High school student filling out test answers with pen

San Francisco Banned ‘Racist’ Algebra A Decade Ago. The Results Are Now In.

San Francisco Banned 'Racist' Algebra A Decade Ago. The Results Are Now In.

Blacks

College

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Education

High School

Mathematics

Matt Walsh

Opinion

Public Schools

Teenagers

Violence

Whites

One of the nation&#8217;s largest teachers unions promoted a “summer of resistance” against the federal government and claimed that students had been kidnapped by federal officers. 
The United Teachers Los Angeles union gave a presentation last year on “Preparing for ICE at your school” that pushed its members to engage in political activism and suggested utilizing school resources to thwart Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, according to <a href="https://defendinged.org/incidents/united-teachers-of-los-angeles-utla-planning-documents-and-materials-appear-to-advocate-for-use-of-school-resources-as-form-of-resistance-against-ice-promote-engaging-students-in-community-se/">materials obtained</a> by Defending Education. The training came after parts of Los Angeles were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-are-coming-for-you-feds-reveal-more-charges-against-anti-ice-rioters">rocked by violent anti-ICE riots</a> that prompted President Donald Trump to send in the National Guard. 
The presentation pointed educators to how they could fight back against the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration and urged parents and teachers to collaborate on &#8220;resistance&#8221; efforts. It appeared to be created as part of the union&#8217;s broader <a href="https://utla.net/app/uploads/2025/08/Immigration-Enforcement-Safety-Review-FINAL.pdf">efforts</a> &#8220;to build a comprehensive to immigration enforcement.&#8221; 
Defending Education director of research Rhyen Staley told The Daily Wire that the training was another example of how teachers&#8217; unions push leftist politics over education. 
“Unfortunately, these documents are another reminder that the teachers&#8217; unions, especially UTLA, are focused on far-left social justice activism and advancing unpopular ideologies over how to improve the academic outcomes of the students they serve,” he told The Daily Wire. “But what is deeply appalling is the willingness of teachers to incentivize minors to engage in radical practices that could potentially put them in harm&#8217;s way.”
The training, which Defending Education noted was created by two members of the union and teachers at the Los Angeles Unified School District, walked educators through legal actions taken to block certain ICE operations in Los Angeles over the summer that culminated in a leftist judge blocking the agency from conducting broad immigration sweeps. 
The training did not appear to mention the violence of the anti-ICE protests, which included setting cop cars on fire, vandalism, and assaults on state and federal law enforcement. 
<div id="attachment_1041161" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1041161" class="size-full wp-image-1041161" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2219241406.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: Protesters hold up flags during protests after a series of immigration raids on June 08, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Tensions in the city remain high after the Trump administration called in the National Guard against the wishes of city leaders. " width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2219241406.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2219241406-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2219241406-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2219241406-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.</div>
“The fight is far from over, we need to keep fighting together!” a slide shared with educators read. Another slide titled &#8220;What can you do?&#8221; instructed educators on how to take action against ICE operations. 
The suggested actions included joining &#8220;court watch and rally calls,” and funding &#8220;community defense work.”
“The government will likely fight back. But the spotlight is now on DHS’s unlawful practices — and our resistance is working!” the slide read. These resources appeared to be pulled from the used materials from the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.
<div id="attachment_1041165" style="width: 2028px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1041165" class="size-full wp-image-1041165" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-10.58.52-AM.png" alt="" width="2018" height="1104" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-10.58.52-AM.png 2018w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-10.58.52-AM-300x164.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-10.58.52-AM-1024x560.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-10.58.52-AM-768x420.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-10.58.52-AM-1536x840.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 2018px) 100vw, 2018px" />Training obtained by Defending Education.</div>
Another slide highlighted alleged “student kidnappings,” including one that involved a 6-year-old boy with leukemia who was <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/06/30/dhs-debunks-fake-news-media-narratives-june#:~:text=The%20implication%20that%20ICE%20would%20deny%20a,regularly%20by%20medical%20professionals%20while%20in%20custody.">kept</a> with his illegal immigrant parents after an immigration judge ruled against their case. He was not denied or prevented from accessing medical treatment, as was suggested in some reports. 
One slide listed specific actions the United Teachers Los Angeles had taken regarding the ICE raids. This included partnering with “other unions for the summer of resistance” for “20 days of non-violent protest and action.” 
It also noted that the union and the Los Angeles Unified School District had agreed to “bargaining language” that declares that “the buildings and grounds of LAUSD (including pick-up and drop-off sites at all entries and exits) are sanctuary spaces for all students, parents, administrators, bargaining unit members, and community members at the school for school-related business and jointly committed to defend the right to a free and safe learning environment to the extent permitted by law.”
A spokesman for the district told The Daily Wire that it &#8220;follows applicable laws and District policies, which employees are expected to follow during the workday and in their interactions with students.&#8221;
The next slide featured suggested actions for members of the union, including “community patrols,” “age-appropriate rallies,” and in-school student protests.
<div id="attachment_1041173" style="width: 2033px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1041173" class="size-full wp-image-1041173" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-2.21.20-PM.png" alt="" width="2023" height="1226" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-2.21.20-PM.png 2023w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-2.21.20-PM-300x182.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-2.21.20-PM-950x576.png 950w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-2.21.20-PM-768x465.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-09-at-2.21.20-PM-1536x931.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 2023px) 100vw, 2023px" />Training obtained by Defending Education.</div>
The training documents also suggest using Local School Leadership Councils “as a form of resistance.” These are groups of elected parents, community members, and school officials who oversee certain aspects of school policy. 
One of the policy areas this group oversees is discipline and student safety, and suggestions included the LAUSD “revamping tardy policy to get students into building,” pushing “LAUSD for ‘lock down’ if ICE is on/near campus – shelter in place,” “engaging students in community self-defense – offer service learning hours,” keeping “students away from gates at lunch/recess,” and “patroling school sites depending on community.”
<div id="attachment_1041517" style="width: 2040px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1041517" class="size-full wp-image-1041517" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-8.48.16-AM.png" alt="" width="2030" height="1242" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-8.48.16-AM.png 2030w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-8.48.16-AM-300x184.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-8.48.16-AM-941x576.png 941w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-8.48.16-AM-768x470.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-8.48.16-AM-1536x940.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 2030px) 100vw, 2030px" />Defending Education.</div>
Other notes suggested using professional development time to make “immigration kits.”
Last month, the Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/schools-arent-off-limits-for-ice-raids-trump-dhs-says">withdrew</a> a Biden-era policy that stipulated that schools were off limits for immigration enforcement operations. 
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesman said on January 21.

