The American educational system is widely acknowledged as broken, but how do we fix it? The answer is simple: through education itself. This is the belief of PragerU co-founder Allen Estrin, who believes that the same tool that got us into this mess – education – can get us out of it too.
Starting with progressive social thinkers like John Dewey in the early twentieth century, the left has gradually wormed its way into our educational system until their dominance was complete by the end of the century. The rise of the internet, however, has begun to reverse this trend by making a monopoly on information impossible for the left.
PragerU, a 501c3 enterprise that Estrin co-founded and serves as executive director, recognized this gap and developed a series of five-minute videos covering topics from economics to philosophy. These videos are aimed at distilling the best ideas of the best minds into easily digestible, visually compelling segments. The Presidents series, for instance, provides fascinating insights into each Commander-in-chief and offers a surprisingly comprehensive overview of American history.
Recently, PragerU has expanded its reach to include pre-school and elementary school students with the creation of PragerU Kids. In the last year alone, seven states – Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Hampshire, Montana, and Louisiana – have authorized PragerU videos in public school classrooms. More states are expected to follow suit soon.
For those homeschooling their children or seeking an alternative to traditional public school education, these videos offer valuable content that can supplement or even replace conventional teaching methods. Estrin suggests incorporating video viewing into the family’s routine as a means of promoting learning and discussion among all members of the household.
Beyond PragerU, there are numerous organizations across the country working to establish charter and private schools emphasizing Judeo-Christian values at their core. Examples include Hillsdale College in Michigan, Grove City College in Pennsylvania, and the University of Dallas in Texas. These institutions offer classical liberal arts curriculums designed to promote critical thinking and instill traditional values in students.
On the college front, innovative new schools like the University of Austin are being established by prominent figures such as tech entrepreneur Joe Lonsdale, historian Niall Ferguson, Free Press founder Bari Weiss, and others. Their mission is to offer a classical liberal education that emphasizes Western values and knowledge.
Government also has a significant role to play in reforming American education. In Florida and Oklahoma, for instance, Governor Ron DeSantis and Public Superintendent of Education Ryan Walters are leading efforts to remake New College and incorporate the Bible into the standard curriculum of public schools, respectively. Although these initiatives have been met with resistance from the left based on spurious arguments about church-state separation, they represent important steps toward reclaiming traditional educational values in American institutions.
Ultimately, it is up to parents to take control of their children’s education and demand that schools teach what students need to know – reading, writing, math, and a solid grounding in Western and American history. Gaining control of school boards is crucial to this endeavor, as it will ensure that traditional values are prioritized over progressive ideologies.
PragerU aims to be the first line of defense for parents seeking alternative sources of education for their children. By continuously expanding its library of videos on important ideas and historical events, PragerU hopes to empower parents and students alike to reclaim American education and make it great again for all learners.