Maryland School District Promotes “Anti-Racism” Curriculum
The largest school district in Maryland is implementing what it describes as an “anti-racism” curriculum aimed at addressing topics like “white supremacy,” along with race and gender identity, according to internal documents that have surfaced.
Training materials from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) reveal an emphasis on an “anti-bias/anti-racist curriculum.” Teachers are instructed to focus on issues involving injustice, racism, oppression, implicit bias, and inequality. This information was shared by Defender Education (DE), a group that advocates for parental rights and initially uncovered the documents through the organization United Against Racism in Education.
It seems that the curriculum’s discussions took place during a PTA meeting on January 20, 2026, as reported by DE.
One document titled “Culturally Responsive and Antiracist Teaching Framework in Social Studies” states that schools should foster an environment for analyzing injustice and developing strategies for a fairer society. It references antiracist authors and consultants as key resources for teachers.
DE also notes that the curriculum’s focus should be on understanding “systems of power and oppression created by white supremacy.” It aims to confront mainstream narratives that primarily reflect white Eurocentric historical perspectives. Essentially, the content aspires to “critically examine resistance to and liberation from white supremacy,” spotlighting the experiences and struggles of marginalized communities.
Teachers are encouraged to “think critically” about their implicit biases and to reflect on their roles in an educational setting. The guidance further prompts educators to explore the impacts of historical and ongoing institutional oppression on students.
Included among the resources mentioned in the documents are frameworks related to Critical Race Theory, guidelines for selecting anti-bias children’s literature, and materials focused on “Teaching Tolerance” for young students, specifically those in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Within this framework, teachers are advised to contemplate questions like: “What system of power is being represented?” and “Who takes action against oppression?” The goal is to promote critical thinking around these themes.
As of now, MCPS has not provided a response to inquiries regarding this issue.
Paul Ranko, DE’s senior director of strategic initiatives, expressed concerns about the curriculum, stating it closely aligns with Critical Race Theory—despite assurances to parents that CRT would not be utilized in K-12 schools. He noted that parents fear such lessons could foster division and indoctrinate students into extreme leftist ideologies, rather than celebrating the principle that individual worth should be measured by character and accomplishments rather than skin color.
