OPINION: Politics, religion and … public education?

Most everyone I know has a “hidden talent.” These unique skill sets typically reveal themselves during the most mundane circumstances: icebreakers at teacher in-service, parties that have gone on too long, or first-date conversations that have run out of steam. These masked abilities could be any type of inessential information that has absolutely no impact on the world other than to inject some life into a situation that is flatlining.  And, if this article is already starting to lose its life, let me help: I know every lyric to every country song played on the radio between 1994 and 1999. TA-DA!

To prove the depth of my hidden talent, allow me to reference a song released by Sammy Kershaw in the Fall of 1996 that sprung from the depths of my long-term memory after the Jackson-Madison County School System district-wide in-service and the subsequent school board elections that took place two days later.

The title of the song, you ask? “Politics, Religion, and Her.”

When Kershaw released the song during the lead-up to the Clinton/Dole election in 1996, our culture was a bit different. There was an understanding that two topics of conversation were so personal that they became taboo to discuss out loud: your vote and your belief system.

Throughout the song, Kershaw begs his friend for any train of conversation other than politics, religion, or the woman who left him to live the rest of his life alone. He’s open to talking baseball, a little small talk, or even exchanging a few jokes - anything but the unholy, unspeakable trinity of politics, religion, and her.

Though the current school year is only in its second week, it has been fraught with outside narratives about politics and religion—two subject matters that - until the last several years - have generally existed outside of the public education realm.

On August 1, two days after the district-wide in-service at the Carl Perkins Civic Center, the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to JMCSS chastising the district for mixing gospel entertainment and Christian prayer with a public school in-service funded by taxpayers. That same day, three new school board members endorsed by the Madison County Constitutional Republicans were officially elected, joining two standing board members endorsed by the same political action group.

Politics and religion - narratives about both invading a space previously unoccupied by either.

I’m a veteran educator with over 20 years of experience, including over 15 years in JMCSS, where I currently serve in a high school setting. Did the political and religious narratives—and consternation surrounding both—affect anything I have done and will do as a teacher? Absolutely not.

During the gospel entertainment portion of the in-service, I sat in my seat working on an article while many of my peers stood up. During the prayer, I respectfully sat quietly while the prayer was given. It didn’t personally bother me, but I understand why some people were concerned about the precedent it could set.

On election night, when control of the school board flipped to MCCR-endorsed candidates, I was disappointed that partisan politics was so heavily involved in positions that rarely require any sort of political leaning, but I wasn’t terribly concerned because I’m going to continue to do what I’ve always done as an educator..

I don’t claim to speak on behalf of any other educator in the district or the state, but I can confidently say that any outside narrative noise about hot-button topics won’t ever change how I do my job:

I will always push students to think critically, encourage them to be themselves regardless of what society believes they should be, and show care for EVERY student in my building regardless of their gender, sexuality, race, or religion. I will model how to behave in productive ways and seek to understand the whole story during situations that involve conflicting ideas.

As a citizen, I can have my own opinions about the infiltration of politics and religion in public education. Still, as a teacher, none of that changes how I will ever do my job. If it ever does, it’ll be time for me to find a new career.

The public education system in Tennessee is ground zero for political warfare and has been for the last several years. From imagined threats such as Critical Race Theory to culture war issues such as gender identity and book banning, public schools have been the victims of a gross amount of misinformation. With all the attention being paid to what supposedly happens inside the four walls of school buildings, August 1st was a predictable lightning rod for two entities that have been fused in the years since Kershaw refused to speak about either one in his song: politics and religion.

I don’t know that there’s ever been a more challenging time to be a public school educator or administrator than where we find ourselves now. The work is incredibly daunting, so much so that any outside noise sounds like static. As citizens, we can all have opinions on what should or shouldn’t happen at in-services and elections. As an educator, though, I only care about the kids in our buildings and doing my best to meet their needs daily.

Gabe Hart is a local educator who’s written columns for various news outlets locally and statewide.