Arizona's classrooms might soon feature content from a new source, as the state Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne, has announced a partnership with PragerU, a conservative educational media platform. The nonprofit, which is known for its right-leaning views, will provide educational videos to the state's public and charter schools, AZ Family reports. Horne has encouraged teachers to integrate these materials, which cover topics such as financial responsibility, as well as more divisive subjects like sexuality, gender, and climate change.
According to Horne, "Parents who are showing up and are hearing there is a left-wing domination of the educational market, they have an option for something else for their kids, that’s it," as told AZ Family. Critics, however, are raising red flags over the partnership. Beth Lewis with Save Our Schools Arizona expressed concern, stating, "This is a program that is not actually a university, despite its name. It’s not an accredited program. It’s not an actual education organization and it’s deeply funded propaganda." The videos, provided at no cost to schools, are described by PragerU CEO Marissa Streit as patriotic and truthful.
The Arizona Education Association (AEA), representing over 20,000 teachers, voiced its alarm with AEA president Marisol Garcia citing the "extremely partisan" nature of the materials set to enter classrooms, as per FOX 10 Phoenix. On the other side of the debate, parents like Melania Farcas are welcoming the initiative: "We are sick and tired of the left ideology being pushed onto our kids. This is an option. They have a choice, so they aren’t being fed just one thing. They can see both sides."
At the heart of the controversy lies PragerU's handling of certain historical topics. Some of their videos have been criticized for allegedly presenting misleading perspectives on historical figures and events, including the suggestion that being enslaved is preferable to death, a statement used in their portrayal of Christopher Columbus. "There are videos that teach absolutely incorrect history, incorrect science, and I think that’s really dangerous to put in front of our children," Lewis told FOX 10 Phoenix. However, not mandatory, the material will soon be accessible through the state's education department portal, potentially shaping the curriculum for those Arizona families in alignment with PragerU's viewpoints.
Horne, meanwhile, maintains that it will be each district's decision to use the videos, asserting their quality by stating, "The Prager materials are very well-known and there is no need to vet them." The partnership marks Arizona's entry into a growing list of states, including Florida, Montana, and Oklahoma, that have given PragerU a foothold in their educational systems.