ICE Immigration Protest

‘Summer of Resistance’: Docs Reveal How California Teachers Were Trained To Fight Back Against ICE

‘Summer of Resistance’: Docs Reveal How Teachers Were Trained To Fight Back Against ICE

California

Illegal Immigation

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Los Angeles

Teachers Unions

When hundreds of students across the country walked out of class last week to protest ICE, the scene felt uncomfortably familiar. The chants, the certainty, and the urgency to declare a side reflected a pattern my generation repeats during nearly every political moment: strong emotion paired with limited understanding. Watching it unfold as a high school student, the issue appeared larger than a single protest. The walkouts exposed an education system that failed to teach students how the government functions — or how federal law enforcement actually operates.
From Georgia to California, students are walking out of class demanding that ICE be “removed” from their communities. In practice, for many of my peers, these walkouts function less as political statements and more as an excuse to miss class. At Lakeside High School in Georgia — where many of the protest videos originated — approximately 1,500 of the school’s roughly 2,200 students participated in an organized walkout protesting ICE. That would suggest that more than half the student body is so politically engaged that they are willing to sacrifice instructional time for a policy cause — an assumption undermined by the fact that fewer than 40% of Americans ages 18-19 vote.
For the small minority of students who genuinely care, the protests offer an opportunity to join a cause they assume is morally righteous. For all participants, however, these walkouts rest on an incomplete — and often incorrect — understanding of what ICE actually does and who holds authority over immigration policy.
The collapse of civic education in K–12 schools has produced widespread confusion about how the federal government functions. Many students believe ICE writes immigration law rather than enforces statutes passed by Congress. Others assume a president can simply suspend laws at will, or that public outrage alone can override the legislative process and reshape federal policy.
What no one has taught my peers is that Congress — not ICE, and not the White House — writes immigration law. Every administration, including President Trump’s, is obligated to enforce the laws Congress passes.
This confusion among students is not a failure of intelligence. It reflects an education system that avoids political controversy at all costs. Teachers are warned not to “take sides,” administrators steer clear of any topic that might provoke backlash, and students grow up believing that discussing the law or governance is dangerous. Instead of learning how the government functions, students learn how to talk around it.
This silence shapes how my generation engages with politics. Only a few miles from my Long Island high school, Generation Z played a decisive role in electing a socialist mayor in America’s most capitalist city. Many of those voters were never taught about the historical consequences of socialism — the collapse of economies, the erosion of democratic institutions, and the human suffering that follows. Those lessons are treated as too political for classrooms. The result is a generation making political choices without understanding the ideas being supported.
Students are not avoiding dialogue because of apathy. They avoid it because schools have trained them to fear disagreement. When issues such as immigration, abortion, or Israel arise, classrooms go quiet — not from a lack of opinion, but from concern over social and academic consequences.
Before becoming a nationally syndicated columnist, I hesitated to speak openly in classrooms. I rewrote comments, withheld arguments, and waited for safer moments to share my views. Now, I voice those perspectives in front of millions of readers, fully aware of the consequences. But even with all the pushback, my openness has not only sharpened my passion for politics but produced an impact far greater than I ever anticipated.
The danger of silence becomes clear during moments like these walkouts. When students protest without understanding what they want to change or how change occurs, it reveals how unprepared they are for civic participation. Informed activism cannot exist without civic knowledge.
Restoring serious civic education remains the only path forward. Students should learn not only which policies exist, but why they exist. They should understand how Congress, the courts, and federal agencies interact. Schools should encourage substantive debate rather than discourage it. Avoiding discomfort leaves students unprepared for the responsibilities of citizenship — and for the world they are about to enter.
* * *
Gregory Lyakhov is a nationally syndicated columnist and podcast host, regularly appearing on national television to discuss education policy, U.S. politics, and public affairs.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

