Documentary Exposes Critical Race Theory and ‘Corrupting Influence of Teachers’ Unions’ on Education of American Children

A new documentary exposes Critical Race Theory (CRT) as the “hidden agenda in America’s schools,” as it also emphasizes the “corrupting influence of teachers’ unions” and urges a return to the true education of American children.

Fathom Events, the film’s distributor, notes on its website Whose Children Are They? seeks to “pull back the curtain about what is truly happening in our public schools today.”

Whose Children Are They? trailer below:

The film’s distributor further says about the documentary:

This film will be the starting point for a full cultural conversation about the need to return to the original intent of education, not indoctrination. “Whose Children Are They?” will inform and equip parents, teachers, grandparents and concerned citizens, to partner together for the innocence and well-being of our children. It will also educate all education stakeholders on the corrupting influence of teachers’ unions, and the vital importance of removing them from our schools, in addition to educating parents on the need to stand with good teachers, and empower teachers to stage a mass Union Exit.

“I’d like parents to understand that the root problem in our schools is the so-called teachers’ unions and their radical agenda — not good teachers,” Rebecca Friedrichs, a producer of the film and a cast member, told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Friedrichs, the founder of For Kids and Country, a national movement of parents, teachers, and citizens, is a former public school teacher whose case against the California Teachers’ Association blazed the trail for ending forced union participation.

“The so-called teacher unions and their political allies are heavily pushing CRT in our K-12 schools, colleges and universities,” she added, observing the Marxist philosophy that embraces the concept that all social and cultural issues should be viewed through the lens of race and ethnicity, is “embedded in curricula, teacher trainings, school cultures and especially through Obama-era racial equity discipline policies that have turned our classrooms into war zones.”

Author and Manhattan Institute scholar Christopher Rufo tweeted his definition of CRT:

While it's trending, here's a definition of critical race theory.https://t.co/qmbBCRLWGy pic.twitter.com/bIGoO3EBoc

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) March 13, 2022

Friedrichs explained further to Fox News Digital:

The education establishment wants teachers to weave CRT into every subject. But good teachers reject CRT because it teaches children to judge their peers [based] on the color of their skin instead of the content of their character.

My students and I always celebrated that we were living Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream because we had students from all over the world in our class, but we all respected one another. We were a true melting pot. Unions and their allies seek to divide us all with CRT.

“Beware,” Friedrichs warned. “CRT is presented under a score of other titles.”

“If parents will stand with good teachers and help them to reject the unions, we can restore our schools,” Friedrichs asserted. “The unions are the culprits behind undermining parents, indoctrinating children, pushing an anti-American agenda, destroying our once outstanding educational system, and more.”

Texas-based education policy commentator at EducationViews.org Donna Garner wrote Tuesday about the documentary:

I hardly ever say this, but “Everyone needs to see the film WHOSE CHILDREN ARE THEY?”

I wish I had the words to explain the depth and value of this film. Please believe me when I say that every aspect of the problems in our educational system is covered in this movie. The part on sex education is particularly appalling. I guarantee you that you will learn things that will astound you. Even truly knowledgeable people will learn new things; I certainly did.

The film is released as public school enrollments have plummeted.

During the pandemic school closures, which the teachers’ unions wholeheartedly supported, many parents sought other education settings for their children and have since decided not to return to public schools.

Public schools are now experiencing a drop in funding that comes with fewer students.

Kerry McDonald, senior education fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), wrote about the exodus from public schools in early March:

Since 2020, more families have been fleeing local district schools for other options. Homeschooling rates doubled in that year alone and remain high today. Home-based “pandemic pods” have evolved into established microschools and co-op arrangements that have worked better for many families than a conventional classroom. Catholic schools, like other private schools, were more likely to remain open, while district schools were closed and have experienced their first enrollment hike in two decades. More students are now learning in virtual schools and charter schools than they were pre-pandemic.

McDonald observed that teachers are leaving public schools, as well as students:

A new teacher survey suggests that more than half of public school teachers expect to leave their profession earlier than planned. This is on top of survey results analyzed last year by the RAND Corporation finding that nearly one-quarter of teachers expected to leave their jobs by the end of the 2020/2021 academic year.

“The educational realignment from institutions to home- and community-based models that accelerated in 2020 isn’t slowing down,” McDonald added. “Now that parents and teachers have glimpsed educational possibilities beyond a traditional classroom, they are less willing to put up with the schooling status quo.”

Whose Children Are They? opened for one night only in select theaters on March 14, but viewers can see the film at ticketed events hosted in their homes, churches, schools, and other venues during a 30-day window from March 15-April 14.

In addition to Friedrichs, the cast of the film features international journalist Alex Newman, executive director of nonprofit Public School Exit; Virginia Walden-Ford, a leading proponent of parent empowerment and school choice; political scientist and former tenured professor at Princeton and Vanderbilt Universities Carol Swain, Ph.D.; Andrew Pollack, who lost his daughter in the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida; and Deborah Flora, president of Parents United America.

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Susan Berry, PhD, is national education editor at The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].

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