ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — State education officials have approved content from the conservative nonprofit PragerU to be shown in Florida schools, a spokeswoman for the Department of Education confirmed Monday.
A news release sent Monday on behalf of PragerU, which produces video content featuring prominent conservative figures, said that its PragerU Kids content would be introduced “in schools across America” as an educational resource.
“Florida was the first state to officially approve PragerU’s new K-12 curriculum,” an initial version of the release said. A revised version of the release issued later said that Florida approved PragerU “as an educational vendor.”
Cassandra Palelis, deputy director of communications for the state education department, told The News Service of Florida that the PragerU content has been approved for use as supplemental teaching materials.
“The Florida Department of Education reviewed PragerU Kids and determined the material aligns to Florida’s revised civics and government standards. PragerU Kids is no different than many other resources, which can be used as supplemental materials in Florida schools at district discretion,” Palelis said in an email.
However, she added that PragerU Kids “did not submit a bid to be included in the 2022-23 instructional materials adoption for social studies.”
A video on the Prager U website shows CEO Marissa Streit celebrating the company's curriculum being approved for use in schools.
“The state of Florida just announced that we are now becoming an official vendor. This means that if you are a teacher in Florida, you cannot be fired for using Prager U content. You can also rely on our resources in your classrooms," Streit said.
PragerU, founded in 2011 by conservative radio host Dennis Prager, describes itself as "a free alternative to the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education." The PragerU Kids content features videos that cover topics such as historical events and figures, religious and Biblical stories, and America’s system of government.
Descriptions of the content on the PragerU website bill it as “the leading network with educational, entertaining, pro-American kids shows for every grade.” The site has a link asking people to sign a petition to get PragerU content into the country’s schools.
“PragerU is trying to help America’s students — but the left (which has hijacked and controlled the education system, including teachers unions) is doing everything in its power to label us as ‘far right,’ deplatform us, and keep PragerU out of schools,” the website said.
10 Tampa Bay's Andrea Chu contributed to this report.
