Teachers’ Unions Decry Trump Administration Civics Curriculum

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in July 2026, the Trump administration has launched an aggressive federal campaign to reshape how American history and civics are taught in schools. Spearheaded by Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, the “Patriotic Education” initiative aims to replace what the administration calls “radical indoctrination” with a curriculum focused on the nation’s founding principles and “exceptional” role in world history.

The centerpiece of this push is the America 250 Civics Education Coalition, a partnership between the Department of Education and prominent conservative organizations like Hillsdale College, Turning Point USA, and the America First Policy Institute. Announced in late 2025, the coalition is tasked with creating national programming, teacher summits, and student competitions that emphasize:

• The Founding Documents: A deep dive into the original intent of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
• Western Civilization: Highlighting the classical influences that shaped the American political tradition.
• The Role of Faith: Examining how Judeo-Christian values influenced the nation’s founding.

Secretary McMahon has institutionalized these priorities by making “Patriotic Education” a Secretarial Priority for federal grant competitions. This means that $160 million in American history and civics grants are now prioritized for programs that provide an “uplifting portrayal” of the nation’s past.

The administration’s strategy uses both financial incentives and national events to engage students directly:

Initiative	Goal	Details
Presidential 1776 Award	National Civics Competition	High schoolers compete for scholarships up to $150,000 in a “Civics Bee.”
Trail to Independence Tour	Mobile History Classroom	Senior cabinet officials visit K-12 schools across all 50 states throughout 2026.
History Rocks	Youth Engagement	High-profile celebrities and leaders explore local history with students to ignite “a spirit of adventure.”

This push is the positive counterpart to a series of executive orders signed in early 2025, including the order to “End Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling.” The administration has moved to freeze federal funding for school districts that promote “gender ideology” or “discriminatory equity ideology,” framing these topics as distractions from “basic subjects” like math, reading, and civic duty.

Teachers’ unions are predictably complaining about the curriculum, claiming that it ignores systemic struggles for equality as they continue to fight back against the dismantling of diversity, equity and inclusion programs by the Trump administration. If this was a program about social justice and civil disobedience the teachers’ unions would be falling all over themselves to teach it, but anything that even remotely smells like a pro-America curriculum is a non-starter for them.