America's 250th anniversary celebrated with history grants

“As our nation’s 250th birthday approaches, the Department of Education is providing grantees with an opportunity to celebrate the roots of our constitutional republic and teach students about America’s Founding principles and the responsibilities of citizenship,” said Hayley Sanon, acting assistant secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. “This new program will fund seminars that equip educators and students with the knowledge and civic values needed to uphold the freedoms we enjoy.”

“Priority will be given to applicants from institutions of higher education that have established independent academic units dedicated to civic thought, constitutional studies, American history, political leadership and free market economics,” the release said. 

The U.S. Department of Education explained in its press release that these seminars are an opportunity to “study the American political tradition (ideas, traditions, institutions and texts essential to American constitutional government and American history) with a focus on the first principles of the Founding, their inclusion in the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.”

Many are excited for this new initiative, such as Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, who promoted the grant on social media. Others are hesitant about what they say are the new grant's true intentions. 

“So like ... maga history or actual history?” Sarah Surber, commented on a U.S. DoE Facebook post. 

“Only available if you leave out CRT. In other words, European-American history only,” Barbara Vieth Seiser, commented. "CRT" stands for "Critical Race Theory."

In a letter to the U.S. Department of Education on June 20, just days before this grant was announced, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell along with 18 other attorneys general urged McMahon to make grants promoting equity in access to educational resources.

“The critical takeaway is that properly developed and implemented diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are actually crucial in helping to prevent unlawful discrimination,” the letter stated. 

With available funds of $14.2 million, the Department of Education hopes to grant five to 10 awards with an estimated range of $500,000 to $1 million per year.

The application deadline is July 23. For more information, email AmericanHistoryandCivics@ED.gov.