PA Lawmakers Join Moms for Liberty in Dauphin County to Rally Supporters to “Start Fighting” Culture Wars in Schools
A Moms for Liberty town hall in Dauphin County doubled as a political pep rally for some of Pennsylvania’s most hard-right Republican legislators, who urged attendees to “start fighting” in the culture wars overtaking public schools. The event, branded as “Giving Parents a Voice,” brought together GOP Reps. Barb Gleim, Joe D’Orsie, Jamie Walsh, and Marc Anderson — all of whom have built their political profiles around attacking LGBTQ students, undermining public education, and pushing fear-based legislation inspired by national right-wing groups.
Moms for Liberty, the extremist “parental rights” organization known for book bans, anti-LGBTQ policies, and viral conspiracy theories about public schools, framed the night as a community discussion. In reality, it was a coordinated effort between the group and Republican lawmakers to motivate supporters, spread misinformation about transgender students, stoke panic about curriculum, and push legislation designed to roll back civil rights protections in Pennsylvania schools.
Speakers included Holly Magalengo, the Bucks County mother behind a high-profile lawsuit targeting transgender student athletes, and Jamie Tromba, the Moms for Liberty chapter leader who claimed the organization’s critics represent “something not right.” Their message — echoed by the GOP lawmakers — centered on the idea that schools are dangerous, teachers cannot be trusted, and LGBTQ students’ existence is a threat.
D’Orsie promoted his “Dads Defending Daughters” bill, legislation that would ban transgender girls from participating in school sports. Gleim touted her “Honesty in Teaching Act,” which would force educators to present “both sides” of issues and label discussions of race, gender, and history as indoctrination. Walsh, who entered politics by opposing a mental-health program because it included gender-affirming care, pushed the idea that Pennsylvania needs a “spiritual revival” to bring Christianity back into schools.
Republican legislators also attacked teachers’ unions, claiming they exist to protect “the bottom 10–20%” of educators — a familiar Moms for Liberty talking point used to discredit public schools. They then went further, endorsing public prayer, Christian clubs, and religious revivalism as part of the school environment.
The evening ended with Walsh rallying attendees to formally join Moms for Liberty and treat their political efforts like “guerrilla warfare,” urging them to commit at least an hour a week to the organization’s agenda.
The town hall made clear that in Pennsylvania, Moms for Liberty is not operating on the fringes — it is working hand in hand with Republican lawmakers who are eager to replace evidence-based policy with fear, division, and culture-war activism. Parents who simply want functional schools and safe environments for their kids are watching their elected officials team up with a group whose mission is not to improve education, but to weaponize it.
