The Battle for America's Schools: Capitalism, Class Struggle, and the Fight for Public Education
As an autistic trans woman and special education teacher at a Title 1 public school, I approach Mike Hixenbaugh’s recently-released book “They Came for the Schools” with a keen interest in its main themes: the recent attempts by right-wing groups to dismantle America’s public education system, particularly in Southlake, Texas. The book traces the historical context of this “culture panic,” from reactions to Barack Obama’s election and Donald Trump’s presidency to the murder of George Floyd, highlighting the involvement of wealthy individuals and corporations in local school board races. Analysing the book from a Marxist perspective, which is especially relevant to me given my descendance from a Red Clydeside deportee, is crucial for understanding the class nature of this struggle. Marx’s views on public education as a potential tool for either maintaining the status quo or empowering the working class provide a valuable lens through which to examine the issues raised in Hixenbaugh's work.
The Ruling Class and Public Education
Hixenbaugh’s book offers a compelling portrayal of how right-wing groups, driven by a combination of Christian nationalism and conservative political ideology, have sought to influence and undermine public education in the United States. This portrayal aligns with Marx’s view of public schools as a tool often wielded by the ruling class to maintain power and perpetuate the existing social order.
Marx argued that in capitalist societies, the ruling class exercises control over public institutions, including schools, to shape them in ways that serve their own interests. This is evident in the book’s description of wealthy individuals and corporations involving themselves in local school board races, using their economic power to sway political outcomes and impose their agenda on public education.
The involvement of these powerful actors in school board races can be seen as a manifestation of the class struggle that Marx believed to be at the heart of historical change. By seeking to control the content and direction of public education, the ruling class aims to reproduce the dominant ideology and maintain its hegemony over society.
Marx’s insights into the role of public education in class struggle appear prophetic in light of recent events. The book’s account of the relentless and uncompromising tactics employed by right-wing groups in Southlake and elsewhere, including the use of lies and intimidation, echoes Marx’s understanding of politics as a form of class warfare, characterised by the ruthless pursuit of power.
However, Marx also recognised the potential for public education to serve as a transformative force if brought under the democratic control of the working class. This potential for resistance and change is hinted at in the stories of hope and opposition mentioned in Hixenbaugh’s book, suggesting that the struggle over public education is far from over.
Historical Context and Class Struggle
Hixenbaugh’s book traces the historical roots of the current “culture panic” surrounding public education in the United States. The book links this panic to reactions against the election of Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president, and the subsequent presidency of Donald Trump, which emboldened right-wing groups to more aggressively pursue their agenda in the public sphere.
This historical context aligns with Marx’s understanding of history as a series of class struggles. For Marx, the driving force behind historical change is the conflict between different social classes, each pursuing their own economic and political interests. In the case of public education, the struggle is between those who seek to use schools to maintain the existing social order and those who see education as a means of empowering the working class and challenging the status quo.
The book highlights how efforts to silence certain voices and inject religious beliefs into public education are part of a broader strategy by the ruling class to maintain its ideological hegemony. By controlling the content of education and limiting exposure to alternative viewpoints, those in power aim to shape the worldview of future generations in ways that reinforce their dominant position.
This is particularly evident in the many U.S. states that forbid the mention of Marx or communism in public schools. By denying students access to competing models and critiques of the status quo, these laws serve to perpetuate the existing power structure and limit the potential for critical thinking and social change.
However, as Marx recognised, the very nature of class struggle means that resistance to these efforts is inevitable. The stories of hope and opposition mentioned in Hixenbaugh’s book suggest that there are those within the public education system (like me) who recognise the transformative potential of education and are willing to fight for a more just and equitable system.
Thus, the historical context provided in “They Came for the Schools” underscores the ongoing relevance of Marx’s ideas for understanding the complex interplay of power, ideology, and resistance in shaping the future of public education in the United States.
Tactics of the Southlake Conservatives
The book provides a vivid account of the tactics employed by conservative groups in Southlake, Texas, in their efforts to influence public education. The relentless and uncompromising nature of their actions, funded by massive expenditures from wealthy individuals and corporations, reflects the intensity of the class struggle surrounding public education.
The Southlake conservatives’ approach aligns with Marx’s view of politics as a form of class warfare. For Marx, political power is ultimately rooted in economic power, and the ruling class will use all means at its disposal to maintain its dominance. The vast sums of money being poured into the Southlake school board races demonstrate the lengths to which those in power will go to maintain the status quo and drown out competing voices.
The use of lies and intimidation by the Southlake conservatives is a stark reminder of the ruthless nature of class struggle. These tactics bear a striking resemblance to those employed during the Red Clydeside period in Scotland, where my g-grand father was deported for his involvement in the protests. Just as the Crown and the British ruling class used violence and disinformation to suppress working-class Scottish resistance, the Southlake conservatives have shown a willingness to resort to underhanded methods to achieve their goals.
The parallels between the Southlake conservatives’ tactics and those used during Red Clydeside underscore the enduring nature of class conflict and the lengths to which the ruling class will go to maintain its power. As Marx recognised, the struggle for a more just and equitable society is ultimately a struggle against the entrenched interests of those who benefit from the status quo.
Religion and Politics in the Culture Panic
The ‘culture panic’ described by Hixenbaugh highlights the troubling merger of Christian nationalism and right-wing politics in the United States. This phenomenon has deep historical roots, dating back to the country’s founding, and has flared up at various points, often in the form of fascist movements like the KKK. Regardless of their political affiliations – whether it be the KKK’s association with the Democrat Party in the past or the current trends within the Republican Party – these groups have consistently embodied fascist ideologies. One of the primary goals of fascists has been to stamp out even the mention of communism wherever it has taken hold, as evidenced by the actions of fascist regimes in Germany, Italy, and the United States.
