In recent years, socialist leaders have openly discussed their desire for other socialists to become teachers or members of school boards, saying a “militant minority” can effectively seize control of teachers’ unions and drive political policy debates.

A pamphlet titled “Why Socialists Should Become Teachers”—first released in 2018 by the Democratic Socialist Labor Commission and the Young Democratic Socialists of America, and prominently distributed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)—encourages socialists to embed themselves within the teaching profession.

“There is a growing national network of educators in DSA working to transform our schools, our unions, and our society,” the DSA document declared. “Being a member of DSA means there is a pre-existing network of fellow socialists you can tap for support as you undertake this work.”

In theory, such ideological efforts would likely be stymied by the non-socialist majority in most school districts who elect local school boards.

But in Oklahoma, the practice of placing school-board elections on extremely low-turnout dates—drawing as little as 1 percent turnout in some instances—makes it far more likely that an organized-although-fringe group can succeed in winning elections and seizing control.

“School board members shape every part of our children’s education, but these critically important elections happen when few Oklahomans are paying attention,” said state Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore. “Since taxpayers fund our public schools, it’s crucial that they have a 

voice in choosing who sits on their local school board. Moving these contests to align with the state’s traditional election schedule is an easy and cost-effective way to increase participation at the polls.”

In recent years, Seifried has authored legislation to move school-board elections to higher-profile dates, such as November. While that legislation has passed out of the Oklahoma Senate and through a state House committee in different forms, it has not yet made it all the way through the legislative process to become law. The issue is expected to arise again during the 2027 legislative session.

Oklahoma is one of only 12 states mandating that school-board elections be conducted off-cycle on low-turnout dates for which there is little voter awareness.

Currently, Oklahoma school-board primary elections are held on the second Tuesday in February every year, unless there is a presidential election, while school-board general elections are conducted the first Tuesday of every April.

There are approximately 2,500 school-board members elected across Oklahoma.

Research done by Americans for Prosperity–Oklahoma found that turnout for the April 2, 2024, school-board elections in Oklahoma averaged only 6 percent of voters. Only one school district in Oklahoma had voter turnout exceeding 25 percent that day, and some districts reported less than 1 percent turnout.

In comparison, 64 percent of eligible Oklahoma voters participated in the November 2024 general election.

Research published by the Annenberg Institute at Brown University in January 2020 reviewed data from four states, including Oklahoma. Among other things, researchers found that “the majority of voters in a typical school board election in each of the four states we examine is ‘unlikely’ to have children.”

As a result, Oklahoma’s school-board election system gives outsized power to well-organized fringe groups at a time when the Democratic Socialists of America have become a major player in Democratic Party politics, winning not only low-turnout local elections but also congressional primaries.

A recent report, “DSA In Schools,” released by Parents Defending Education, noted, “The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have an established track record of expounding radical, divisive and antisemitic ideologies. Publicly available information and documents reveal that DSA supporters have infected every level of K-12 schools. From school board members to teachers’ unions and staff, individuals connected with DSA across the country are exploiting their positions to push politically charged and troubling content on children. They advocate for dismantling capitalism, pushing for the Green New Deal, defunding law enforcement, implementing critical race theory, and supporting minors seeking gender surgery without their parents’ consent.”

At the Democratic Socialists of America’s 2023 Convention, the report noted the DSA’s governing body passed a resolution titled “Run DSA Candidates for School Boards.” The amendment declared that “the teacher movement is the tip of the spear of a revitalized labor movement and school board races are a clear way to build relationships with teacher unions by showing ourselves to be the strongest fighters for teachers and quality public education for all.”

The amendment declared that the DSA would commit to “running candidates in school board races and to fight ring wing [sic] and neoliberal attacks on public schools by bringing together DSA, teachers, support staff and education worker unions, and grassroots parent and student groups behind candidates dedicated to building the working class movement.”

The DSA pamphlet urging socialists to become teachers noted that “some groups of workers have more leverage than others to win political and economic demands,” and declared education employees to be one of those groups.

And, the pamphlet stated, teaching jobs provide income that exceeds what socialists can earn in many other professions that attract those with far-left wing views, such as “fields like media, technology, administration, and the non-profit sector.”

“While many of these jobs require a college education, few pay especially well, and even fewer are strategic when considering the political and economic effects of job action,” the DSA document stated.

In contrast, socialist officials wrote that teaching “is still one of the most stable professions in the United States.”

“In most states teaching pays a living wage with benefits, including health insurance,” the socialist pamphlet stated. “Even in West Virginia, where teachers experienced some of the lowest pay in the nation, they were sometimes the highest-paid workers in their communities. These wages allow teachers to sustain themselves and organize for the long term. While the rate of turnover is increasing, it’s not nearly as high as in the retail, service, or even nonprofit sectors.”

The document declared that teaching can provide an “economically sustainable career for those who seek to advance class struggle.”

And, by becoming teachers, the document noted socialists can shape the minds of children.

“No matter what subject or grade you teach, your exchanges with students can help shape a generation of critical thinkers and political actors,” the DSA document stated. “You will be a key source for how many young Americans come to perceive the world around them. You may even have the opportunity to teach about social justice and liberation history.”

The document noted that many current teachers are not socialists—and many teachers may even hold conservative views—but declared that socialists are well-positioned to take control of local schools and unions through their organizational focus.

“In this work we don’t need to convert everyone to socialism,” the DSA pamphlet stated. “In fact, many of the people we organize with will hold a mix of conservative, racist, sexist, and other bigoted beliefs alongside their other more progressive views. Rather, we as socialists need to build a ‘militant minority’ of class-conscious teachers that can move our unions in a more militant and democratic direction.”

The group Parents Defending Education reported that the Democratic Socialists of America seeks “to advance its ideology by using the K-12 education system. Over the years, the DSA has grown in its membership, increased numbers inside of teachers’ unions, won school board seats including board presidents, advanced its political agenda through district policies, and has created youth clubs inside schools.”

By seizing control of both teachers’ unions and school boards, the Parents Defending Education report noted the DSA is trying to put itself in position to “negotiate from both sides of the table.”