Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is taking action to protect U.S. classrooms from foreign interference with the introduction of the TRACE Act. The bill, which stands for Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education, will mandate that schools provide parents with information on any curricula funded or sourced by foreign entities upon request.
This legislation comes as a companion to a bill introduced in June by Rep. Aaron Bean (R-FL). “The Chinese Communist Party exerts vast resources to control what Americans see, hear, and ultimately think,” Cruz said. He emphasized the importance of safeguarding classrooms from foreign adversaries, particularly the Chinese Communist Party.
Parents who request this information will receive it at no cost, and schools must clearly communicate parents’ rights under this policy. Michele Exner, director of federal affairs at Parents Defending Education, supports the TRACE Act, noting that foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party are using American classrooms to further their strategic objectives.
Rep. Bean, who chairs the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee, introduced his bill to ensure parents are aware of how foreign funding impacts their child’s education. “American schools are for education, not espionage,” Bean stated. He stressed the need to prevent foreign adversaries from influencing American students.
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chair of the House Education Committee, highlighted the necessity of this measure. “We know that significant investments from foreign nations are flowing into America’s K-12 schools, possibly impacting decisions regarding personnel or curriculum,” Foxx said. “As it stands, school administrators are not required to share where their funding comes from. That’s unacceptable.”
Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters also warned of the national security risks posed by Chinese influence on education. He pointed out that programs like Confucius Classrooms, funded by the Chinese Communist Party, aim to undermine American values and called on Congress to take decisive action.
