Joyce, Rulli Introduce Legislation to Prevent CCP Influence in America’s Classrooms
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) and Congressman Michael Rulli (OH-6) introduced the Combating the Lies of Authoritarians in School Systems (CLASS) Act. This legislation prohibits K-12 public schools from accepting funds or entering contracts with the Chinese Government, the Chinese Communist Party, and individuals or entities with ties to either. The bill would also require schools notify the Department of Education of any foreign funds or contracts they have.
“American classrooms and what is taught in them should be guided by Americans, not by foreign influences. The Chinese Communist Party’s attempts to interfere with our curriculum and students is a direct threat to our national security that must be addressed,” said Congressman Joyce. “Protecting our children is a top priority, and this legislation is a vital step in preventing the CCP’s influence from spreading through the American education system. Thank you to Representative Rulli for his support in protecting our young minds in Ohio and across the country.”
“As a strong advocate for educational integrity and national security, I am happy to reintroduce the CLASS Act,” said Congressman Rulli. “The CCP has a clear agenda to infiltrate American classrooms and manipulate curricula. This bill ensures that no school district in Ohio—or anywhere in the country—falls prey to CCP influence.”
Background:
One aspect of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) larger soft-power effort to influence policy in countries throughout the world is the Chinese government’s attempt to forge ties with American schools by establishing Confucius Classrooms in K-12 schools through its Ministry of Education Office of Chinese Language Council International. Styled as language and culture programs, Confucius Classrooms have become an increasingly important element of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) campaign for global influence. Confucius Classrooms are smaller-scale, K–12 versions of the Confucious Institutes that the CCP has established as partnerships between host institutions, Chinese partners (usually a Chinese university), and Chinese government agencies across U.S. college campuses.
The Ministry of Education Office of Chinese Language Council International funds each Confucius Institute, often at around $100,000 per year, and asks host institutions to match those funds with their own contributions, usually classroom and office space. These funding arrangements are rarely disclosed to parents and are often conditional upon school districts allowing the Chinese government to vet which teachers are going to teach in American schools and what information is conveyed to students.
Many K–12 schools have eagerly accepted CCP-linked grants, which come with perks including fully funded teacher exchanges, Chinese language programs, and options for American students to learn in China. However, Confucius Classroom funding comes with strings attached that compromise academic freedom. The Chinese government approves teachers, events, and speakers and requires teachers to sign contracts pledging they will not damage the national interests of China. The contracts make clear a Chinese director or teacher will be terminated if they “violate Chinese laws” or “engage in activities detrimental to national interests” and states that they must “conscientiously safeguard national interests.”
The CLASS Act would help put an end to foreign influence in American schools by banning school districts from accepting any funds from the People’s Republic of China or individuals and entities with ties to the government and requiring school districts to disclose any time they receive funding from other foreign governments.
Read the full text of the bill here.
To view the full committee report on this bill from the 118th Congress, click here.
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