On Tuesday, Governor Tim Walz and Senator J.D. Vance came face to face in the only Vice Presidential debate of the election season. Although they discussed a variety of topics – from the economy to immigration – there was at least one key glaring omission.
Education – an issue weighing heavily on parents across the country – was not discussed at all. Unfortunately, this has been a common theme throughout this election season. Last month, President Trump and Vice President Harris also failed to discuss education policy during their own debate, which is likely to be the only face-to-face conversation between the two candidates before Election Day.
According to a poll conducted by Morning Consult over the summer, “strong majorities of voters” said that education issues – particularly at the secondary and postsecondary levels – are a priority to them this cycle. The survey also notes that “a significant share of these voters are dissatisfied with the level of attention candidates for elected office are giving to these areas.” At a time when parents are fighting to be more involved in their children’s education and fighting against radical curriculums, it is more important than ever to know where our political leaders stand on this issue.
Last year, the fight against radical curriculums and programs like Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) hit a breaking point. Following the October 7 attack in Israel, antisemitic activity skyrocketed in schools across the country. Although the subsequent protests at universities like Columbia garnered the most media attention, secondary schools across the country also experienced a severe increase in antisemitic activity.
For example, at Chief Sealth International High School in Seattle, social studies teacher Ian Golash repeatedly posted antisemitic rants on social media, stating that Hamas’ attack on Israel was “justified” and denying that many of the widely reported atrocities even occurred. Across the coast in New York City, Gotham Tech High School teacher Mohammad Jehad Ahmad also posted radical statements on social media, praising Hamas as “freedom fighters” and referring to the attack as a “successful military campaign.”
Meanwhile, antisemitic graffiti has been found at a number of schools in Montgomery County, Maryland, and in Philadelphia, the school district is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights after more than 200 parents filed a complaint alleging that the school district failed to protect Jewish students from bullying and harassment.
With the proliferation of antisemitism in schools across the country, there is more scrutiny than ever on the radical and divisive curriculums that have gained popularity in the classroom in recent years, like DEI.
At its core, DEI teaches a black and white worldview and promotes a victim mentality. Tabia Lee, a former university DEI director penned an op-ed explaining how DEI drives antisemitism. “At its worst, DEI is built on the unshakable belief that the world is divided into two groups of people: the oppressors and the oppressed,” she writes. “Jews are categorically placed in the oppressor category, while Israel is branded a ‘genocidal, settler, colonialist state.’”
It has become abundantly clear that these teachings are dangerous, and parents are right to be concerned that their children might be indoctrinated with these hateful beliefs in the classroom. Parents across the country have tried to make their voices heard – attending school board meetings and voting in local elections. And to their credit, many local legislators have taken steps to root out these dangerous curriculums by banning DEI and CRT in schools.
Unfortunately, many teachers and administrators are continuing to teach these curriculums in defiance of state and local laws. Over the last two years Accuracy in Media has conducted a series of undercover investigations and exposed educators in North Carolina, Texas, Indiana, Nebraska and several other states who admit on-camera to circumventing these bans. Although AIM is doing its part to expose these individuals and hold them accountable, there are likely hundreds of others doing the same thing in districts across the country. As the investigations show, even schools in traditionally conservative districts are not immune.
This defiance by school administrators and teachers underscores the urgent need for school choice. Students should not be forced to attend schools where antisemitic teachers are allowed to spread their hateful beliefs, and parents should not be forced to send their children to schools that break the law to promote their own radical political agendas.
K-12 teachers play a large role in molding the minds of our next generation. Those who mismanage this great responsibility must be held accountable, and parents deserve to have the opportunity to pursue alternative educational options when teachers fail to do their jobs.
There is a lot at stake, and candidates for office must be transparent about their beliefs. Will they stand with students and parents, or bend the knee to radical teachers’ unions and their deep pockets? Will they fight to give parents more rights and more choice in education, or will they allow inadequate and radical teachers to continue failing our kids?
These questions are too important to go unanswered. We are now just under a month from election day. Both candidates – and their running mates – owe the American people a serious, policy-focused discussion about where they stand on education.
Adam Guillette is the President of Accuracy in Media. Accuracy in Media uses investigative journalism and cultural activism to expose corruption and hold bad public policy actors accountable. Previously, Guillette launched the Florida chapter of Americans for Prosperity and served as vice president of Project Veritas. Since 2004, Adam has served as Distinguished Faculty member for the Leadership Institute.
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