WASHINGTON — Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) will introduce the Love America Act, new legislation to promote patriotism in education and fight back against the spread of anti-American, critical race theory classes in K-12 education. Senator Hawley’s bill would require all schools and school districts that receive federal funding to ensure students are able to read and recite America’s founding documents and bar federal funding from schools that teach those documents are the products of white supremacy or racism.
Senator Hawley said, “Over the past year, Americans have watched stunned as a radical ideology spread through our country’s elite institutions—one that teaches America is an irredeemably racist nation founded by white supremacists. Now it has found its way into our children’s schools. We cannot afford for our children to lose faith in the noble ideals this country was founded on. We have to make sure that our children understand what makes this country great, the ideals of hope and promise our Founding Fathers fought for, and the love of country that unites us all.”
The Love America Act:
- Requires students to read the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Pledge of Allegiance and recite portions of these foundational texts at certain grade levels:
- In 1st grade, students read and are able to recite the Pledge of Allegiance
- In 4th grade, students read the U.S. Constitution and are able to recite its preamble
- In 8th grade, students read the Declaration of Independence and are able to recite its preamble
- In 10th grade, students read and are able to identify the Bill of Rights
- Would make schools ineligible for federal funding if they teach that the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, or Pledge of Allegiance are the product of white supremacy or racism.
