Montana Politicians’ Attack on Public Education

They say teachers make an impact that lasts a lifetime. Teachers have a profound influence on students’ lives in many ways. A teacher can be a positive role model for a student, someone who cares, listens and advocates for all their students. A teacher not only teaches the required curriculum but also teaches important lessons that are applicable in everyday life. Teaching is more than just telling students that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, it’s about creating a rapport, generating a love of learning, creating a brave space in your classroom and removing obstacles so every student has the opportunity to succeed. But, in the state of Montana, and many other states, education and educators are under attack by politicians who want to play politics with America’s students. 

In Montana, we have a former public school educator running the Office of Public Instruction (OPI). Sounds great, right? Wrong, Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen has implemented her Republican ideologies surrounding education during her six-year tenure thus far. Railing against topics that appeal to her base, like critical race theory, equity and COVID-19 protective measures instead of advocating for Montana’s teachers and students, Arntzen has appealed to the millionaire and billionaire class that has funded her last two elections.

So, let’s break it down and get to how this impacts Montana students and current/future educators throughout the state. The word equity has made its way into the foray of attacks on education throughout the U.S. Many partisan officials believe that including words like equity in the Montana Professional Educator Code of Ethics is a trojan horse for critical race theory. This includes our governor, Greg Gianforte. 

“Instead of promoting equity, the concept that ’we all end up at the same place’ or with equal results, we should promote equality in education, the idea that every student should enjoy equal opportunity to learn, thrive, and reach his or her full potential,” the governor wrote in a letter to the Certification Standards and Practices Advisory Council (CSPAC) on Feb. 9.

Simply put, Gianforte does not understand equity in education. Equity from an educator's perspective does not mean what the governor is arguing. “In our mind, educational equity is not about standards or lowering standards,” CSPAC member and Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson said at CSPAC’s Feb. 9 meeting. “It’s about getting all students up to a higher standard and closing the achievement gaps.”

Teachers and students are being used as pawns by state-wide officeholders in Montana and around the country. Officeholders like Arntzen and Gianforte are manipulating words and definitions in order to benefit them politically and rile up their base, damaging and disrespecting educational professionals who are invested in their students. They both deride a council of state-wide educators as implementing politics into education when they are doing just that : Turning a fundamental cornerstone of education into a political rallying cry.

As bad as it seems, this is not the only area of ineptitude Arntzen advocates. During her tenure at OPI, Arntzen has overseen a staff turnover rate of nearly 90%. As a result, the superintendents for Montana’s AA schools sent a letter to OPI sharing their “disappointment” in her leadership and expressed “no confidence” in the job she has done. Montana’s AA schools represent 64,000 students in Billings, Belgrade, Bozeman, Missoula, Butte, Kalispell and Helena. The letter confronted a litany of issues including unlicensed educators, out-of-date content standards and special education, among others. 

Finally, Arntzen wants to change the teacher licensing program in an attempt to attract and recruit more teachers to the state. Her plan would make it easier for out-of-state teachers to become licensed in the state. All they would need to do is pass an accredited OR non-accredited program. 

“The evidence indicates that there is great variation in the variety and in the quality of alternative preparation programs and thus, it would be irresponsible to treat all of those programs as equal,” Tricia Seifert, the head of the Department of Education at MSU, said.

This would have damaging effects on students and professionals, as unqualified individuals would be teaching the next generation of Montanans. Think about it this way: Would you go to a doctor, hire a lawyer or trust a pilot who hasn’t attended an accredited program? I certainly would not. 

Instead, the state should be investing in the future of its schools. Inspire current high school juniors and seniors to become teachers. Show the benefits of being an educator and make the job more appealing because, currently, teaching in Montana requires a white-collar education for blue-collar pay. 

“The decline of Montana high school seniors' pursuit of postsecondary education is concerning because all pathways to teacher licensure begin with a baccalaureate degree,” Seifert said. “If students are not seeing themselves as college material, then they’re likely not seeing themselves as teachers either.”

So, to Superintendent Arntzen, do better or find another job. You are failing in your role as chief educator for the state. You’ve chosen to appeal to the donors who helped get you elected instead of the people you were elected to represent: the students and educators of Montana. Sincerely yours, a future educator.