A recent congressional hearing shed light on the troubling issue of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) infiltration into American schools with its propaganda. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing titled “Academic Freedom Under Attack: Loosening the CCP’s Grip on America’s Classrooms,” which exposed the extent of CCP propaganda in American educational institutions.
The primary focus of concern is on Confucius Institutes, which operate within American universities and schools, ostensibly to teach Chinese language and culture. However, these institutes are funded by the CCP and effectively serve as mouthpieces for Chinese government propaganda. While many university Confucius Institutes have closed down, the CCP is still actively trying to spread propaganda through the Confucius Classrooms initiative in K-12 American schools.
During the hearing, Rep. Aaron Bean (R-FL) highlighted that over 500 K-12 schools in the United States have allowed the CCP to establish itself within their institutions under the guise of Confucius Classrooms. He emphasized that the proliferation of Confucius Classrooms poses a threefold risk, threatening America’s national, geopolitical, and academic interests.
Bean also referenced a report from Parents Defending Education called “Little Red Classrooms,” which identified 143 school districts with CCP infiltration, including some near military bases. The report revealed CCP ties amounting to $17,967,565.12 in funding between 2009 and 2023. Bean expressed concerns about the safety and security of military children and secrets due to the CCP’s presence near military bases.
Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters testified that the report prompted an investigation into the Tulsa Public School District, where they discovered a disturbing CCP connection through a program called Confucius Classrooms.
Committee Chairwoman Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) emphasized that the CCP’s goal is to make the United States less secure, spread chaos through propaganda, and influence American citizens. She stressed the need for continued pressure on the administration to take action against CCP infiltration into American schools.
In light of the CCP’s openly hostile stance towards the U.S., no school district should maintain an active connection with an organization that insults the U.S. and threatens war. The hearing highlighted the urgency of addressing this issue to safeguard American education and national security.
