Parents across the country are starting to wake up to the indoctrination their children are receiving in both public and private schools. But rather than face the daunting task of figuring out how to counter the leftist narratives their kids are learning alone, they now have an ally in PragerU.
Earlier this month, the conservative nonprofit launched an invaluable resource called PragerU Resources for Educators & Parents. PREP reaches K-12 kids through original content, offers curated resources, and builds a community of likeminded, patriotic individuals through its members-only discussion forum and live virtual events.
The idea for PREP was born out of the realization that schools are not just focusing on the three Rs anymore—but are “replacing education with indoctrination,” the website states, “teaching that America is not a land of plenty, but a nation of systemic oppression and inequality.”
So while the problem with schools was the “final push” to get PREP off the ground, according to Jill Simonian, director of outreach for PREP, there was already an appetite for the content among PragerU’s fanbase.
Many parents who followed the organization’s traditional short videos kept asking when PragerU would venture into making content geared toward younger children that celebrates America as the land of opportunity in an age-appropriate, educational, and entertaining way.
And so far, PREP has delivered just want parents are looking for—and more. Younger children, in the Kindergarten through Second Grade age range, for example, will be enthralled by Otto’s Tales—storytime with Simonian and mascot Otto.
“This is sad to say, but what school nowadays is going to willingly read a book about how incredible it is to visit Washington, D.C. and become a United States citizen and appreciate the process of becoming an American citizen?” Simonian said. "And we did that with our premiere episode with ‘Paloma Wants to Be Lady Freedom’ by Rachel Campos-Duffy.”
Simonian also walks children and parents through fun DIY projects dubbed Craftory (craft + history) that both celebrate American values and teach a brief history lesson. In the first episode, Simonian offers lively instruction on how to make a military appreciation wreath.
Content geared toward teens and tweens offers life lessons, a book club, and short videos about historical and contemporary issues.
Parents are already ecstatic about some of the topics—“Just looked at the titles, I am so excited!” one PREP member commented in the Facebook forum. “How to have conservations with real people? How to have less screen time? So unexpected – love it!”
Simonian was clear the material offered is meant to be supplementary—it’s not a curriculum.
“What it is, is entertainment and education through short five to six-minute videos that parents can give to their kids to watch. And they know that they're going to be reinforcing the values that we appreciate,” she told Townhall. “It's educational entertainment.”
The curated resources, such as the book lists, are also a huge boon to parents looking to reinforce values important to them, as is the Facebook forum available to PREP members, where parents and teachers share resources and advice.
While it’s easy for parents to get upset about the curriculum changes happening in schools, and some may be too scared or nervous to speak up, Simonian says PREP is “a very positive place that is giving kindred spirits courage … to really defend the ideals of what education should be—unbiased education.”
“And I don't mean giving us courage so that we can go and cause controversy and fight back,” she added. “It's giving us courage to really stand up and say, ‘Hey, a lot of things that are being baked into the curriculum of our schools, those are not truthful.’ And it's giving us courage to stand up for truth. Not your truth, his truth, her truth—for the truth. It's giving us courage to stand up for maintaining truth in education. And it's giving us courage to not be ashamed to say, 'we value the ideals that America was founded on.'"