The PTA Disbands - Cultural References

Cultural References

During their field trip, the bus from Springfield Elementary arrives at the Fort Springfield civil war site and skids into a cannon, knocking one of its wheels off. The cannon then points at the tower leg of a lookout, giving the impression that it will fire at the lookout and destroy it, which is a reference to the opening sequence of the television sitcom F Troop. The lookout was also modeled after the lookout in the show. The scene in which Üter is left behind at the end of the field trip is based on a scene from the 1965 film Von Ryan's Express.

Edna points at some school books and says: "The only books we have are ones that were banned by other schools." Skinner picks up a book called TekWar, and says: "Well, the kids have to learn about TekWar sooner or later," referencing William Shatner's series of science fiction novels. Other books in the bookshelf include Sexus by Henry Miller, Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss, The Satanic Verses ("Junior Illustrated Edition") by Salman Rushdie, 40 Years of Playboy by Hugh Hefner, Steal This Book by Abbie Hoffman, and The Theory of Evolution by Charles Darwin.

Bart tells Skinner in the principal's office that Edna told him that Skinner "folds faster than Superman on laundry day", a reference to the comic book character Superman. That line is one of The Simpsons animator David Silverman's favorite lines on the show. Gabe Kaplan is one of Bart's victims on his substitute list, a reference to Kaplan and his character in the 1975 TV series Welcome Back, Kotter. The character at the bank who tells the angry crowd that their money's in "Bill's house, and Fred's house" is based on James Stewart's George Bailey character from It's a Wonderful Life.