Woke Ideology in Teacher Graduate Programs Explains Declining U.S. Student Reading Scores
Source: Christopher Jacobs. "Woke Grad School Ed Programs Explain Why Kids Can't Read." September 28, 2026. thefederalist.com
The Gist
The author argues that American kids' reading and math scores are dropping partly because the graduate schools that train teachers are obsessed with woke topics like critical race theory and 'decolonizing' education instead of proven teaching methods like phonics. He says the fix is to stop funding these programs and instead give parents money to choose better schools for their kids.
Conclusion
American students' poor and declining academic performance (especially reading) is significantly attributable to woke ideology pervading graduate schools of education that train teachers, and the solution is to redirect education funding to parents via school choice rather than to these institutions.
Premises
- PISA test results show American students' reading scores plunged 14 points since 2022, now near their lowest point this century, and math scores have fallen while China's have risen sharply.
- An AEI study of 10 public graduate schools of education found course readings dominated by critical race theory and antiracist/decolonizing linguistics topics rather than proven instructional methods.
- Some course titles (e.g., 'Queering Elementary Education,' 'Black Linguistic Reparations') suggest these programs prioritize ideological content over practical teaching skills like phonics.
- Other progressive education philosophies (e.g., 'learn at their own pace') also undermine proven methods like phonics and could be equally damaging to learning outcomes.
- School districts incentivize teachers to obtain these master's degrees through higher pay, creating a pipeline that funnels future teachers through these ideologically-focused programs.
- Nikole Hannah-Jones' NYT essay and the failing school where she sent her daughter serve as anecdotal confirmation of systemic educational failure tied to progressive ideology.
Assumptions
- Correlation between declining test scores and the existence of ideologically-focused course content in teacher training programs implies causation.
- Course reading titles and syllabi accurately reflect classroom teaching practices and teacher competency outcomes.
- Phonics-based and traditional pedagogical methods are inherently superior to student-centered or 'critical' pedagogical approaches for improving literacy.
- School choice and redirecting funds to parents would result in better educational outcomes than reforming or funding public teacher training programs directly.
- The ideological content described is representative of teacher training programs nationally, not just at the specific institutions studied (University of Texas, Cal State Northridge).
- Global test score declines (attributed partly to smartphones/social media per OECD) are less significant than the ideological factor emphasized in this argument.