NEW YORK CITY, March 11—After 100 days of being administratively reassigned for pro-Palestine advocacy, an educator was victoriously returned to the classroom. Accused of pushing a political agenda, this educator was abruptly taken from and finally put back into the classroom thanks to a powerful school community fight back. 

The liberal ruling class supporters of Israeli fascists openly demonstrated their hypocrisy and repression proclaiming political neutrality while attacking opposition to their genocidal war in Gaza. This double standard was obvious for the whole school to see. Every educator knows that what and how they teach in a classroom is a political act—a Zionist or a capitalist would surely not face any criticism.
The “apolitical” education stance of Big Fascist liberals weaves ideological illusions of inclusion and pluralism to maintain domestic support for their horrific slaughter of our class brothers and sisters abroad. As capitalism goes through increasing crises, it is necessary more than ever to see through and struggle against liberalism in all forms.

Fighting back in a Dark Night

Through this educational struggle, there were valuable lessons to be learned about organizing under increasing fascism. In this Dark Night of political organizing and fightback, there are often very low levels of class consciousness. This includes even sellout unions like the main caucus of the United Federation of Teachers. They prefer under-the-table deals with bosses as well as secrecy and isolation for union members. 

Against fears of reprisals from the bosses, workers must bring things to light and defend one another. The working class is weaker when we are not joined together in a multiracial struggle. The bosses count on fragmentation and fear to silence those of us under attack.Though the Union attempted this silencing strategy, it was the work of organizing parents, students, and teachers that ultimately brought the educator back to the school. 

Our strategy ultimately paid off with parents agitating against the administration, students gathering their peers, and teachers pressuring the Union to take a class-struggle stance. To fend off ruling class attacks, it is necessary to continuously base build with those who will collectively work to defend one another. To do so makes it possible to force the ruling class to pay a price for their actions while raising consciousness in struggle. Above all, the knowledge that there is collectivity can empower those who otherwise might feel defeated, exhausted, scared, or isolated.

This victory is to be celebrated. However, winning this reform is not nearly enough. Without a revolutionary party to fight for a communist horizon, it is too easy to forget the lessons of struggle in this Dark Night. One such lesson from the past that should not be forgotten is the Nazi policy of Gleichschaltung, which saw nearly all German teachers enlisting in the project of fascism. 

These fascist and nationalist ideas in education continue today as many teachers in the U.S. remain complicit in the schools bombed and students killed in Gaza today. As capitalism continues to deteriorate, teachers will undoubtedly be on the front lines of enforcing violence against migrants, unhoused people, and those caught in the middle of an inter-imperialist war. Against these threats, together with the Progressive Labor Party, we will continue to fight back!