Do you see anything wrong with this?
I do.
The chairs and music stands are public property.
A principal participated in a political rally during the school day.
It's possible the band teacher and custodians did too.
These are all campaign finance violations.
But what I find most disturbing is the use of students. Whether it's bands playing at a rally, or the culinary students working at MASC's annual Day on the Hill event, or the dozens of students brought to Beacon Hill to advocate on behalf public employees, we must stop this exploitation of children for political purposes.
Some will try to justify student participation by arguing these events are meant to garner more funds for education. To that I say, just because you might approve of the goal does not mean you should approve of the process. The Day on the Hill is not a field trip, it is political theater and these children are being used as props.
As a music teacher, I had to justify and advocate for my budgets because the arts are often one of the first programs to be cut. Even thought the battles were tough, I would never use my students to petition for dollars. The politicking was my job. Their job was to learn and excel. Their success would speak for them.
Others argue that not allowing these types of events would be sheltering students, some of whom are old enough to vote, from the political process. They consider these types of activities as civics lessons. But these events are not civic lessons. Children are being used to soften a message, to make it appear altruistic, and to give the impression that a vote against the candidate is a vote against their own children. These events such as the one in Pittsfield create a political environment such that there is no doubt who the principals and teachers are voting for. This is not teaching. It's indoctrination.
This week, students throughout the Commonwealth participated in mock elections. With teacher union spending on the gubernatorial election totaling over $2 million this year, let's hope these were true civics lessons and not mere political propaganda.