Marx’s critique of religion as a tool of the ruling class for social control is particularly relevant in this context. He argued that religion serves to pacify the oppressed masses by offering them solace in an afterlife, while simultaneously justifying the power and privilege of the oppressors as divinely ordained. In the case of the Southlake conservatives, the use of Christian nationalism to advance their political agenda can be seen as a means of maintaining the status quo and suppressing alternative viewpoints. By cloaking their actions in religious language and symbolism, they seek to legitimise their efforts to control public education and silence dissenting voices. This merger of religion and politics is a powerful weapon in the hands of those who wish to preserve the existing social order and resist challenges to their dominance.
Resistance and the Potential for Transformation
The book offers glimmers of hope amidst the relentless assault on public education by right-wing groups. The stories of resistance mentioned in the book, although not the central focus, suggest that there are those within the education system (like me) who recognise the importance of fighting back against the forces of privatisation and ideological control.
These stories of resistance align with Marx’s belief in the transformative potential of public education when placed under the democratic control of the working class. For Marx, education was not merely a tool for reproducing the existing social order, but a means of empowering the oppressed and fostering critical consciousness. He argued that if the working class could seize control of the education system, they could use it to challenge the dominant ideology and lay the foundations for a more just and equitable society.
However, the stories of resistance in the book also underscore the immense challenges facing those who seek to transform public education. The right-wing’s rhetoric about “communists” in public schools and the need to “put prayer back in school” serves as a powerful propaganda tool to justify their efforts to undermine and privatise public education. By painting the left as a subversive force that is corrupting the youth and undermining traditional values, they seek to build popular support for their agenda of austerity and ideological control.
This propaganda campaign is part of a broader neo-colonial and neo-liberal project to strip public schools of resources and stack local school boards with lobbyists who will hasten the privatisation of education. The goal is to create a two-tiered education system, where the wealthy can afford to send their children to well-funded private schools, whilst the working class is left with underfunded and under-resourced public schools.
Ultimately, the stories of resistance in the book point to the need for a radical transformation of society to create a truly just and equitable education system. This transformation must go beyond simply defending public education from right-wing attacks, and instead work towards a vision of education that is democratic, empowering, and liberating for all. As Marx recognised, this will require a sustained struggle against the entrenched interests of the ruling class, but it is a struggle that is essential for the future of education and society as a whole.
Criticisms and Limitations
Whilst Hixenbaugh’s book provides a valuable account of the right-wing assault on public education, it may lack a comprehensive analysis of the underlying issues. The book's focus on the specific case of Southlake, Texas, and the broader “culture panic” surrounding education, leaves room for a deeper exploration of the structural and ideological factors at play.
From a Marxist perspective, a more thorough analysis would delve into the content of education in capitalist societies and how it serves to reproduce the dominant ideology and maintain class hierarchies. Marx argued that the education system in capitalist societies is designed to inculcate students with the values and beliefs necessary to sustain the existing social order, whilst also preparing them for their roles as relatively powerless workers in the capitalist economy.
To fully understand the challenges facing public education, it is necessary to examine how the curriculum, pedagogy, and structure of schools reflect and reinforce the interests of the ruling class. This requires a critical analysis of the hidden curriculum, the ways in which schools sort and track students, and the role of standardised testing in perpetuating inequalities. Hixenbaugh’s book touches on some of these issues, but a more comprehensive analysis would place them at the center of the discussion.
Furthermore, envisioning and implementing a truly revolutionary education system is a daunting challenge that requires a fundamental rethinking of the purpose and practice of education. Marx’s vision of education as a means of empowerment and liberation for the working class provides a starting point for this reimagining, but translating this vision into practice is a complex and ongoing struggle.
It is worth noting that many modern critiques of education and society often ignore Marx’s contributions entirely. This is a missed opportunity, as Marx’s works offer a rich and insightful basis for critiquing the contradictions and inequalities of capitalism. By engaging with Marx’s ideas, we can develop a more robust understanding of the structural forces shaping education and society, and work towards a more just and equitable future.
Ultimately, whilst Hixenbaugh’s book provides a valuable case study of the right-wing attack on public education, a more comprehensive analysis is necessary to fully grasp the depths of the problem and envision a truly transformative alternative. This analysis must be grounded in a deep engagement with s thorough critique of capitalism and a commitment to the revolutionary potential of education as a means of empowerment and liberation for all.
Final thoughts …
To wrap it up, Mike Hixenbaugh's book “They Came for the Schools” serves as a crucial reminder of the class nature of the struggle over public education in the United States. By highlighting the efforts of right-wing groups to influence and undermine public schools, the book exposes the ways in which education is a key battleground in the broader class struggle.
The relevance of Marx’s ideas in understanding and addressing these issues cannot be overstated. Marx’s critique of capitalism and his vision of education as a means of empowerment and liberation for the working class provide a powerful framework for analyzing the challenges facing public education today. However, it is important to note that Marx is not the only thinker who has critiqued capitalism and its impact on education and society. Other scholars and activists, such as Paulo Freire, Bell Hooks, and Henry Giroux, have made significant contributions to this field and deserve to be included in the curriculum alongside Marx.
Ultimately, the struggle over public education is an ongoing one that requires sustained critical analysis and action. By engaging with the ideas of Marx and other critical thinkers, and by working towards a vision of education that is truly liberating and transformative, we can build a more just and equitable society for all. This is a struggle that requires the participation and commitment of educators, students, parents, and communities alike, and one that is essential for the future of our democracy and our world.