Originally published September 20, 2023 2:00 pm PDT
New legislation has been proposed by bipartisan members of Congress to protect American educational institutions from any undue influence by the China Communist Party (CCP) or the People’s Republic of China.
This comes as a direct response to revelations concerning contracts for “Confucius Classrooms” across American schools.
The Combatting the Lies of Authoritarians in School Systems (CLASS) Act was introduced by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Congressman Dave Joyce (R-OH), and Congressman Ed Case (D-HI).
Their initiative was driven by a report from Parents Defending Education that revealed contracts with a Chinese government entity across 143 K-12 schools spanning 34 states and the District of Columbia.
“American students are being force fed Chinese Communist Party propaganda as school systems nationwide accept significant funding from CCP linked financial institutions,” voiced Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.
She further elaborated, “In New York alone, China’s infiltration into New York schools totaled to a shocking $375,575 in CCP connecting funding. No price can be put on the minds of our next generation. As the new school year begins, Communist China cannot be allowed access to our classrooms and students.”
In echoing her concerns, Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) remarked, “As students across the country start the new school year, the Chinese Communist Party is hard at work attempting to influence their curriculum. China’s attempts to interfere in American classrooms represent a direct threat to the national security of our country.”
He emphasized that “this bipartisan legislation is a crucial step in preventing China’s influence from spreading into the American education system.”
Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) highlighted the depth of the issue, stating, “The People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party have demonstrated repeatedly that there are no boundaries in the deliberate spread of propaganda and disinformation, including the classrooms of the world.”
Michelle Exner, Director of Federal Affairs for Parents Defending Education Action, elaborated on the findings that sparked this legislation, saying, “A recent report released by our partner organization ‘Parents Defending Education’ showed over the past decade that nearly $18 million in China-linked funding has been found in 143 school districts across the country. This is a serious security concern that should alarm families and government leaders alike.”
This isn’t the first time Congresswoman Stefanik has taken action against the influence of Communist China, Stefanik’s press release noted.
In August 2023, she led an initiative to question the accountability of such funding by penning a letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D).
Furthermore, Stefanik also previously championed the Halting Academic Liaisons To (HALT) our Adversaries Act, which proposed prohibiting U.S. higher educational institutions from receiving federal funding if they have active partnerships with entities controlled by Communist China.
