Kristi Noem signs ‘1776 Pledge’ designed to combat anti-American indoctrination in schools

Governor Kristi Noem is teaming up with former HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson to advance the “1776 Pledge to Save Our Schools, ” which seeks to “end anti-American indoctrination.”
Noem is the first candidate to sign the pledge, which commits that K-12 public education will restore “honest, patriotic education that cultivates in our children a profound love for our country.”
It also promotes a curriculum that teaches all children are created equal and prohibits curriculum that “pits students against one another on the basis of race or sex.” Prohibitions are also placed on any curriculum that requires students to protest and lobby during or after school.
1776 Action, the private organization which designed the pledge, was created to advance President Trump’s education agenda. In September of 2020, Trump created the 1776 Commission by executive order to encourage educators to “teach our children about the miracle of American history.” After taking office, President Biden dismantled the 1776 Commission and loosened rules on racial sensitivity training imposed by Trump.
Noem says she’s concerned the concept of “teaching of our children the true and inspiring story of America” has been abandoned altogether and that children should be taught about the country’s values, history, and heroes.
“And we’re hoping that we continue to build momentum and get more and more people that are in leadership offices who want to make sure our kids are learning the real facts around our history,” she added.
In a column published on Fox News, Noem and Carson criticize President Joe Biden for canceling and disbanding President Trump’s 1776 Commission, which sought to teach students “about the miracle of American history,” rather than a “radicalized view” of it.
Noem and Carson say it’s “alarming” that students are “being subjected to the radical concept known as critical race theory, which pits them against one another on the basis of race and gender under the guise of achieving ‘equity.’”
Critical race theory sows division and cripples the nation from within, “one brainwashed and resentful student at a time,” they wrote.
Noem wrote a column in January for the Federalist where she also voiced her concerns about indoctrinating children in schools. She wrote about the nation’s failure “to educate generations of our children about what makes America unique” and for the “left’s indoctrination” of students.
The pledge comes as multiple states have introduced or passed legislation banning critical race theory from being taught in schools. On Tuesday, Republican Governor Brad Little of Idaho signed a bill prohibiting public schools, including universities, from teaching it. The Oklahoma House passed a similar law on April 29.