Have You Heard #209 Make Education Great Again
Dec 4, 2025
In this compelling discussion, Kevin Kumashiro, former dean and author, and Laura K. Fields, scholar and author of 'Furious Minds,' delve into the MAGA vision for education. Kumashiro reveals how Christian nationalism seeks to reshape public schools with a dual strategy of deinstitutionalization and re-Christianization. Fields introduces the 'new right' intellectuals influencing a push for patriotic curricula and critiques the response to the 1619 Project. Both guests highlight the urgent need to address the meaning crisis in education while advocating for a pluralistic approach in schools.
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Episode notes
Christian Nationalism Is Systemic
- Christian nationalism links broad policy aims across institutions, not just religion and schools.
- Kevin Kumashiro traces its influence back centuries and shows recurring reactionary cycles.
Two-Pronged School Strategy
- Christian nationalists pursue a two-pronged strategy: pull away from public schools and re-Christianize them.
- Theological differences explain why some favor vouchers while others favor takeover tactics.
Learn From Opponents’ Organizing
- Study the organizing strategies Christian nationalists used to win ground; their gains are not inevitable.
- Use those lessons to build an alternative movement grounded in democratic education values.