July 3rd 2023.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, recently released a report that has called the decision-making of the world's largest publisher of college textbooks into question. Titled, World's Largest Education-Content Publisher Promotes Radical Political Agenda in U.S. Schools and Government, the report discusses the publisher's emphasis on anti-racism, intersectionality, and restructuring of biological identification of people.
Jonathan Butcher, the Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News that Pearson's efforts "draw its editorial priorities even closer to Critical Race Theory main ideas". Pearson is accessible through an online subscription service and has contracts with the government. In addition, the report states that Pearson is trying to create products and services that will impact learners' engagement in social justice.
Joe Wiggins, the director of media relations for Pearson, responded that their content aligns with legal requirements according to state and federal standards. He further explained that Critical Race Theory is not included in Pearson K-12 materials for public schools or in any materials for government contracts.
Butcher questioned Pearson's intentions to include its content on anti-racism in the K-12 curriculum. He stated that the terms such as "anti-bias" and "anti-racism" are embedded in the content which falsely maintains that America is systemically racist and perpetuates a culture that oppresses women, people who are confused about their sex, and ethnic minorities.
The report from the conservative organization also discussed Pearson's implementation of intersectionality in its material. Intersectionality claims that ethnic minorities and those who assume different genders face multiple levels of oppression when public policies result in disparate outcomes. According to Pearson, intersectionality should be a top priority when addressing social inequities.
Butcher believes that taxpayers should not have to pay for Pearson's content. However, he does acknowledge that Pearson has the right to publish content that they deem critical for educating the next generation.
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