HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed a bill on Wednesday that would have required school districts to post information about textbooks, course material and state academic standards online.
The Democratic governor said the legislation “politicizes what is being taught in our schools” and that state regulations already require public schools to provide similar material upon request.
Wolf calls the vetoed bill’s requirements duplicative and overly burdensome.
“This legislation is a thinly veiled attempt to restrict truthful instruction and censor content reflecting various cultures, identities, and experiences,” Wolf said in a veto message explaining his action. “My administration is committed to creating a safe learning environment for all students, and we will not take part in this dangerous and harmful imposition.”
The bill would have required links or titles for every textbook and course summaries to be posted on district websites, starting with the next academic year, and that they be updated regularly.
The prime sponsor of the bill, Dauphin County Rep. Andrew Lewis, a Republican, called the veto an effort by Wolf to limit parents’ access to information they need to evaluate their children’s education.
The parties in both chambers were split nearly along party lines in votes on the measure, with Republicans supporting the bill and Democrats opposed.
