Today, House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) addressed the House in support of two legislative measures designed to prevent foreign influence, specifically from China, in American K-12 schools. The bills under consideration are H.R. 1005, known as the Combating the Lies of Authoritarians in School Systems (CLASS) Act, and H.R. 1049, titled the Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education (TRACE) Act.
During his remarks on the CLASS Act, Walberg stated: "[A]uthoritarian regimes, like the Chinese Communist Party, have chosen repression over freedom, indoctrinating their citizens to embrace socialism and communism—ideals fundamentally opposed to American values of liberty, freedom, and self-determination. Now, we are seeing those same authoritarian efforts reach into our classrooms…That’s why I am proud to support [the CLASS Act], from Rep. David Joyce and Rep. Michael Rulli. It’s an important piece of legislation requiring schools to disclose any funding or contracts received from foreign entities above a nominal threshold. For too long, schools have allowed foreign adversaries to funnel propaganda into classrooms—propaganda that rewrites history and undermines American values. These programs are funded and directed by the CCP’s propaganda arm, targeting children for indoctrination."
On the TRACE Act, Walberg commented: "We need greater transparency in American education. In recent years, foreign governments have increasingly sought to influence our K-12 schools—not for their stated purpose of cultural exchanges or diplomacy, but to push propaganda…Over nearly two decades, the CCP has demonstrated a persistent effort to influence the minds of our children. According to a 2020 State Department report, many of these classrooms are funded and operated, in part, by the CCP’s United Front Work Department, a known overseas propaganda and influence operation. Foreign interference in our schools threatens not only student learning but also our national security. [The TRACE Act], by Rep. Aaron Bean and Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, addresses this problem by giving parents the right to review course materials funded or provided by foreign governments and entities of concern."
The CLASS Act would require school districts to disclose within 30 days any receipt of funding or contractual agreement with a foreign source.
The TRACE Act aims to ensure parents can access information about donations or classroom materials coming from countries or entities deemed concerning by U.S authorities; it also requires schools to respond if asked whether faculty receive payment from such entities.