College Students Walkout In Protest Against ICE In Texas

The ICE Walkouts Prove My Generation Wasn’t Taught How Government Works

anti-ICE protests

Leftists

Protests

Students

College ed

Why America’s Colleges Are Far More Fragile Than They Appear, Part II

American Universities

Economics

finance

Ivy League

Student Loans

College decay

Why America’s Colleges Are Far More Fragile Than They Appear, Part I

With just days to go before the launch of one of the largest school choice programs in the country, Texas officials are fighting to ensure that no taxpayer funds go to institutions tied to the Chinese Communist Party or radical Islam.
On Saturday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/opinion-files/opinion/2026/kp-0509_2.pdf">legal opinion</a> confirming the ability of acting state Comptroller Kelly Hancock to deny participation to schools tied to America’s adversaries in the Texas Education Freedom Account program. Hancock, who is overseeing the school choice program, told The Daily Wire that his office has identified “more than a handful” of schools with problematic ties.
“There were several schools in Texas that are connected to the Chinese Communist Party, and those that hosted events [with] or are potentially connected to [the Council on American Islamic Relations],” Hancock said.
CAIR, a self-described civil rights organization with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/not-welcome-in-our-state-texas-governor-designates-radical-muslim-groups-as-foreign-terrorists?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘Not+Welcome+In+Our+State’%3A+Texas+Governor+Designates+‘Radical’+Muslim+Groups+As+Foreign+Terrorists">designated</a> as a terrorist organization in November by Governor Greg Abbott.
Hancock said that his office’s “priority was protecting taxpayer dollars to make sure that they didn&#8217;t end up in the hands of groups that support terrorist activity” or were “hostile” to the United States.
The Republican official is overseeing the rollout of Texas’ school choice program, which will allocate $1 billion in funding for parents to use for approved education expenses, including tuition at private schools. His office is responsible for approving schools that participate in the program and has greenlit 1,457 schools across the state.
As part of this approval process, Hancock said his office wanted to make sure that no schools with ties to CAIR or the CCP would benefit from state dollars.
“We saw some stories breaking in other states that have school choice,” Hancock told The Daily Wire. “I never lost sleep because we were ahead of the game and protecting those taxpayer dollars.”
Many of the schools flagged with problematic ties were accredited through Cognia, an accreditation nonprofit that vets many charter and private schools across the country. Hancock initially paused all approvals for schools accredited by Cognia, including some private Christian schools. But, with the legal opinion from Paxton, many Cognia-accredited schools are now being registered with the state, assuming they have no ties to foreign adversaries.
“We do want to make sure that we run it like a business, and try to protect taxpayer dollars on both sides of it,” Hancock said, asking people to be patient while his office vetted participants.
Hancock told The Daily Wire that the vetting and investigation of schools was still ongoing.
Some examples flagged by his office included the accrediting of potential providers by an agency that had hosted events alongside CAIR and another school that appeared to be owned by a group with an adviser linked to the CCP.
CAIR Texas suggested that it might sue Hancock if he scrutinizes schools that “once hosted an educational lecture from a civil rights organization that Greg Abbott happens to dislike.”
&#8220;Comptroller Hancock cannot bar private schools from this program because of their real or imagined interactions with CAIR-Texas, especially since Attorney General Paxton has sworn to a federal court that the governor&#8217;s unconstitutional proclamation targeting CAIR does not apply to any of its CAIR-Texas chapters,” the organization said. &#8220;Comptroller Hancock must permit private Muslim schools to participate in the program without facing any discrimination, heightened scrutiny or further delays in the application process.”
Abbott <a href="https://x.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/2015479262355079329">praised</a> Paxton’s opinion, saying it would ensure that taxpayer “dollars will not be used for schools connected to groups like CAIR or countries like China that I have designated as foreign terrorist organizations.”
Parents can start applying for education scholarships on February 4, and the application period runs until March 17.

