The Department of Justice recently indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), sparking heightened interest. This includes a House Judiciary Committee hearing examining the SPLC’s role in shaping civil rights policy. This hearing draws attention to the organization accused of left-leaning influence in education.
For over ten years, the SPLC has promoted its Learning for Justice standards in schools for social justice. The 2020 racial justice protests saw the SPLC push a far-left agenda in K-12 education. They presented their content as essential for reducing bias and closing achievement gaps, using terms like “anti-racism” and “White privilege.” These ideas quickly spread throughout the education system by leveraging educator networks and associations.
Despite its influence, measuring the SPLC’s reach in education is challenging. Numerous districts use their content in lessons and curricula, but the scale remains unclear due to undocumented teacher use.
Social Emotional Learning programs like Second Step, Panorama Education, and Yale’s RULER have incorporated SPLC lessons, signing contracts with many districts. The SPLC distributes content through unions, professional groups, and more, affecting education nationwide.
The organization’s materials often create division and resentment, despite intentions to fight injustice. The DOJ’s indictment rightly questions the SPLC’s influence in education, where it has enjoyed credibility for years.
Parents, communities, and legislators need to investigate their schools for SPLC-influenced content. Schools must remove biased materials from lessons and resources. No student should learn under a system promoting one ideology while condemning opposing views.
Rhyen Staley, Director of Research for Defending Education, advocates for this change. With extensive education and coaching experience, he stresses the need to evaluate and challenge SPLC’s role in schools.