Morning Wire Ethnic Studies, DEI & the Collapse of Academic Standards
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Nov 28, 2025 
Nicole Neily, the president and founder of Defending Education, discusses the alarming decline in student performance amidst a surge in ethnic studies funding. She defines ethnic studies as a curriculum centered on identity politics and grievance narratives. Neily highlights universities creating K–12 curricula and the significant foundation funding driving these initiatives. With parents pushing back, she argues for a return to basic education and civic unity, expressing hope that prioritizing family input could lead to meaningful educational reform.
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Ethnic Studies As Activist Training
- Ethnic studies is presented as multiculturalism but functions as activist training for children.
- Nicole Neily argues it frames the world through an oppressor-victim matrix that divides kids by identity.
Universities Export K–12 Curricula
- Major universities create and sell ethnic-studies curricula to K–12 districts.
- Neily says Berkeley and CUNY develop courses that districts adopt nationwide.
Example: Drag Pedagogy In Curriculum
- Berkeley-recommended lessons include topics like drag pedagogy for early childhood.
- Neily cites specific course titles used to train teachers and shape classroom practice.