State Board of Education Approves Financial Literacy Course from PragerU, Despite Controversy

EditorÔÇÖs Note: This story was first published on New Hampshire Bulletin.

The New Hampshire State Board of Education made a significant decision by approving a financial literacy course from PragerU for the stateÔÇÖs Learn Everywhere program. This move has sparked a considerable amount of backlash from educators due to the organizationÔÇÖs conservative views. However, the board saw this as an opportunity to provide the best possible educational opportunities for all students, as stated by Department of Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut in a news conference after the vote.

The course, called Cash Course, allows students to earn partial graduation credits by watching a series of 15 five-minute videos on financial literacy produced by PragerU. To receive credit, students must also successfully complete a 40-question multiple-choice test, answering at least 36 questions correctly. The videos cover various topics, including loans, taxes, and W-2 employment forms.

This approval aligns with a recently enacted state law that mandates schools to include financial literacy competency as a half-credit graduation requirement. With this decision, students who complete the Cash Course outside of school can fulfill this requirement without the need for classroom instruction.

Under the Learn Everywhere program, New HampshireÔÇÖs public school students can participate in learning programs offered by approved companies and nonprofit organizations and receive academic credit for their participation. School districts are obligated to accept credits earned through such programs.

The 5-0 vote in favor of approving the PragerU program followed criticism by educators and the public who expressed concern over other content produced by PragerU. The organization, co-founded by conservative commentator Dennis Prager, has developed videos with right-leaning viewpoints, including skepticism around climate change, the causes of the Civil War, and direct criticism of liberalism and the Democratic Party.

To address the concerns raised, the Cash Course videos for New Hampshire students will be hosted on a separate website from the main PragerU site, ensuring a clear separation between the financial literacy content and the more ideological materials.

The approval process was not without opposition. Former teachers and members of the public testified for 2┬¢ hours ahead of the vote, with many expressing strong opposition. Janet Ward from Contoocook, N.H., raised concerns about the potential ideological influence the course approval may have, referring to it as “a camel’s nose under the tent.”

Deborah Nelson, a retired high school teacher, argued that the videos and accompanying questionnaire were insufficient to demonstrate students’ proficiency in financial literacy.

Despite the controversy, some, like Pam Brown, supported the program, emphasizing the importance of providing options and a diversity of age-appropriate perspectives for students, rather than resorting to censorship.