Texas Governor Abbott Signs ERCOT Reforms Legislation Into Law

Texas Bans Schools Tied To ‘America’s Adversaries’ From Education Freedom Program

CAIR

Chinese Communist Party

Greg Abbott

Ken Paxton

School Choice

Texas

U.S.

As tensions in Minnesota continue to flare up over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions and allegations of rampant fraud, far-Left actors and activists have decided that it would be expedient to inflame the issues further. So, it shouldn&#8217;t come as a shock that the teachers unions and their activist allies have chosen to join in and provoke further unrest and strife.
In fact, a recent <a href="https://x.com/BGOnTheScene/status/2011524444905435353">video</a> posted on X claims to show K-12 students and teachers in Saint Paul, Minnesota walking out of school in protest over ICE. Days later the Saint Paul Federation of Educators (SPFE) put out a <a href="https://x.com/JennaReports/status/2011493535812338109?s=20">statement</a> calling for its members to engage in a “Day of Action” and stating that there would be “no work, no school, and no shopping.” Unsurprisingly, the communiqué comes with a list of demands such as the removal of ICE from the state and the defunding of the federal agency.
The organization of “educators” then publicly proclaimed that it was “on the side” of the students, while simultaneously shutting down schools in a district where roughly 70% of all elementary students are not <a href="https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/minnesota/districts/saint-paul-public-schools-104201">proficient</a> in math and reading. However, SPFE and its members are sending a clear message that their top priority is not the education of the children and families they serve, but far-Left social justice activism.
Unfortunately, this is a feature, not a bug, of the dominant ideology permeating the Gopher State’s education system writ large. Social justice activism is now the primary ethos of a system corrupted by Left-wing political actors who have been turning classrooms into street activist training programs in service to a Revolutionary Industrial Complex.
In the Colleges of Education, for instance, teacher candidates are conditioned into far-Left political ideas that are often sold to budding educators as “best practices.” Future K-12 instructors are then expected to incorporate these ideas into their own methodologies.
For example, Minnesota State University Mankato’s College of Education <a href="https://defendinged.org/incidents/minnesota-state-university-mankato-corrupted/">states</a> in its “Conceptual Framework” that the teacher training program’s vision is to “inspire lifelong learning and professional engagement through racial consciousness, social justice, and inclusion.” The program aims to prepare “anti-racist practitioners” by using Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a foundational framework focusing on privilege, oppression, systemic racism, and social justice activism. In fact, future elementary school teachers are required to take a course titled “ED 101 – Introduction to Critical Race Theory in Education.”
But it is not just the training of teachers that is problematic. Some university programs are offering free lesson plans and resources to K-12 teachers that promote Left-wing biases and agendas.
Such is the case with the University of Minnesota Twin Cities’ Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender &amp; Sexuality Studies (RIDGS) program, which has <a href="https://defendinged.org/investigations/liberated-university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/">created</a> and made publicly available ethnic studies lesson plans for K-12 schools that are riddled with far-Left ideologies promoting youth activism. For instance, a sixth-grade lesson titled “Protest Art &amp; the Movement for Black Life” focuses on the Black Lives Matter movement and how to “create their own protest art for a cause of their choice.” The multi-day plan reads like a revolutionary training program meant to prepare eleven-year-olds for some yet to be determined protest.
However, if there is any doubt about these ideologies trickling out of the universities and into K-12, look no further than Saint Paul Public Schools’ (SPPS) <a href="https://defendinged.org/incidents/liberated-saint-paul-public-schools/">critical ethnic studies</a> curriculum. A 2023 RIDGS report on the deeply divisive course highlights the “seven principles” students are taught throughout the year, including “critical consciousness” and “resistance.” According to statements included in the document, students learned about “protests” and “civil disobedience” and were inspired by the Third World Liberation Front.
Like SPPS, Minneapolis Public Schools’ (MPS) <a href="https://defendinged.org/incidents/minneapolis-public-schools-ethnic-studies-course-teaches-students-that-capitalism-and-western-culture-is-exploitative-and-leads-to-slavery-colonialism-genocide-and-white-supremacy/">ethnic studies</a> courses are also saturated with revolutionary dogmas. In one of the classes, students learn to “challenge the ‘white savior’ narrative” and that slavery, genocide, and white supremacy all stem from capitalism and Western culture. Naturally, the course in question also includes student activism.
So, it should come as little surprise that K-12 students from both SPPS and MPS appear to be <a href="https://defendinged.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026_Twin-Cities-Student-ICE-protest-chat.pdf">planning</a> their own mass &#8220;strike” and “walkout” over ICE. Of course, it is highly probable that they are getting “guidance” from parents, teachers, and local activists.
While Minnesota’s streets heat up during the dead of winter, parents and the public need to be aware that far-Left actors inside and outside the education system have been preparing teachers and students for years to be street activists and protestors.
Local and national leaders, first and foremost, need to ensure that the youth and their teachers can peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights safely. But there also needs to be investigations into the Revolutionary Industrial Complex that has taken over Minnesota’s entire education system. Families, students, and communities deserve better from their education system.
 * * * 
Rhyen Staley is a researcher for Defending Education. He holds a master&#8217;s degree in elementary education and has over a decade of classroom experience in both public and private schools. He has over 25 years of volleyball coaching experience from Women’s Division I down to junior high.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

