AUSTIN, Texas — Several education advocates and state leaders are condemning a conservative-leaning curriculum that could come to Texas schools.
PragerU describes itself a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that offers an alternative to the "dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education."
The curriculum does have some support in Texas. One State of Texas Board of Education member, Julie Pickren, announced her support on social media last week in a video shared by the company’s CEO.
"We are definitely ready to welcome PragerU into the great state of Texas," Pickren said in the video. "Thank you PragerU, and welcome to Texas."
Many school board members said PragerU's videos can be offensive and inaccurate. Some that oppose the curriculm say the videos downplay slavery in America.
On Tuesday, a press conference was held in Austin to make clear that the videos have not been reviewed or approved for curriculum in Texas schools. State of Texas Board of Education member Aicha Davis said the video with Pickren implies the company is coming to Texas.
"They both [Pickren and CEO Marissa Streit] implied the PragerU curriculum has been approved for us in Texas public schools," Davis said.
The Texas Comptroller's Office has registered PragerU as a vendor, but the State Board of Education still has to approve the group before the videos can be used in schools. Both Texas school board members Davis and Marisa Perez-Diaz addressed that concern on Tuesday.
"Our effort today is to set the record straight, make sure that everybody that is watching this that the Texas State Board has not, did not and hopefully will not approve specifically PragerU," Perez-Diaz said.
In order for the videos to be used in Texas schools, they have to be vetted by the Texas Education Agency and go to a public comment before going to the State of Texas Board of Education.