SC Dept. of Education publishes ‘PragerU Standards Aligned Resources’ despite controversy

The partnership between the South Carolina Department of Education and conservative media organization PragerU appears to have advanced in December as “PragerU Standards Aligned Resources” have appeared on the department’s official website. (PragerU/ed.sc.gov)

(WCIV) — The partnership between the South Carolina Department of Education and conservative media organization PragerU appears to have advanced in December as “PragerU Standards Aligned Resources” have appeared on the department’s official website.

Echoing the 67-page “SC Standards with PragerU Content” document that the nonprofit published in September, this webpage breaks down each South Carolina school standard by grade level and specifies what piece of PragerU content aligns to help teach each standard listed.

The partnership between SC’s Department of Education and PragerU was originally announced in September via an interview with the company’s CEO Marissa Streit and SC Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver. The announcement drew praise from state Republican leaders like State House District 38 Rep. Josiah Magnuson, who said:

From what I’ve seen, everything PragerU does is extremely professional, well-done, politically balanced, and family-friendly. These are short videos with clips from various professors across the country, breaking down difficult concepts into bite-sized chunks.

Critics were quick to respond, with some pointing out the company’s unapologetic right-wing lens while others honed in on specific claims of racism, historical inaccuracy, and concerns of bringing politics into the classroom. Members of the Charleston Jewish Federation expressed concern with PragerU’s focus on certain religions over others leading to potential exclusion.

The content PragerU is providing is considered “supplemental,” meaning it is not required material and is subjected to different review practices by the SC Department of Education. PragerU is not an academic institution, and describes their work as “educational content promoting American values.”

In a video published to their website and YouTube on Sept. 16, 2024, PragerU CEO Marissa Streit (pictured) announces PragerU content is now available for use in South Carolina public schools. (Photo: PragerU)

In October, the Department of Education told News 4:

PragerU provided a PragerU-generated South Carolina-specific ‘standards alignment’ for various free materials they provide. They posted this list on their website, which is the only place it currently lives. This is standard practice for providers of instructional materials. The Department is completing its own analysis of which suggested resources best align with our standards.

Now in December, PragerU’s website is still the only place that the “standards alignment” document, “SC Standards with PragerU Content”, lives. The Department of Education recently published their own version showcasing around 83% of PragerU’s over 1,200 original total content recommendations.

In all, the department listed over 1,000 pieces of PragerU content, including instructional videos, craft guides, and more, that they deem to align with South Carolina school standards. Many recommended pieces of content repeat on the list, especially content covering US Presidents and civics.

Notable exclusions are the controversial videos Leo & Layla Meet Frederick Douglass, Would You Rather Be Colonized by Aztecs or Christians?, and Goodbye, Columbus Day. These three videos were all originally recommended by PragerU but ultimately not approved by the department, likely due to the historical inaccuracies present in all three.

Videos in the Department of Education’s resource guide include the aforementioned Presidential biographies, various civics-centered pieces, and craft guides. Some other noteworthy content that did make its way onto the department’s list includes the Michael Knowles-hosted Otto’s Tales: Today is Columbus Day, the Leo & Layla cartoon Moses: The Leader of God’s People, and the 5-Minute Video Why You Should Be a Nationalist, hosted by Israeli philosopher and Bible scholar Yoram Hazony.

The South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus met with Superintendent Weaver and Department of Education officials in October to try and ensure a review process was in place for the material that would be added from PragerU’s catalogue, as well as to foster a dialogue between the department and caucus.

After the meeting, an official with the SCLBC said some of the material on offer from the nonprofit was “inaccurate and offensive,” while some was “accurate and credible,” and the caucus wanted to see an ongoing dialogue and establish what criteria was present for “vetting” supplemental materials. It is unclear if that dialogue did remain ongoing prior to the department’s recent publishing of their own list of standard aligned material.