Advocacy organizations in South Carolina are urging the state Legislature to increase oversight of decisions made by the Department of Education after a controversial partnership was announced with PragerU, a conservative nonprofit. Critics argue that PragerU’s content, which will be available in school lessons, provides inaccurate and offensive information, particularly in social studies and history. They claim that the materials whitewash difficult topics like slavery and present a biased perspective on historical, political, economic, and religious ideas.
The Education Department defends the partnership, stating that the resources provided by PragerU will be optional for teachers to use and aim to offer high-quality civics resources to school districts for free. However, critics are concerned about the content promoted by PragerU, which includes videos with a conservative bias on various topics such as slavery, climate change, income inequality, voter suppression, and immigration.
This partnership is seen as another example of Superintendent Ellen Weaver’s unilateral decisions without input from elected officials, raising concerns among educators and legislators. Critics argue that the State Legislature needs greater oversight over the policies implemented by the Education Department. This controversy follows previous instances where controversial policies were implemented without proper consultation or approval, sparking bipartisan concerns about the department’s authority. Legislators are calling for more accountability and transparency in the decision-making process to ensure the well-being of students across the state.
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