Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is set to introduce a bill aimed at protecting U.S. classrooms from foreign influence, particularly from China. The Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education (TRACE) Act will require schools to provide information on any curricula funded or sourced by foreign entities to parents upon request.
The bill, a companion to legislation introduced in June by Rep. Aaron Bean (R-FL), seeks to enhance transparency and ensure parents are aware of any foreign influences in their children’s education. “The Chinese Communist Party exerts vast resources to control what Americans see, hear, and ultimately think,” Cruz said, emphasizing the need for this legislation to counteract foreign adversaries targeting American educational institutions.
Under the TRACE Act, schools will have to supply the requested information at no cost, and school districts must clearly communicate parents’ rights under this policy. Michele Exner, director of federal affairs at Parents Defending Education, supports Cruz’s initiative, citing evidence of foreign nations, especially the Chinese Communist Party, attempting to influence American classrooms.
Rep. Bean’s original bill aims to “solidify the rights of parents to know how foreign funding is impacting their child’s classroom” and to deter foreign nations from influencing America’s youth. Bean stated, “American schools are for education, not espionage,” underscoring the necessity of preventing foreign adversaries from corrupting U.S. students.
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chair of the House Education Committee, highlighted the importance of the measure, noting that significant foreign investments in K-12 schools could impact curriculum and personnel decisions. “School administrators are not required to share where their funding comes from. That’s unacceptable,” Foxx said.
Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters also expressed concerns about Chinese influence, particularly through programs like Confucius Classrooms, which he described as a propaganda campaign to undermine American values. Walters called on Congress to act, reinforcing the urgency of measures like the TRACE Act.