St. Paul, Minnesota student anti-ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) demonstrations, January 2026

Teachers Unions Shut Down Minnesota Schools For Activism

Children

Critical Race Theory

Ethnic Studies

K-12

Liberals

Minneapolis

Minnesota

Progressivism

Woke Culture

It’s <a href="https://schoolchoiceweek.com/">National School Choice Week</a> in America, and the advancement of education freedom is sweeping the country.
Governors are opting-in their states to the new federal tax credit scholarship at rapid rates. The scholarship allows taxpayers to contribute up to $1,700 per year to a qualified non-profit scholarship-granting organization and receive a nonrefundable dollar-for-dollar tax credit. Organizations like <a href="https://www.acescholarships.org/">ACE Scholarships</a> award scholarships to K-12 students. Federal tax credit scholarships can be used for a variety of educational expenses, including tuition, fees, books, tutoring, transportation, and services for students with special needs.
The landmark legislation was fittingly <a href="https://thefederalist.com/2025/07/09/how-trumps-big-beautiful-bill-will-help-kids-escape-failing-government-schools/">signed</a> into law on Independence Day last year by President Donald Trump as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Already, nineteen states are set to participate in the federal tax credit scholarship, and more are on the way.
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen took the lead in late September, signing an executive order communicating the intention for Nebraska to participate in the program.
Governor Pillen <a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/surrounded-students-gov-pillen-signs-order-opting-federal-scholarship-tax-credit#:~:text=by%20Students%2C%20Gov.-,Pillen%20Signs%20Order%20Opting%20into%20Federal%20Scholarship%20Tax%20Credit,choice%20opportunities%20beginning%20in%202027.">explained</a>, “This program is a game-changer for Nebraska students and their families, generating funds that will help send students to the school of their choice.” Continuing, he <a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/surrounded-students-gov-pillen-signs-order-opting-federal-scholarship-tax-credit#:~:text=by%20Students%2C%20Gov.-,Pillen%20Signs%20Order%20Opting%20into%20Federal%20Scholarship%20Tax%20Credit,choice%20opportunities%20beginning%20in%202027.">said</a>, “When it comes to educating our kids, we need to ensure that every student is in an environment that allows them to succeed. This program provides that opportunity, and I’m pleased to say that Nebraska will take part.”
Going a step further to communicate his full and enthusiastic support, Governor Pillen <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/29/nebraska-gets-a-private-school-tax-credit-thanks-to-trump/">declared</a>, “I am not opting this in … I am cannonballing it into the state of Nebraska.”
Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee, a strong school choice proponent, followed. South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden announced opt-in plans by mid-November, <a href="https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&amp;sys_id=d8db85984799b290a497127ba26d43a7#:~:text=Article%20Body,take%20advantage%20of%20the%20program.">stating</a>, “Our students are the future of our state, and we must equip them with the skills and resources they need to thrive. Parents should have the freedom to choose the learning environment that sets their kids up for success.” Additionally, Governor Rhoden <a href="https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&amp;sys_id=d8db85984799b290a497127ba26d43a7#:~:text=Article%20Body,take%20advantage%20of%20the%20program.">noted</a>, “My goal as Governor is to support innovation — not stand in the way. So, we will continue to champion policies that expand the freedom to learn for our students.”
<div id="attachment_1033419" style="width: 826px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1033419" class="size-large wp-image-1033419" src="https://drwordpress.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-2206101099-816x576.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 20: Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) attends the executive order signing ceremony to reduce the size and scope of the Education Department in the East Room of the White House on March 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. The order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon, former head of the Small Business Administration and co-founder of the World Wrestling Entertainment, to shrink the $100 billion department, which cannot be dissolved without Congressional approval. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)" width="816" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2206101099-816x576.jpg 816w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2206101099-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2206101099-768x542.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2206101099.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 816px) 100vw, 816px" />Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images</div>
