California High School Student Takes Hard Stance Against Progressive Education, Prioritizes Academic Excellence

Jordan Brace, a high school student from California, has criticized the state's education system for prioritizing "woke" initiatives over academic achievement.

California high school student Jordan Brace has taken a strong stance against the progressive approach to education in her state, which she believes has led to a decline in academic performance. In an interview on "Fox News @ Night," Brace expressed concern about California's ranking of 33rd in math and 38th in reading nationally. She pointed to statistics from U.S. News and World Report that placed California 38th overall for Pre-K through 12th grade education.

Brace argued that the California Department of Education is too focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and "woke" ideologies, rather than providing students with a proper education. Data from the department shows that less than half of students performed at their grade level in English, math, and science in the 2022-2023 school year.

"I feel that kids my age and just all throughout our country are now being exposed to diversity, equity, and inclusion rather than conservative values and things that they should be learning about," Brace told host Trace Gallagher. "Instead of focusing on DEI and things that are being used to divide us, we should be focusing more on students' education and making sure that they have the skills and tools that they need to have a successful future."

Jill Simonian, outreach director for PragerU Kids, echoed Brace's concerns, calling the statistics coming out of California's education system "terrifying." She warned that students are not being taught the fundamentals of becoming an informed adult.

"It really proves that young people are intelligent, and they are catching on to this, and they're not going to have it anymore," Simonian said.

Brace emphasized the importance of parental involvement in education, as parents should be the primary role models and provide direction for their children. "I honestly think that this school system is not only failing students, but parents too. They're taking away not only their rights to their children's education, but their rights to their lives at home," Brace explained.

Simonian agreed, emphasizing the need for children to be instilled with values at home so that they are well-equipped to enter the world as adults. "It's our job to become educated and informed citizens of this country," Simonian said. "And our school system, not only in California but nationwide, we are the only school system that is actively teaching our children to hate this country and to divide each other by differences. It’s shameful."

Brace and Simonian's criticisms reflect the growing concern among many Americans about the direction of education in the United States. They argue that prioritizing progressive ideologies over academic excellence is a mistake that will have long-term consequences for students and the nation as a whole.