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Schools Are Spending Billions To Fight Campus Culture Wars

As tensions rise on campus and in board chambers, districts dish out more for security, lawyers, and staff turnover.

Theculturewariscostingschooldistrictsbillions,accordingtoareportreleasedinOctober2024bytheUCLAInstituteforDemocracy,Education,andAccess.Thereportsurveyedsuperintendentsat467schooldistrictsnationwideaboutextraexpenditurestheyundertookbecauseofincreasedconflictoverculturewarissuessuchascriticalracetheory,bookchallenges,gender-relateddebates,andotherpoliticizedtopics.Thereportestimatesthatsuchfightscostschooldistrictsaround$3.2billionduringthe2023–2024schoolyear. Superintendentsreportedincreasedsecuritycosts,legalfees,andexpendituresrelatedtohighstaffturnover,aswellasotherculturewarspending.Onesuperintendentinterviewedforthereportsaidtheseculturalconflicts,atalevelheconsidered“high,”requiredhisdistricttospendanextra$100,000tohire“armedplainclothesoff-dutyofficers.…becausepeoplecomingtotheboardmeetingsareunpredictableandsometimesviolent.” Thatdistrictalsoincu