When my family made the pivotal decision to settle in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, in the early 2000s, my parents had one objective: to provide my siblings and me with the best possible schooling. As immigrants from Nigeria, they understood the transformative role of education in the pursuit of the American dream. And they knew that the Central Bucks School District, a suburban district outside Philadelphia known for its academic excellence, would be a good fit for their children.
In a startling turn of events, the ideology of a special interest group known as Moms for Liberty has descended upon our community.
Regrettably, a shadow has settled over the education system in Bucks County. In a startling turn of events, the ideology of a special interest group known as Moms for Liberty has descended upon our community. And the group’s national conference, which kicked off Thursday merely an hour away in Philadelphia, has become the center of a national ideological battle.
Two members of the school board, Debra Cannon and Lisa Sciscio, had been part of a private Moms for Liberty Facebook group, according to NBC News. “After they won, the national directors of Moms for Liberty congratulated the Bucks County chapter on Facebook for propelling ‘parental rights’ candidates into office that fall,” writes Tyler Kinkade. (Cannon and Sciscio did not respond to previous NBC News requests.) Now the Central Bucks School District, in Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District — a crucial swing district for both Democrats and Republicans — has witnessed a dramatic change in its educational landscape.
For example, the school district recently banned two LGBTQ-centered books, “Gender Queer” and “This Book Is Gay.” And it’s all part of a much broader — and alarming — pattern in the district and across Pennsylvania.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, at least 61 books have been flagged for review across central Bucks County. Some of the books reviewed are “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison and “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson, among many others. The U.S. Education Department has also launched an investigation into Central Bucks for discriminatory behavior, even as it has ordered teachers to remove Pride flags and, according to advocates, punished staff members who speak out against anti-LGBTQ directives. (Superintendent Abe Lucabaugh said this “narrative” was “categorically false.” The district also commissioned its own investigation, which found no evidence of LGBTQ discrimination.) All those moves by the district are the antithesis to the First Amendment of the Constitution, which protects our freedom of speech.
Outraged by what we see as dangerous moves by the school board, Christina Maida, a fellow Central Bucks School District alumna, and I drafted a petition to the board. The response from our community was overwhelming, and we garnered more than 800 signatures from concerned community members who shared our belief in the importance of supporting educators and students.
The ideology espoused by groups like Moms for Liberty is clearly spreading, and it highlights the increasingly bitter battles taking place in local elections. These battles can come with a hefty price tag. Take, for instance, people like Paul Martino, a venture capitalist who recently relocated from California. Martino poured an astounding $500,000 into Pennsylvania school board races during the heated debates surrounding pandemic-related school closures. His significant political donations have helped reshape the Central Bucks School District, enabling its shift to the right.
Nationwide, Moms for Liberty has grown to 285 chapters in 44 states. The 2024 GOP presidential field has noticed its power and is courting the activists aggressively. Former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former ambassador Nikki Haley are all speaking at the national conference.
The true agenda of Moms for Liberty, contrary to its claims of being nonpartisan, community-based and unbiased, comes into even sharper focus when one delves into the source of its funding. Because Moms for Liberty is incorporated, it’s difficult to see where exactly the money comes from, but Media Matters reports that it has received funds from Conservatives for Good Government, a right-wing Florida political action committee, and that it hosted fundraisers with right-wing personalities like Megyn Kelly. This is nothing more than a calculated strategy to exert control over politically diverse “purple” communities. This is nothing more than a calculated strategy employed by far-right extremists to exert control over politically diverse “purple” communities.
As a person who grew up in central Bucks and has worked in Pennsylvania politics for years, I can confidently assert that the majority of voters in the state don’t want to align themselves with people who are against our Constitution. The majority of Pennsylvanians are committed to providing their children with inclusive quality education in strong school districts. And right-wing activists know this. They know their radical message is unappealing to most people, so they hide behind branding and neutral-sounding slogans like “parental rights.” As the group hosts its national convention in Philadelphia this weekend, we must understand that it is not dedicated to supporting parents. Rather, Moms for Liberty is part of a shrewd push to wrest control away from parents and educators. We are witnessing a brazen attempt to put power in the hands of political activists who hold values detrimental to protecting families and teachers. Take it from me; I’ve seen it firsthand.
Rotimi Adeoye
Rotimi Adeoye is a Philadelphia-based columnist and former speechwriter covering immigration, democracy, and American politics. 
