Controlling the Curriculum: A Content Analysis of PragerU's Children's Educational Material

PragerU is a conservative media outlet founded by Dennis Prager in 2009 that aims to insert new conservative content into existing U.S. public school curricula. While conservative activist groups have attempted for decades to alter educational content and policy, PragerU is attempting to directly influence public school curricula by having their materials authorized for use in public schools. This study utilizes qualitative content analysis to understand the meaning behind PragerU's content, using a sample of 39 videos, targeted at students in grades 6 and higher. The transcript data were analyzed to address two research questions: 1) What are the key themes, topics, and viewpoints contained in PragerU's Kids video content targeting 6th graders and up? 2) What do the themes, topics, and viewpoints demonstrate about PragerU's beliefs regarding the role of education in society, and about its aims for changing public education curricula? I identified four key themes in PragerU Kids' video content: America is a uniquely gifted and threatened nation; only certain groups of people are allowed to be “real” Americans; education is only useful if it helps the economy; and hard work is as much a moral good as it is an economic one. This study sheds light on a new facet of the conservative movement over a decade in the making and on how PragerU aims to make significant changes to the public education system as President Trump and the Republican Party retake control of the federal government.