There is no doubt that Trump is the most ridiculous person imaginable to initiate any American educational program. He is truly illiterate about our history, and world history. Talk of patriotism cannot he left to hucksters and conmen and scoundrels — though they and politicians are the types who most often pretend to be “patriotic.”
The first minutes of the speech prepared for him was, for me, impossible to listen to. Trump’s speech lathered on about how a “patriotic education” must teach our students about the “nobility of the American character“ — but character must be taught by example and lived, not proclaimed as inherent in any people.
Next Trump announced our Constitution of 1787 was the culmination of “1,000 years of Western Civilization,” which made me laugh at the thought that the kernel of “Western Civilization” might have roots going back to the year ... 787 !
That said, there are indeed problems with the “1619 Project“ pushed by the liberal New York Times. There is no space here to outline those problems, or to talk about “critical race theory.“ Propaganda and indoctrination are twin dangers that educators and the public must learn to better recognize and oppose, in our media especially, but also when necessary in our schools. Neither can be countered by introducing “patriotic education” which is just hagiography of the USA.