In December, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, the first Democratic governor to declare his intention to opt his state into the federal tax credit scholarship, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/colorado-jared-polis-school-choice-opt-in-tax-credit-70684840?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqd6Gye1vD2r7iUve5VEV6nzbD8u4mqRJLNak6f2V_Ylx0BjOxObBbVmsCc2AwQ%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6976b435&amp;gaa_sig=VbmoDJ1phVmO6EUWJXlAZUmF_eRQMR6-1pQ0SHu8_PMWR2HoDzDg868wS9sO71EZTxDbbDLyUi94rz6lm37Btg%3D%3D">said</a>, “I would be crazy not to.” A spokesman for Governor Polis <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/colorado-jared-polis-school-choice-opt-in-tax-credit-70684840?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqd6Gye1vD2r7iUve5VEV6nzbD8u4mqRJLNak6f2V_Ylx0BjOxObBbVmsCc2AwQ%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6976b435&amp;gaa_sig=VbmoDJ1phVmO6EUWJXlAZUmF_eRQMR6-1pQ0SHu8_PMWR2HoDzDg868wS9sO71EZTxDbbDLyUi94rz6lm37Btg%3D%3D">explained</a> that the tax credit creates an “immense opportunity for Coloradans to support students in our state, but only if we opt in.”
That’s a key point because taxpayers nationwide can contribute up to $1,700 annually to a scholarship-granting organization, but scholarships can only be awarded to students in states that have opted in by the governor or a designee. Individuals residing in states that aren’t opted in may still contribute to a scholarship-granting organization in another state and receive the dollar-for-dollar tax credit up to $1,700. For this point alone, all governors nationwide — regardless of political party — should opt in so that students in their state benefit from the contributions of residents of their state. <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/colorado-jared-polis-school-choice-opt-in-tax-credit-70684840?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqd6Gye1vD2r7iUve5VEV6nzbD8u4mqRJLNak6f2V_Ylx0BjOxObBbVmsCc2AwQ%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6976b435&amp;gaa_sig=VbmoDJ1phVmO6EUWJXlAZUmF_eRQMR6-1pQ0SHu8_PMWR2HoDzDg868wS9sO71EZTxDbbDLyUi94rz6lm37Btg%3D%3D">Governor Polis</a> is right — Governors “would be crazy not to.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott was the next to declare intention to participate. Governor Abbott has worked relentlessly to advance school choice in the Lone Star State. After calling <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2024/06/04/opinion-greg-abbott-went-to-war-with-texas-rinos-over-school-choice-he-appears-to-have-won-dr-keri-d-ingraham/?eer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple special legislative sessions</a> in 2023 and then in 2024, <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2024/06/04/opinion-greg-abbott-went-to-war-with-texas-rinos-over-school-choice-he-appears-to-have-won-dr-keri-d-ingraham/?eer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voters ousted</a> several Texas House of Representatives members who had voted against school choice, Governor Abbott <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-signs-landmark-school-choice-legislation-into-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> universal school choice into law in 2025.
By mid-December, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry joined the early round of governors to opt in to the federal tax credit scholarship. In Governor Landry’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/govjefflandry/p/DSYUHfvjxu1/?hl=af">words</a>, it “is yet another way we’re expanding opportunity and helping every child reach their full potential.”
But when January hit, the floodgates opened with governors opting their states in one right after another. First with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, followed by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, Idaho Governor Brad Little, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Indiana Governor Mike Braun, and Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo.
This week, during National School Choice Week, it’s anticipated that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a leader when it comes to education freedom for families, and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt will make announcements.
Not to be left out, look for the remaining Republican governors to add their states. They include New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte, North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Vermont Governor Phil Scott, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.
Additionally, there are 22 remaining Democratic Governors yet to opt in who would be wise to allow students in their states to benefit from scholarships funded by taxpayer contributions, recognizing that participating costs the states nothing. The typical claim that school choice takes money from public schools falls not only flat but is entirely false, as it’s a federal tax credit.
With the federal tax credit scholarship opt-ins combined with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-free-or-die-state-becomes-first-universal-school-choice-state-in-the-northeast">seventeen states</a> — West Virginia, Arizona, Iowa, Utah, Arkansas, Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio, North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Idaho, Wyoming, Texas, Indiana, and New Hampshire — enacting universal school choice over the past five years, education freedom is advancing across America.
It’s picking up speed and not poised to slow any time soon — all to the benefit of families, freedom, and the future of our nation.
* * *
Dr. Keri D. Ingraham is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute, Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, and a Senior Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Children are waiting the school bus on a snow day in the morning in Lexington, Massachusetts on January 24, 2023

