“Being taken as a slave is better than being killed”: How PragerU’s curriculum reinforces hierarchy and hegemony

This study is a critical discourse analysis that examines how Leo and Layla’s History Adventures (a children’s video series produced by PragerU) constructs ideological representations of U.S. history through hierarchy-enhancing legitimizing myths (HE-LMs). Rooted in Social Dominance Theory, HE-LMs offer a framework for analyzing how narratives do more than distort historical facts; they also promote ideological understandings that justify existing power structures and inequalities. Our analysis of 65 videos identified five core HE-LMs: (1) America is exceptional, (2) racial inequality is a thing of the past, (3) Western civilization is inherently superior, (4) Christian faith is the foundation of moral and civic virtue, and (5) capitalism is the natural and moral system of governance. We conclude with suggestions for how educators may draw on critical media literacy practices to help students engage analytically with PragerU’s content. This work contributes to a growing body of scholarship investigating right-wing curriculum and the impact of policy on teaching practice.