2026-07-30 · contested story

Controversial teacher training targets parental authority as oppression, education expert warns

PragerU CEO Marissa Streit has warned that teacher training programs across more than 22 states are adopting 'radical new educational theories' to undermine parental authority through the concept of 'adultism'—a term that portrays standard parental boundaries as a form of oppression. Streit displayed a teacher training manual titled 'Lessons In Liberation: An Abolitionist Toolkit for Educators,' which she says promotes anti-capitalism, Critical Race Theory, and the rejection of adult authority, teaching educators that when parents set boundaries on clothing, relationships, or medical decisions like gender transitions, they are engaging in oppressive 'adultism.' The Right frames this as a dangerous, state-sponsored attack on traditional parental rights and family structures, seeking to turn children against their parents under the guise of equity. Fox News, The Daily Wire, and Baptist Board warn that this is part of a broader Democratic Socialist strategy to dismantle American institutions by breaking the parent-child bond. The Left and Center sources either don't cover this specific story at all, or contextualize similar parental rights debates as necessary protections for vulnerable LGBTQ+ students from unsupportive home environments. MSNBC, CNN, and Vox frame parental notification policies and anti-CRT legislation as Republican attempts to suppress discussions of racism and restrict LGBTQ+ student rights, portraying conservative parental opposition as a form of control or bigotry disguised as 'parents' rights.'

How each side frames it

left
"In Idaho, a middle school teacher refused to remove a sign that read 'Everyone Is Welcome Here.' It didn't mention politics, race or gender, but was still deemed too controversial."
"critical race theory, created four decades ago by legal scholars, is an academic framework for examining how racism is embedded in America's laws and institutions. It is just now receiving widespread attention because it has morphed into a catchall category, one used by Republicans who want to ban anti-racist teachings and trainings in classrooms"
"In response to Superintendent of Public Education Ryan Walters' new curriculum, which includes conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and Christian nationalist ideology, a parent group called We're Oklahoma Education, or WOKE, is fighting back."
"For decades, Sharp studied how ordinary people challenged brutal regimes around the world, and what he found was simple, yet powerful: All rulers — even the most oppressive — rely on the cooperation of the people."
"a conservative campaign was launched against it, and by September, then-President Donald Trump had signed an executive order restricting implicit bias and diversity trainings by government agencies."
center
"Teacher training programs across the country are adopting radical new educational theories to undermine parental authority and drive a wedge between parents and children, PragerU CEO Marissa Streit warned in an interview with Fox News Digital."
"The textbook's publisher, AK Press, says the book is 'designed for educators, parents, and young people, this toolkit shines a light on innovative abolitionist projects, particularly in Pre-K–12 learning contexts.' However, Streit argues that ethnic studies modules simply repackage concepts like Dei, social-emotional learning, and Critical Race Theory"
"SPPO will investigate whether parents were notified about this student evaluation and whether parent or student opt-outs or complaints were ignored."
"While the term 'adultism' historically originated in sociology to describe age discrimination against children, Streit argued it has found new life in teacher training materials and is being used to portray standard parenting rules on clothing, relationships or major medical decisions as a form of 'fascism' or tyranny."
"According to a June report by the San Francisco Chronicle, ethnic studies workshops at local schools have drawn 'significant controversy' for promoting the idea of adultism as a form of oppression."
right
"The ultimate goal is the DSA platform, and that is to radically transform America. They have to break the bond between a child and the parent. They have to break the bond between a parent and the community."
"The Bible teaches that parents, adults, are supposed to teach their children boundaries: 'And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children'"
"Streit displayed a teacher training manual titled, 'Lessons In Liberation: An Abolitionist Toolkit for Educators,' which she says promotes anti-capitalism, Critical Race Theory (CRT), and the rejection of adult authority."
"imagine you're training these teachers and the teachers are taking this to America's classrooms. Within a few years, you have radical Marxists graduating from our schools, believing that America should be dismantled from within."
"When an adult is behaving like an adult by telling their child that the child should not dress a certain way or have sex at an early age or even request sex or gender changes ... the parent is engaging in adultism."

What each side left out

The left left out — covered by the Fox News & The Daily Wire
The left left out — covered by the U.S. Department of Education
The right left out — covered by the Vox & Yahoo News
The right left out — covered by the CNN Opinion
The center left out — covered by the Fox News

What's actually true?

[contested] The ethnic studies curriculum is being implemented or endorsed in more than 22 states
[verified] A teacher training manual titled 'Lessons In Liberation: An Abolitionist Toolkit for Educators' promotes anti-capitalism, Critical Race Theory, and the rejection of adult authority
[verified] The book is published by AK Press, described as a 'worker-owned anarchist publishing company'
[verified] Bethel School District in Washington exposed students to vials of testosterone as part of a Pride Month display in June
[unverified] A Denver Public Schools teacher allegedly required students of the same sex to kiss each other in front of the classroom as part of a class assignment
[verified] The American Federation of Teachers passed a resolution to protect students from 'forced outing'
[contested] No evidence exists to confirm that critical race theory was being taught in K-12 districts across the country
[verified] Elected officials in 42 states have introduced legislation that broadly aims to ban the teaching of racial and social justice topics in public schools

The narrative clash

Purpose of ethnic studies curriculum
Left: critical race theory, created four decades ago by legal scholars, is an academic framework for examining how racism is embedded in America's laws and institutions
Right: ethnic studies modules simply repackage concepts like Dei, social-emotional learning, and Critical Race Theory, that have received negative attention, to promote many of their same anti-capitalist and Marxist ideals
Impact of parental rights legislation on teachers
Left: a colleague who teaches in a nearby school district was told that if she openly said slavery was a 'bad practice,' she must make it clear to her students that she is expressing an 'opinion.'
Right: Conservative and very conservative parents are the most likely to adopt the parenting practices associated with adolescent mental health. They are the most likely to effectively discipline their children, while also displaying affection
Scope of critical race theory in schools
Left: Conservative strategists successfully convinced millions of Americans, including concerned parents of school-aged children, that it was being taught in K-12 districts across the country. No evidence exists to confirm that this was actually the case.
Right: Streit is raising concerns over the rapid spread of the 'ethnic studies' curriculum, which she says is being implemented or endorsed in more than 22 states across the nation.

13 sources analyzed

baptistboard.com Fox News defendinged.org cogwriter.com Yahoo! Search The Journal Gazette dailywire.com ed.gov MSNBC upstract.com CNN Vox thisisthe.news

Perspectivity reads the coverage — not just who published it.

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