The COVID-19 pandemic saw school boards become a platform for national political debates, as right-wing parents, community members, and elected officials raged against mask mandates and vaccines in schools.
Then, school board meetings were stormed with unfounded fears about critical race theory and LGBTQ+ content replacing the curriculum of elementary school students – and “Don’t Say Gay” bills rose in popularity nationwide.
Now, school board races are a top target for extremists intent on banning books and controlling what our children can learn about in school.