Why Governors Are Opting-In To School Choice At Record Speed

Why Governors Are Opting In To School Choice At Record Speed

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The illegal immigrant ex-superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools has pleaded guilty to federal charges for lying about his immigration status and possessing a firearm.
Ian Andre Roberts, 55, falsely claimed that he was an American citizen when he applied for the role to lead Des Moines Public Schools in June 2023, according to the Department of Justice.
On September 26, 2025, Roberts knowingly possessed a loaded Glock pistol in his vehicle while understanding that he was unlawfully present in the United States. On the same day, Roberts also possessed three additional firearms at his residence, including a loaded pistol, a loaded rifle, and a shotgun.
In entering a guilty plea, Roberts agreed to forfeit the weapons and his right to ever challenge the forfeiture, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/former-des-moines-schools-chief-pleads-guilty-falsely-claiming-us-citizenship-gun-charge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox News.
Roberts is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2026, and faces up to 15 years in prison on the firearms charge and up to five years in prison on the false statements charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
He also likely faces deportation after serving his time.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-superintendent-wasnt-checked-through-federal-e-verify-system?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Illegal+Immigrant+Superintendent+Wasn%E2%80%99t+Checked+Through+Federal+E-Verify+System" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> Roberts, who hails from Guyana, in September based on his deportation order, which was issued in May 2024. Officers caught Roberts with a loaded handgun, $3,000 in cash, and a fixed-blade hunting knife after he tried to flee the scene, the Department of Homeland Security said at the time.
Roberts arrived in the United States in 1994 as a tourist, according to DHS. In 1999, he received a student visa.
Roberts was charged in 1996 with criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell, criminal possession of narcotics, criminal possession of a forgery device, and possession of a forged instrument in New York, DHS said.
In 1998, he was charged with third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle in Queens, New York, which was later dismissed.
By 2012, Roberts was convicted of reckless driving, unsafe operation, and speeding in Maryland.
Roberts was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (having a loaded firearm outside his home or business); third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (an ammunition-feeding device); and fourth-degree weapon charges in 2012.
In 2022, he was convicted of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm in Pennsylvania.
Roberts attempted to apply for a green card on four different occasions, facing a denial each time.
The Guyanese man&#8217;s work permit expired on December 18, 2020, roughly three years before he assumed the superintendent role in Iowa, according to DHS.

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Illegal Immigrant Who Served As Des Moines Superintendent Pleads Guilty To Federal Charges

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Most Americans want more faith in the public square and want to have more say over what their children learn in the classroom, according to a new survey of attitudes toward religious liberty released Friday.
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty released its annual Religious Freedom Index, documenting a rise in support for Americans to practice their faith in public and private. The index surveyed over 1,000 Americans and asked them for their opinions on a range of topics from curriculum opt-outs to sharing faith in public.
“This year’s Index shows that Americans – and especially younger generations – increasingly share a vigorous vision of religious liberty, one that is not confined to churches and private homes but expressed openly in the public square,” Becket wrote in its report, which was first obtained by The Daily Wire.
Becket found that 73% of Americans believe that parents should be able to opt their kids out of public school curriculum. That is a ten point increase since 2021 and comes after the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-sides-with-parents-says-schools-cant-mandate-lgbt-curricula">ruled</a> last year that a group of Maryland parents should be allowed to take their kids out of classroom instruction involving LGBT and sexuality-focused materials. That case was brought by Becket on behalf of a coalition of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim parents.
The survey found that 62% of Americans supported that decision.
“When it comes to raising children, mom and dad know best. That common-sense idea commands overwhelming support, with nearly three-quarters of Americans agreeing that parents should have the final say on what their children are taught in public school. It’s a powerful reminder that in our nation, families—not government officials—are the primary educators of the next generation,” Eric Baxter, the vice president and senior counsel at Becket, told The Daily Wire.
More Americans also believe that Americans should be free to share their faith in public, including at work and school.
“[Fifty-seven percent] of Americans agree that religious freedom is inherently public, and that Americans should be free to share their faith in public spaces, such as at school, work, or on social media — a five-point rise since 2020,” the index found.
Notably, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-trump-guidance-allows-federal-employees-to-debate-religion-with-co-workers">new guidance</a> issued by the Trump administration last year made it clear that federal workers are allowed to invite their co-workers to church and share their religious beliefs with them.
The survey also found that a plurality of Americans (47%) believe that Christian counselors should be allowed to guide children away from gender-confusion, 58% say that bakers and cake artists should not be forced to create a product that violates their conscience, and 65% approved of a recent Supreme Court decision that sided with a Catholic charity that sued Wisconsin after it made it pay certain taxes that other religious organizations were exempt from.

