The Education Week Research Center, a project of Education Week, surveyed the political opinions of 555 teachers, 266 school leaders, 202 district leaders, and 99 other school or district employees. Here is what they found:
That’s a pretty standard distribution of political ideologies. I suppose one could argue that educators lean liberal, given that differences in party affiliation and voting record appear to favor Democrats. Had the Republican Party fielded a presidential candidate that better articulated a vision for public education, that slight advantage may disappear.
But this survey suggests something else. Research organizations, unions, and advocacy groups that toe the Democratic Party line will alienate a significant number of public school educators, administrators, and staff. More importantly, it is a reminder that, contrary to their claims, they do not represent a profession that remains ideologically and politically diverse.
