Why Fascists Fear Teachers (Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freethought Radio podcast)

FFRF Action Fund’s legislative team gives us a rundown on the Nov. 3 ballot initiatives around the country, both good and bad. Then, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten describes her new book, “Why Fascists Fear Teachers.”

Interview: 

https://ffrf.org/news/freethought-radio/freethought-today-october-8-2026/

Teachers decry plan for humanoid robot in New York high school

Realbotix has denied ties to the sex doll company, and denied any inferences that the dolls – manufactured by Abyss Creations, a subsidiary of Realbotix – are related to the pilot program. “

The Salamanca teachers’ union as a whole is concerned about the background of the company of Realbotix. We’re very concerned about the security of the software that they’re implementing, and whether or not the data will be stored, how it will be gathered, are the recording capabilities,” said Lacey Pihlblad, president of Salamanca Teachers’ Association and a teacher at the high school… 

“The answer to the challenges in education is not more screens, it’s not more algorithms, not more robots. What we need in our schools right now are more caring adults and more human connection,” she said…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/25/new-york-humanoid-robot-teachers-school

 

Unhinged Parent Emails Read Aloud (Every Teacher Will Understand)

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3axDcQdg4D4?si=ezl0f3eoXsSLYFfz

Michigan considering requiring literacy training for elementary school teachers

Gives educators tools to implement effective reading and spelling instruction supported by scientifically-based research…

https://www.michiganpublic.org/politics-government/2026-03-12/michigan-considering-requiring-literacy-training-for-elementary-school-teachers 

 

Randi Weingarten on Defending Our Public Education (Al Franken podcast)

We are joined by Randi Weingarten, the President of the American Federation of Teachers, to discuss her new book, Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy.

In the book, Weingarten details how there has been a systematic demonization of teachers and public education in America. She argues that one of the pillars of public education is critical thinking, which prevents fascism from flourishing in society – so fascists (and wannabe fascists) hate it.

We explore a variety of topics facing schoolchildren and their parents today, including charter schools, artificial intelligence, phones in schools, and the treatment of LGBTQ+ students.

We also discuss Trump’s proposed elimination of the Department of Education, attacks on teachers unions, and how we may have kept the schools closed for too long during Covid-19.

READ Randi‘s new book: https://sites.prh.com/whyfascistsfearteachers

Interview: 

https://www.alfranken.com/listen/randiweingarten250921

Why Teachers Are TIRED: The Inverted A Comparison 💥📉

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/V6z284iiakA

 

How some Texas teachers are fighting the Ten Commandments law in classrooms

As public schools begin hanging posters of the religious doctrine in classrooms, some teachers are finding creative alternatives to sidestep or dodge the legislation...

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-teachers-are-fighting-ten-commandments-law-classrooms-rcna230017 

 

Oklahoma to reportedly vet prospective teachers with ‘America first’ test | Oklahoma | The Guardian

…the 50-question certification exam – which is reportedly set to roll out in the coming days – will ask about topics such as the "biological differences between males and females", freedom of religion and US history. 

According to USA Today, the test also includes questions related to false claims that electoral fraudsters handed the 2020 presidential race to Joe Biden at the expense of Donald Trump, who returned to the White House in January… 

The conservative media company PragerU reportedly developed the test…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/18/oklahoma-teachers-america-first-test 

Bail out Teachers, Not Bankers

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qoxhr1ViZss

One Thing You Should Know About Project 2025

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iv08p8UrEe4

Leaked slides show Christian nationalist lessons being pushed on Florida teachers: report - Raw Story

The group's executive director, Jerry Newcombe, writes a weekly column for World Net Daily — a far-right site known for publishing hundreds of stories falsely suggesting Obama was a Muslim born in Africa."…

https://www.rawstory.com/christian-nationalism-2668377519/

Missouri bill would convict teachers of felony, put on sex offender list for trans support - ABC News

If a teacher or counselor "provides support, regardless of whether the support is material, information or other resources," they could be convicted of a Class E felony conviction, facing up to four years in prison or a fine up to $10,000, according to the Missouri Revisor of Statutes. The bill is in the early stages of consideration and is subject to amendments if it progresses through the state Legislature...

https://abcnews.go.com/US/missouri-bill-teachers-support-minors-transitioning-felony-sex-offender-list/story

