could help them win elections.
Obviously, neither Bannon, QAnon, Reed, or some of these candidates care one iota about the quality of our schools or what’s best for students.
Thankfully the enterprising Pottstown Mercury reporter, Evan Brandt, has surveyed Montgomery County school board candidates so that those who cast votes for these important public servants know why these candidates are running for office. Most of their reasons are quite inspiring; they reflect the best of our country’s volunteer civic spirit. Spotlight PA also has some helpful tools to learn more about school board races.
If only every local newspaper did the same, the likes of Bannon and Reed could be thwarted for good.
The last thing America’s public schools need is to be the battleground of a politically motivated culture war. Our schools need resources, great teachers and superintendents, and the best and brightest school board members to win this election. Do you research and make an informed vote on November 2nd.
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