Books Not Bombs Campaign
Though the major tactics of the Jobs with Peace Campaigns were Jobs with Peace Budgets and non-binding referendum campaigns, some chapters focused on particular constituencies. In Massachusetts a Jobs with Peace Education Task Force formed to write curricular for middle and high schools. Experienced educators including Kathy Greeley, Dan French, Susan Markowitz, Connie Phillips and Robin Zane wrote and published in 1983 “Crossroads:Quality of Life in a Nuclear World” for use in classrooms.
A follow up effort initiated by Rep. Carol Doherty (now deceased) when she was President of the Mass Teachers Association. was the writing and publishing in 1984 of the “Books Not Bombs” pamphlet (cover below). This and related materials, supported by the National Education Association, were distributed to members of the Mass Teachers Association. Authors included the members of the Education Task Force above, together with Carol Doherty, NEA staff, Jonathan King, Frank Clemente, Jill Nelson, and Mary Tiseo).
With the fall of the Soviet Union, and the presumed end of the Cold War, the above efforts ramped down. Both Teacher’s unions and parent’s organizations turned their attention to the resisting efforts to privatize public education, increase voucher programs for religious, charter or private schools, and limit curricula through the use of high stakes tests. Among the organizations leading these efforts were the Massachusetts Coalition for Authentic Education (CARE), Citizens for Public Schools and the National Center for Fair and Open testing. They worked together with parent groups in Wisconsin and New York.
At the federal level, public education funding was distorted by the Passage of the No Child left Behind Act, which undermined rather than supported efforts to educate the whole child. The appointment of Betsy DeVos, and opponent of broad-based public education, consolidated rightwing influences in federal programs. One result was the withdrawal of teacher’s unions from engaging Congress on public education funding, often focusing on State legislatures for increasing investments in public schools.
With the election of Donald Trump, the ascension of Elon Musk, and appointment of Linda MacMahon as Secretary of Education, the attacks on public education entered a new phase. The Books Not Bombs network ramped up its activities and returned to playing an active role in the effort to defend public education, both K-12 and higher education. Three Forums have been held featuring national and local leaders since 2023:
“Protecting Federal Investment in Public Education – Books Not Bombs” on May 24, 2025.
“Books Not bombs 2024: Increasing Federal Investment in Public Education” October 26, 2024.
“More Teaching, Less Testing” April, 2024.
The Books Not Bombs campaign, continuing the Jobs with Peace focus on budget choices, has its 501(c4) home here with the Institute for People’s Engagement. The purely education activities are cosponsored with the Mass Peace Action Education Fund.