The push for critical race theory in schools is taking place across the country, and while the current efforts are bad, Biden's Department of Education (DOE) sought to make it much worse. That's because the DOE wanted to prioritize K-12 schools that incorporate critical race theory into their curriculum for federal education grants.
One of the conservative organizations that pushed back hard on the effort was Heritage Action, which put out a call to action for its grassroots activists when the administration was still taking public comments.
The group's communications director Noah Weinrich said more than 33,000 comments poured into the Federal Register about the rule.
"We can't claim credit for all those, of course—this is a hot button issue—but our supporters, our activists have been definitely influential in getting on board with that and using the materials from the [Heritage] Foundation and from Heritage Action to make their voices heard to oppose this rule,” he told Townhall.
Now, it seems to have paid off.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on Friday backed off from his proposal to create a new grant that was seen as encouraging the teaching of critical race theory and the “1619 Project.”
Mr. Cardona’s decision came after the department received more than 35,000 comments on the proposed grants, with most of the comments objecting to grants to promote teaching U.S. history through the prism of race and highlighting the impact of slavery.
In a blog post, Mr. Cardona announced that the department would go forward with the creation of the new federal grants but the grants would not require classwork based on critical race theory or the “1619 Project.” (The Washington Times)
Rep. Virginia Foxx, the ranking member on the Education Committee, said protests of the rule worked.
"Let me be clear: the Department of Education changed its approach to grant funding because parents, students, and Republican leaders stood up in defense of our nation's history and legacy," she said in a statement.
"While I am doubtful that Secretary Cardona plans to abandon the administration's crusade to push Critical Race Theory in our public schools, I applaud the move not to give overt preferential treatment to federal grant applicants seeking to advance anti-American agendas," she said.