{"id":38214,"date":"2024-02-22T09:48:51","date_gmt":"2024-02-22T14:48:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2024\/02\/22\/teachers-views-of-current-debates-about-what-schools-should-be-teaching\/"},"modified":"2025-08-27T15:05:01","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T19:05:01","slug":"teachers-views-of-current-debates-about-what-schools-should-be-teaching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/social-trends\/2024\/02\/22\/teachers-views-of-current-debates-about-what-schools-should-be-teaching\/","title":{"rendered":"2. Teachers\u2019 views of current debates about what schools should be teaching"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We asked teachers what type of impact current debates about how public schools should be teaching about topics like race and gender identity have had on their ability to do their job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A sizeable share of public K-12 teachers (41%) say these debates have had a negative impact on their ability to do their job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just 4% say these debates have a positive impact, while 53% say the impact has been neither positive nor negative or that these debates have had no impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similar shares of Democratic (44%) and Republican (40%) teachers say these debates have had a negative impact. But Republican teachers are more likely than Democratic teachers to say the impact has been neither positive nor negative or that there\u2019s been no impact (58% vs. 51%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondary school teachers are more likely than elementary school teachers to say the impact has been negative (45% vs. 36%). Among secondary school teachers, those teaching English or social studies are especially likely to say this compared with those teaching other subjects (55% vs. 38%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Influence over curriculum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We asked teachers about the amount of influence different groups have over what K-12 public schools in their areas are teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Most teachers (71%) say teachers themselves don\u2019t have enough influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teachers are also more likely to say students and principals don\u2019t have enough influence than to say these groups have too much influence. Still, 61% say principals have about the right amount of influence, and about half say the same about students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In turn, a majority of teachers (58%) say their state government has too much influence <\/em>over what K-12 public schools in their area are teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More also say the following groups have too much<\/em> influence than say they don\u2019t have enough influence:<\/p>\n\n\n\n