Judge rules in favor of Bucks sheriff’s agreement with ICE

Earlier this year, Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran entered into a 287(g) agreement with ICE, which effectively deputizes Bucks local law enforcement to operate as immigration agents for ICE. Local activist organizations objected to the agreement, considering it improper and illegal. So, with the aid of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, the groups filed suit in the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas.

The judge hearing the case, Jeffrey G. Trauger, heard several hearings on the case, finally handing down a ruling supporting Sheriff Harran’s agreement with ICE.

Response from community advocates was swift and unequivocal. In a publicly released statement, Steve Loney, senior supervising attorney for ACLU of Pennsylvania, said, “This fight is far from over. It’s unfortunate that the judge in this case failed to appreciate what the law clearly states; the sheriff does not have authority to sign onto a 287(g) agreement with ICE. We will appeal this decision and, in the meantime, we will continue to work to hold Sheriff Harran accountable to the rule of law.”

Additionally, Loney’s statement said, “This agreement was not approved by the elected Bucks County Commissioners. It was initiated and signed unilaterally by Sheriff Fred Harran without public input, without transparency, and without legal authority. This is not just reckless — it is unlawful. And it is a betrayal of the trust we place in our public officials.”

Dems battle censorship in military schools

One of the earliest salvos the Trump administration hurled in its war against education was the imposition of censorship in Department of Defense schools, which serves to educate children of active duty service members. Under the Trump administration’s directives, DoDEA schools have experienced an unprecedented level of censorship and books bans. More than 600 titles have been removed from circulation, many of which focus on themes of racial and LGBTQ+ identities, gender equality, civil rights history and anti-authoritarian literature.

In response, Congressional Dems have introduced H.R.5527 in order to restore the right to read in DoD schools. Introduced by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), the Stop Censoring Military Families Act will be intended to override Trump’s DoD directives and restore to school library shelves the hundreds of banned books.

Raskin introduced the bill in the House Armed Services, Education and Workforce Committee, and now begins the long, arduous process of becoming a law.

Analysis: PA school boards adopting culture war policies

A recent analysis of dozens of Pennsylvania school boards found one in five of them have adopted culture war policies that censor material, ban books or target LGBTQ+ students.

The group School Board Spotlight determined that 39 of the 193 districts examined had adopted one of those policies since 2023. The Education Law Center, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit, on Oct. 23 highlighted these findings as demonstrating that some school boards are putting “partisan agendas” ahead of the students they serve.

“These policies not only limit educational opportunities but also put vulnerable students, including LGBTQ+ youth, at serious risk,” Kristina Moon, senior attorney with the Education Law Center, said in a statement.

The Education Law Center noted that Adams, Beaver, Bucks, Lancaster and York counties each have more than two districts with policies flagged by the analysis. The center said it has also been monitoring an increase in policies that ban books, restrict certain forms of expression, and prevent transgender students from using bathrooms, locker rooms or participating on sports teams that align with their gender identity.

Dover approves AP History text, despite complaints of bias

Dover Area School Board had to vote on a proposed Advanced Placement U.S. history textbook after some members objected to its use, arguing it would make students “anti-American.” The textbook in question, “American History: Connecting with the Past” by Alan Brinkley, was recommended by the high school principal and its social studies department, and signed off by Assistant Superintendent Timothy Mitzel.

Mitzel said the College Board recently updated the AP U.S. History exam to include the administrations of presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump. When the board reviewed the request, two board members raised concerns on political grounds.

“My review does not show this book as unbiased,” said Board Vice President Craig Kindig.

Dover Area’s far-right school board has passed a series of anti-LGBTQ+ policies in recent years. It joins a number of other districts, including South Western and West Shore, which have scrutinized textbooks recommended by educators. Board President David Conley said he didn’t have a lot of time to look at the book, but he did glance through the chapter titles. He specifically called attention to Chapter 16, “The Conquest of the Far West,” as an example of his perceived bias.

Conley said America’s westward expansion, when the Indigenous population was forced to relocate to other lands under President Andrew Jackson’s direction, was “inexcusable.” “But for the people of the United States, it wasn’t a conquest of the land,” he continued. “It wasn’t a military campaign.”

Despite these concerns, the Dover School Board voted unanimously to retain “American History: Connecting With the Past” as the official AP text for U.S. History.

In the end, though, Conley conceded that “perhaps the wisest thing to do is to approve the textbook.” He said all history textbooks would contain some information that’s troubling, but what matters is how it is taught and that he trusted the teachers to teach history in an unbiased manner.

Items intended for Dispatches may be sent to Gary directly at garydaylight@gmail.com.

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