DOYLESTOWN, Pennsylvania (LifeSiteNews) — A Pennsylvania school board passed a policy this week that prohibits teachers from explicitly pushing their personal political views in the classroom.
The new policy passed by the Central Bucks School District board members on Tuesday prohibits teachers from displaying “any flag, banner, poster, sign, sticker, pin, button, insignia, paraphernalia, photograph, or other similar material that advocates concerning any partisan, political, or social policy issue.” This would include Black Lives Matter and LGBT flags, along with pro-Trump or Republican messages as well.
It does not prohibit employees from wearing personal items related to their religious beliefs.
The school board passed the policy over objections from the ACLU, which also filed a related complaint in October that sparked a federal investigation.
“Adoption of Policy 321 confirms that the Central Bucks board majority is disregarding and continuing to perpetuate a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ students,” a written statement from the left-wing advocacy group stated, according to a local NPR affiliate. An earlier draft discussed “gender identity” and “sexual orientation,” but the passed policy broadly refers to “social policy issue.”
“Employees shall not advocate to students concerning any partisan, political, or social policy issue nor engage in partisan, political or social policy electioneering or campaigning unrelated to employee representative elections,” the new rules state.
“Employees shall not direct or encourage students to write, address, or distribute advocacy materials related to any partisan, political, or social policy issue,” another section states.
Military flags, as well as American and Pennsylvania flags can be displayed, as well as foreign country flags, as they relate to class content.
The passed policy notes that it is similar to the school’s neutrality on religion.
“This policy is not a prohibition on topics of speech. Rather, it is designed to promote education instead of indoctrination or endorsement of partisan, political or social policy matters,” the resolution states. “In an analogous context, the district has long educated students about world religions but cannot endorse a particular religion. When implementing and enforcing Policy 321, District employees, the Superintendent and principals may be guided by that existing and familiar non-endorsement principle.”
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The purpose of the classroom is to instruct students, not sign them up for a political campaign or to push for the teacher’s preferred policy positions, the rule states.
“Neutrality and balance in classroom instruction are desired in order to create an optimal learning environment and atmosphere of inclusiveness, where all students are welcome,” it states. “Because views and beliefs about partisan, political, or social policy matters are often deeply personal, employees should not, during assigned work hours, advocate to students concerning their views or beliefs on these matters.”
“Such advocacy does not contribute to a positive learning climate and may be disruptive, divisive, and distracting,” the policy states.