In the final episode of 2022, we reflect on the ongoing campaign to defund and discredit public education in America. In 2022, a network of rightwing think tanks, donors, and officials doubled-down on anti-literacy bills and book bans while often deploying rhetoric that defames the LGBTQ+ community, demonizes Critical Race Theory, and denigrates “wokeness.” The mainstream press locates these efforts within a broader educational “culture war.” This framing risks downplaying the actual stakes and legitimizing an anti-democratic agenda. So we asked the media: if we’re stuck with the “culture war” narrative, at least tell us what each “culture” believes in. Turns out it’s straightforward. This is a battle between justice and injustice. But don’t take our word for it. According to Ryan Newman, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s general counsel, “woke” refers to “the belief there are systemic injustices in American society and the need to address them.” Sometimes it is that simple.