The Threat to Critical Thinking: How One Executive Order is Undermining Education

The White House recently released an executive order titled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling,” effectively forcing a one-sided ideology into education. As parents, we have a duty to ensure our children are getting an education that teaches them to evaluate contrasting viewpoints and think critically about a variety of content. This executive order is in direct opposition to this mission.

First and foremost, several federal laws prevent the federal government from interfering in state and local decisions regarding K-12 curriculum. One prominent applicable law is Section 8526A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which states:

“No officer or employee of the Federal Government shall, through grants, contracts, or other cooperative agreements, mandate, direct, or control a State, local educational agency, or school’s specific instructional content, academic standards and assessments, curricula, or program of instruction developed and implemented to meet the requirements of this Act.”

This law allowed for the example response we saw last week from the California Department of Education which provided a firm defense of sound education principles and local control: 

“School curriculum should not vacillate back and forth depending on the occupant of the White House, which is why federal law already prohibits the federal government from leveraging grants to mandate specific instructional content in schools."

As we know all too well from our experience in Florida, there is little government censorship allowable by law, so elected officials use broad and punitive language to inspire fearful overcompliance. This is why it is so important for students, parents, and community members to speak out and support the educators that resist these calls to self and soft censor.

The executive order promotes a narrow, government-mandated version of history and identity, restricting educators' ability to present multiple perspectives. By calling for the removal of instruction and discussion on race, gender, and historical injustices, this order seeks to censor important literature, curricula, and educational opportunities, denying our children the opportunity to engage in critical thinking and learn from differing viewpoints.

The order’s emphasis on “patriotic education” risks presenting a sanitized, misleading version of American history. Education should include both America’s achievements and its struggles with issues like slavery, segregation, and discrimination. Erasing these discussions does a disservice to our children and undermines efforts to build a more informed and just society.

Furthermore, banning books and educational content based on ideological disagreements violates the First Amendment’s protection of free speech and academic freedom. Schools should foster open inquiry and debate, not impose a government-sanctioned version of patriotism that suppresses dissenting ideas. The goal of Civics education is to inform students about our country’s values and the collective efforts of past, present, and future that help to build a more perfect union. It is through education that patriotism is earned, not taught. 

Ironically, while claiming to defend parental rights, this order attempts to centralize control over educational content at the federal level, stripping local communities, educators, and parents of the ability to decide what is appropriate for their children. A federally mandated curriculum where only a few get to define what is “appropriate” for all is antithetical to the very parental choice it claims to protect.

Most tragically, by targeting discussions of gender identity and systemic discrimination, the order sends a loathsome message to students, particularly those whose identities and lived experiences are deemed “inappropriate” by this policy. As a result, schools become less inclusive and create more hostile environments for all children. Access to literature that reflects diverse identities is essential for students' mental health and sense of belonging, and banning such materials increases the risk of isolation and harm. In other words, as our schools become less welcoming, they also become less safe.

In conclusion, this executive order represents a dangerous overreach of federal power into local education, undermining the very principles of free inquiry, critical thinking, and parental choice that it claims to uphold. By restricting discussions on race, gender, and historical injustices, it promotes a narrow, government-sanctioned ideology at the expense of a well-rounded education. True education should empower students to engage with diverse perspectives, question assumptions, and think independently—not confine them to a prescribed narrative. As parents, educators, and citizens, we must stand against this attempt to censor and control our children's learning and advocate for a future where all students have access to inclusive, thought-provoking, and historically accurate education.