The Rabid Right-wing Attack on Education in the United States
By David Starr
To be ‘woke’ is to be committing a ‘sin,’ as the right-wing in the United States have gone on the attack against being woke and in turn dissing the awareness and knowledge associated with it.
Education is a prime target of the right-wing because it hates and fears students actually learning about such things as racism, religious fanaticism, etc. The right has become intoxicated with its warped agenda which fuels hate and fear.
Putting it a little more directly, the Zinn Education Project (named after Howard Zinn, author of ‘A People’s History of the United States,’) published an informative piece called ‘Teaching in Perilous Times.’
‘Educators are teaching in perilous times. We face a white supremacist backlash – funded by billionaires – against the 2020 uprising for Black lives, when tens of millions built a multiracial movement against systemic racism.
‘In response, [those in power] are suppressing honest education about systemic racism, attacking immigrants, policing Black communities, and scapegoating LGBT people, all within the context of a climate crisis that threatens life on Earth.’
Further, ‘billionaires no longer just fund reactionary policies; they are merging corporate power with government repression to further their dominance.’
It’s fascism when it comes down to it. They are attacking education by trying to impose book bans, and eroding basic rights. There has been a crackdown on any criticism of Israel and its attempted genocide against Palestinians; not to mention its attacks on Lebanon and Iran.
But there is resistance: ‘Teaching the truth about Black history, Indigenous history, immigrant struggles, LGBT identity, and climate justice is not just instruction – it is defiance, solidarity, and liberation.’
A major part of the right-wing attack on education comes from Prager U, founded by propagandist Dennis Prager. This so-called university has revenue which went up to almost $70 million in 2024.
The Guardian had a piece on Prager U and Prager himself by Noah Kirsch who writes, ‘Despite its name, it is not in fact a university, but a rather prolific content generator that has often been accused of spreading misleading information.’ The ‘university’ has put out free lesson plans and videos and has spread in about 12 states, which includes Texas, Florida and Arizona. (That is, U.S. southern states.)
Prager and his ‘university’ have targeted children such ‘as infants and toddlers,’ according to Prager, with cartoons and picture books. These poor kids may grow up detached from reality.
Middle schools and high schools have also received Prager propaganda which, for example, talks of the ‘evils’ of socialism, and that reducing emissions is harmful to the public.
Other right-wing groups have also been trying to penetrate education curricula. Moms for Liberty and Turning Point USA have had their sights set on imposing similar propaganda as Prager U. An indoctrination into the goal of being a ‘true American,’ i.e., being white and led by men, trying to impose religious indoctrination where its supporters make the ridiculous claim that the U.S. is a ‘Chrisitan nation,’ and then there’s the superiority complex that comes in the form of racism against ‘The Other.’
The Trump regime has of course been in support of the right-wing’s attack on education. The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) has pointed out that Trump has tried to eliminate the Department of Education (DOE) and put education into a freefall where critical thought and a well-rounded education for students is taboo.
‘The Trump [regime] has already fired nearly half of the department’s staff, removing civil servants who advance important work related to advancing equal education opportunities, including drastically cutting personnel in the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).’
There are still federal civil rights laws that have remained in place that can protect students from the right’s indoctrination agenda. But enforcing them may be another thing with Trump’s objective of trying to eliminate the DOE.
The LDF states that there are still ways where, ‘Students and parents can have the right to advocate for themselves; document any incidents of discrimination, harassment, or inequitable treatment; and file complaints as needed.
‘Local advocacy groups, legal resource groups, and other organizations may be able to fill gaps as federal protections become more limited.
‘Elect pro-civil rights local school board members and hold them accountable to protect all students’ civil rights in education. Speak truth to power through protest, and provide public testimony to demand that all students have access to equal education opportunities free from discrimination.’
Although the right-wing continues to attack education, those who are woke – having awareness and knowledge – have fought back and must triumph.
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