The Pentagon’s Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools are embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ideologies in their curriculums, according to a new report from Open the Books obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation. These schools, serving around 70,000 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, have faced criticism for promoting a left-leaning agenda.
Last year, the Pentagon disbanded its DEI department amid controversy but instead reassigned its staff to other roles, continuing its DEI initiatives. A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed the department’s ongoing commitment to DEI efforts.
Open the Books’ report, “Schools for Radicals: The Secret Push to Institute Radical DEI Curriculums within the Pentagon’s K-12 Public Schools,” revealed that the Pentagon secretly formed a DEI Steering Committee and moved DEI staff into less visible positions. The report also accused DoDEA of evading Freedom of Information Act requests, with responses often heavily redacted.
The investigation found that DoDEA promoted free resources pushing radical ideologies and used changing academic standards to introduce more DEI topics in classrooms. Both students and staff experienced DEI sessions, with staff receiving materials like Coaching for Equity, which criticizes capitalism, patriarchy, and American traditions.
Open the Books CEO Adam Andrzejewski criticized the indoctrination of military members’ children, stating it prioritizes complex racial and gender identities over national pride and alienates students from the American dream. Some classroom materials came from organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
The Department of Defense did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.