Beautiful White Baptist Church in Crawfordville, George built in 1889

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A new House proposal aims to crack down on abuses of the student visa system, including by imposing tougher penalties on administrators and institutions found responsible for visa fraud.
The “Student Visa Integrity Act,” introduced by Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX), would tighten visa expiration dates and require in-person interviews for visa extensions for applicants from countries considered sponsors of terrorism or that are in programs otherwise deemed high national security risks.
Under the proposal, students from state sponsors of terrorism, nations with an overstay rate of 10% or higher, or institutions that do not use E-Verify would be limited to a maximum student visa term of two years.
“Studying in the United States is a privilege, not a right,” Gill told The Daily Wire. “Unfortunately, a system intended to spread the American dream has been abused by fraudsters and bad actors. My bill restores integrity to a system that has been exploited for decades by protecting national security, enforcing immigration law, and ensuring the student visa program serves America’s interests.”
Gill’s proposal would also require educational institutions and affiliated organizations to disclose any financial links to China. In addition, the bill would set new limits on foreign students wanting to transfer between schools.
The bill also empowers the Department of Homeland Security to reject student visa applicants from “countries of concern” if the applicant could pose a future national security risk to the United States. That includes individuals seeking to work in “the energy sector of Iran” or to “participate in coursework or training relating to or otherwise engage in flight training, aviation maintenance, or flight operations.”
Under President Donald Trump, the State Department revoked roughly 100,000 visas in 2025, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-administration-revokes-more-than-100000-visas-first-year-back" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>. The outlet noted that 8,000 of those were student visas.
According to a 2024 <a href="https://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/btn/25_0605_2024-sevis-btn.pdf#:~:text=The%20total%20number%20of%20SEVIS%20records%20for,of%205.3%20percent%20from%20calendar%20year%202023." target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, just under 1.6 million individuals were “active” students in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The report noted a 5.3% increase from 2023, with Asia as the most common “continent of origin.”
Roughly 50,000 people may have overstayed their student and exchange visa as of fiscal year 2023, a DHS <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2024-10/24_1011_CBP-Entry-Exit-Overstay-Report-FY23-Data.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> at the time revealed.

Widener Memorial Library with Huge Veritas Banners Harvard University Cambridge MA

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Proposal Targets Fraud, Security Gaps In Student Visa Program

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The Club For Growth is launching a major effort to back a school choice proposal in Mississippi, the organization told The Daily Wire. 
The conservative organization launched an ad campaign on Sunday in support of the Mississippi Education Freedom Act, a bill that would create a scholarship program for low-income families to send their kids to private schools. The campaign urges Mississippians to contact lawmakers to support the bill, which was introduced last week by Republicans in the state House. 
“Mississippi kids shouldn’t be left behind by a system that doesn’t care about them. And parents shouldn’t be relegated to the sidelines. They know what school is best for their child. Tell Legislators: Do right by our kids. Pass education freedom,” Club for Growth <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFhdvbR98jM">urges</a> in the ad.  
The ad first launched on the Sunday political shows in Mississippi and will continue to air this week on Fox News and conservative radio shows. 
The <a href="https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/dt/HB/0001-0099/HB0002IN.pdf">Mississippi Education Freedom Act</a> was introduced on January 7 by House Speaker Jason White and Representative Jansen Owen. The bill would create scholarship opportunities for up to 12,500 students to get state funding to help pay for the costs of attending private school or for other approved educational expenses. The scholarships would be prioritized for lower-income students and could become more broadly available over time. 
“Mississippi benefits when every child can access an education that fits his or her needs, circumstances and aspirations. The ‘Mississippi Education Freedom Act’, expands learning options for eligible students by allowing parents to direct state-supported funds to qualifying educational expenses and approved education service providers,” the bill’s text reads. “This act promotes academic achievement, parental choice, workforce readiness, and efficient stewardship of public funds.”
The bill would also make it easier for parents to transfer their students from one public school district to another and expand opportunities for charter schools. 
Education Secretary Linda McMahon came out in support of the Mississippi House proposal.
“I’m thrilled to see Mississippi advancing an ambitious school choice expansion in their 2026 session. Giving parents options is essential to improving education outcomes &amp; ensuring every child finds the learning environment that best fits their needs,” she <a href="https://x.com/EDSecMcMahon/status/2009735951510048973">said</a> in a post on X. 
As President Donald Trump has moved to dismantle the Department of Education, his administration has pushed for states to implement school choice measures that allow parents to get funding to send their kids to private schools. 
In 2025, the Club for Growth spent over seven figures across the country backing school-choice proposals or expansions in Georgia, Idaho, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-conservative-org-launches-campaign-to-pass-school-choice-in-two-red-states">Indiana</a>, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.

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