A recent report by OpenTheBooks has revealed that the Department of Defense’s K-12 school system, which operates globally for the children of American military members, has been pushing diversity, equity, and inclusion ideology and encouraging children to become activists. The report, published Thursday, found that the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) has been promoting social-emotional learning (SEL) and using “transformative SEL” techniques that emphasize paying attention to privilege and identity.
The report highlights how the DoDEA has been using SEL to encourage children to become activists, with a focus on promoting justice-oriented schools and civic engagement. According to the report, students are being taught to recognize and challenge “systems of oppression” and to advocate for themselves and others based on their complex identities.
The report also raises concerns about the data collection practices of the DoDEA, which includes recording and storing students’ emotional states and interacting with them privately outside of parental oversight. The report notes that this data can be used to track students’ performance and could potentially be accessed by administrators and teachers, but it is unclear whether students or parents would have access to this information.
The report also reveals that the DoDEA has been working closely with the far-Left Southern Poverty Law Center to align its education standards with the center’s “Social Justice Standards.” This has led to the teaching of controversial topics such as gender identity and sexual orientation in the classroom.
OpenTheBooks CEO Adam Andrzejewski has called on lawmakers to ensure that teachers are not using big tech to spy on children and to prioritize education over activism in the classroom. The report has sparked outrage among parents and lawmakers, with many calling for the DoDEA to be held accountable for its actions.
