Report: ‘Anti-CRT’ candidates are sweeping school boards across the country, even in heavily Democratic areas

Backlash over critical race theory being taught in public school classrooms has become a flashpoint in American politics over the last year — and now it is leading to widespread changes on school boards across the country.

What are the details?

A newly formed political action committee known as the 1776 Project PAC — which is focused on helping elect conservative, "anti-CRT" candidates to public school boards nationwide — won three-fourths of its 58 races across seven states on Tuesday, according to Axios.

The news outlet noted that supported candidates didn't only claim victory in Republican-controlled areas but in heavily Democratic areas, as well.

"Thirteen Pennsylvania school board candidates backed by the group won their races, along with 11 in Colorado, nine in Kansas, four in New Jersey, three in Virginia, and two each in Ohio and Minnesota," Axios reported.

"They're not just winning in Republican areas; several candidates won in solid blue counties: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; Passaic County, New Jersey; and Johnson County, Kansas," the report added.

The PAC's founder, Ryan Girdusky, told Axios: "My PAC is campaigning on behalf of everyday moms and dads who want to have better access to their children's education."

What else?

Those election victories may just be the beginning of an even larger movement. Election-tracking website Ballotpedia noted that school boards of late have seen an "increased level of political activity" extending "beyond recall efforts to school board elections more broadly."

The website identified 88 school districts across the country where race in education or critical race theory, responses to the coronavirus pandemic, and sex education and gender identity in schools stoked significant activism this past election season.

While some groups are supporting specific candidates, others — such as Moms for Liberty — are energizing parents to educate themselves on the issues, to "stand up for parental rights," and hit the polls. The Florida-based organization is no fringe group, either. It operates 145 chapters in 32 states.

Anything else?

The election victories are the apparent result of the groundswell of angry parents gathering at local school boards to protest progressive policies over the last year. That furor has become a movement.

Yet the movement has not only affected local politics. Rather, candidates for statewide offices such as Virginia governor have also successfully campaigned on wresting educational control from the government and giving it back to parents.

Soon enough, issues relating to critical race theory in classrooms may end up influencing national offices.