A federal early education training program has come under scrutiny for promoting concepts of racial bias and gender ideology in preschool classrooms. A 2020 presentation titled “Anti-Bias Teaching and Learning Environments in Head Start Programs” instructed educators that babies may exhibit racial bias and recommended strategies to counteract it. Among the materials presented was a version of the nursery rhyme “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” modified with gender-neutral pronouns such as “he/she/they.”
The program in question is part of Head Start, a federally funded initiative under the Department of Health and Human Services that provides educational services to low-income families. Training materials encouraged educators to apply a “racial equity lens” to classroom environments and funding decisions. Teachers were advised to initiate conversations about race with children from a young age and incorporate resources like The 1619 Project and Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be an Antiracist.
One training slide emphasized collaboration, stating, “If we commit to collectively trying to talk about race with young children, we can lean on one another.” Other materials included a partnership with Sesame Street to promote racial justice concepts. These sessions were designed to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles into early childhood curriculum.
Critics argue that such programs introduce controversial political ideology into publicly funded education. A government watchdog group warned that Head Start’s use of racial and gender-based materials could constitute ideological indoctrination, diverting from the program’s original purpose of building early literacy, numeracy, and social development.
There has been no official response from the Department of Health and Human Services or Head Start leadership regarding the training content. The issue has intensified calls among lawmakers and policy analysts for oversight of federal educational programs, particularly those directed at preschool-aged children.