Florida Students Have Questions About the Ziegler Scandal. The Law Bridget Pushed Means Teachers Can’t Answer Them. – Mother Jones

Thomason's daughter's question gets to the heart of weird plot twist in Florida's culture wars: The state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" law—which Bridget Ziegler says she helped craft—forbids teachers in the state from talking about same-sex relationships in most contexts. "The irony is crazy because you have this woman and her husband who are so concerned with preventing children from hearing anything that doesn't totally align with their values," said Thomason. "And then it's like, I'm having to explain a three-way to a 12-year-old this week." …

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/12/bridget-christain-ziegler-moms-for-liberty-sarasota-teachers-dont-say-gay/

Florida’s “War on Woke” Is Spurring a Brain Drain | The Nation

In January 2019, when DeSantis was sworn into his first term as governor, there were 2,217 teacher vacancies in the state's K-12 public schools. As he entered his second term in January 2023, that number had ballooned to 5,294, according to the FEA. This August, the FEA found the number of unfilled positions neared a staggering 7,000...

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/desantis-florida-education/

Opinion | ‘Forced outing’ is the latest dystopian turn in the culture wars - The Washington Post

"These are just kids trying to be kids," Gov. Tim Walz (D) of Minnesota, who worked as a schoolteacher for a long time, told me. Walz said the right's culture warriors are "making a judgment" that there's "something wrong" with students "bringing their authentic self to the classroom." 

"These folks are just making it hell in schools," Walz concluded. Unfortunately, these efforts will continue metastasizing — and their circle of enemies will grow ever wider. Moral panics will not have it any other way...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/08/24/forced-outing-lgbtq-rights-pen-america-transgender/

How new state laws and book ban movements have made the teaching of US history contentious – 5 essential reads

"Of course, some white students – and other students, too, for that matter – will feel uncomfortable upon learning not only about the history of American racism but also its present manifestations," Pincus wrote. "Reality is sometimes uncomfortable."

https://theconversation.com/how-new-state-laws-and-book-ban-movements-have-made-the-teaching-of-us-history-contentious-5-essential-reads-208576

Facing book bans and restrictions on lessons, teachers are scared and self-censoring (Dave Davies; Fresh Air podcast)

Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson explains how new laws about teaching race, racism, gender identity and sexuality have created new fears and burdens in schools and classrooms.

School systems around the country are struggling to fill teaching positions as many choose to leave the profession due to burnout and low pay. 

But there's something else making life difficult for public school teachers these days - the culture wars that have flared in schools and school boards across the country as parents and political activists debate how to teach kids about race, racism, gender identity and sexuality. 

At least 25 states have enacted laws that impose teaching restrictions on those topics or make it easier to remove books from school libraries. That means teachers are feeling pressure from parents and administrators and sometimes facing disciplinary action or the threat of criminal prosecution if they fail to conform to new state laws and regulations. 

Interview: 

https://www.npr.org/2023/06/22/1183701813/facing-book-bans-and-restrictions-on-lessons-teachers-are-scared-and-self-censor

Opinion | In a deep red Florida county, a student-teacher revolt shames the right - The Washington Post

But the real story of the night was the response. Again and again, parents and students forcefully defended teachers. They cast the right's attacks, the censoring of educators and the removal of books as the real threats to education…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/06/01/hernando-county-ron-desantis-book-bans-democratic-governors/

Tuberville’s comments on inner-city teachers adds to an ugly pattern

An Associated Press report explained soon after, "Tuberville's remarks about reparations played into racist stereotypes about Black people committing crimes. ... Tuberville is falsely suggesting that Democrats promote crime and that only Blacks are the perpetrators. In fact, crime has slowed in the last year and most crimes are committed by whites, according to FBI data."…

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/tubervilles-comments-inner-city-teachers-adds-ugly-pattern-rcna86807

Does funding matter for schools? Most studies say yes. - Vox

For instance, he would like to see extra resources earmarked to attract and retain good teachers in high-poverty schools, a policy he found worked in Dallas. 

So should policymakers spend more dollars on public schools, attached to certain requirements? Hanushek's answer: "Yes."…

https://www.chalkbeat.org/2023/5/16/23724474/school-funding-research-studies-hanushek-does-money-matter