China’s Influence Over U.S. Education Is Counting Its Last Days
The “America First” agenda comes in many different forms such as protecting our borders, economy, culture, and livelihoods, just to name a few. One overarching problem that spans each of these areas is the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It has become a weed, creeping into every facet of our society, including the public school system. The White House and Congress are working together to eliminate this threat.
In 2004, the Chinese government came up with the idea of funding Confucius Institutes and Classrooms across the world. Under the authority and direction of the CCP, the non-governmental organization Haban opened the first Confucius Institute in South Korea and then a second at the University of Maryland. The concept spread like wildfire. Over a decade, nearly 9 million students sat under these teachings across 525 institutes in 146 countries. About 500 public schools in the United States implemented this curriculum beginning in kindergarten. Business was booming, and so was the indoctrination.
In 2006, the George W. Bush administration implemented the National Security Language Initiative to “dramatically increase” Americans’ foreign language fluency by funding new initiatives in classrooms and workplaces. China saw this as an open door to push its curriculum. They were smart about their implementation. They fully funded their partnership with schools in the U.S. so as not to be tied down by U.S. government regulations.
National Association of Scholars’ Rachelle Peterson extensively researched 12 Confucius Institutes in 2017 and published her incredibly troubling findings. Haban sent hundreds of teachers from China who were on their payroll to teach at American universities. These teachers were required to obey the CCP laws, including speech regulations that include self-censorship when discussing the actions of the CCP. Teachers and school officials felt pressure to positively present China and avoid discussions regarding human rights abuses or other topics critical of the CCP.
Contracts between Haban and the universities were rarely publicly available, and some failed to report their gifts from China as required by federal law. During President Donald Trump’s first term in office, he signed an executive order to force federally funded universities to be transparent about their foreign ties. This uncovered the large gifts that some schools were receiving from China — some up to $1.7 million — to expand the Confucius Institute’s reach. Northern Virginia’s Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, one of the top-ranking schools in the nation and only a dozen miles away from our nation’s capital, received $1 million from Chinese-affiliates. The Biden administration eliminated the transparency policy. Thankfully, President Trump re-implemented it again when he took office this year.
From 2005-2016, the enrollment of Chinese students in American universities increased by 425%. They now make up nearly 32% of all foreign enrollees. A recent survey by the Cato Institute and YouGov found that 34% of 18–29-year-old Americans now have a favorable view of Communism. Each of these statistics should give anyone pause about China’s increased influence in the United States. China is masterful at playing the long game or exerting “soft power.” As Concerned Women for America’s Maggie McKneely puts it:
Rather than march an army into enemy territory or fund terrorist groups, China uses industry, infrastructure and education to undermine its competitors.
Whether through funding infrastructure in third-world countries, manufacturing necessary goods such as medical supplies, or providing loans to nations who ask, China understands how to wield influence. Any instance of its government funding an initiative in another country should be viewed with suspicion.
Essentially, China isn’t playing checkers — they are playing 3D chess.
Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act (H.R. 1516) to defund all institutions that engaged in the Confucius Institutes’ teachings. This week, the House will vote on 3 additional bills that will chip away at the CCP’s influence in the classroom. The Combating Lies of Authoritarians in School Systems “CLASS” Act (H.R. 1005) and PROTECT Our Kids Act (H.R. 1069) will pull federal funding from school districts that allow the Chinese Communist Party’s Confucius Classrooms to be implemented in public K-12 schools. These schools would have one year to cut ties. Additionally, the Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education Act (H.R. 1049) will amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require parental notification of any foreign funding of school curricula.
Eagle Forum has informed House Members that we are supportive of all three bills and will add these votes to our Congressional Scorecard. Our national security and America’s vulnerable children must be protected. To see how your Representative voted on these bills afterward and view additional votes, please visit our website here.
