Pete Hegseth, the prospective Defense Secretary under the forthcoming Trump administration, has been a long-standing advocate for an education system deeply rooted in patriotic principles and Christian theology.
This vision, according to a recent Politico article by Juan Perez Jr., could soon be implemented for thousands of military families.
As reported by Politico, Hegseth could potentially overhaul the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA), an agency that provides education to a significant number of children from military families. The article expresses concern that Hegseth might "bend a key facet of the education system in his image" by introducing the "patriotic education" proposed by Trump's 1776 Commission.
The DODEA, which spends $900 billion annually and oversees the education of approximately 67,000 children, is portrayed by Politico as a highly regarded school system whose students consistently outperform their peers on federal standardized tests. The agency also promotes cultural Marxist diversity, equity, and inclusion curricula to the children of service members, including encouraging them to explore transgender identities without parental knowledge. The article suggests that Hegseth's potential disruption of this agency, including the establishment of a new chain of command and the use of federal contracts to engage consultants to revise curriculum, testing, and teacher training standards, is cause for alarm.
However, the DODEA is in dire need of reform. Despite its students' above-average performance, the margin of difference is not substantial, as per federal data. More concerning is the report from the Claremont Institute last year, which revealed that the DODEA established a DEI department in 2021 and conducted an "Equity and Access Summit" in 2022 to strategize the introduction of gender ideology to students. The Federalist has reported that the DODEA has been misleading military parents and promoting DEI in schools, with the agency commemorating "Pride Month" this year and planning to do so again in 2023.
The DODEA's press release this year stated, DoDEA celebrates our colleagues and friends in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer community, plus anyone not represented by the letters. Furthermore, a 2023 video featured DODEA staff discussing their efforts to promote LGBT advocacy in military schools.
In the video, Danica Allen, a DODEA special education teacher, stated, Celebrating Pride Month to me is actually a life-saving activity. Bryanne Elliott, another DODEA special education teacher, urged colleagues to be more open-minded by using spouse or partner instead of husband. Fawne Robinson of DODEAs human capital management branch expressed her desire for staff to learn more about the LGBTQ community through government-sponsored training funded by taxpayers.
These developments underscore a quote from Hegseths book, Battle for the American Mind, featured in the Politico article: Almost no school public or private seems safe. Conservatives and Christians are surrounded, Hegseth writes.
Politico appears apprehensive that Hegseths ideas could then take hold across the country, potentially weakening the influence of gender activists on the minds and bodies of servicemembers children. However, the majority of American voters believe this would be a positive development. Hegseth, in line with most Americans, has consistently called for the reform of American schools to prevent teachers from imposing critical race theory and gender ideology on students.
The overwhelming majority of Americans believe that schools, particularly those serving military families, should prioritize teaching patriotism over preferred pronouns. This viewpoint, though seemingly shocking to outlets like Politico, aligns with traditional values and the preservation of individual freedom.
Login