CHARLIE Act Civics and History Advancement to Restore Learning, Integrity, and Education Act
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Overview
This bill would restrict how federal funding under the American History and Civics program can be used, specifically prohibiting what it calls 'radical indoctrination' in those subjects.
Why it matters: Christian parents often have concerns about how history and civics are taught in public schools, particularly regarding ideology and worldview; this bill addresses what content can be funded and taught in those core subjects.
Topic: Curriculum & school content · classifier confidence 88%
What this changes
Amends existing law
Law today: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 currently authorizes an American History and Civics program that provides federal funding to schools for history and civics education.
If passed: This bill would add restrictions to the American History and Civics program to prevent what it characterizes as 'radical indoctrination,' though the bill text itself is not available to specify exactly what content or teaching methods would be prohibited or required. If enacted, it could affect what curricula schools receiving this funding are permitted to teach in history and civics classes.
AI-generated from the bill text — verify against the official text.
Likely supporters & opponents
Likely support
- Conservative education-policy organizations — Federal funds should not support curricula that promote ideological agendas rather than objective historical facts and civic knowledge.
- Parental-rights advocacy groups — Parents should have transparency and control over what worldviews and political messages are taught to their children in publicly funded schools.
Likely opposition
- Public-school teachers' unions and educator organizations — Vague restrictions on 'indoctrination' could chill academic freedom, critical thinking, and honest teaching about difficult historical topics including race and injustice.
- Civil-liberties organizations — Undefined prohibitions risk federal censorship of legitimate educational content and violate principles of academic freedom and local school control.
AI-inferred typical positions based on the bill’s substance — general stakeholder categories, not confirmed endorsements.
Should I support this?
Mixed for Christian families
The bill aims to protect schools from ideological instruction, which aligns with Christian parental concerns about worldview formation — but without seeing the actual text, it is unclear whether the restrictions would fairly protect religious and traditional viewpoints in teaching, or whether they could themselves impose a particular ideological lens on history and civics that marginalizes Christian perspectives or parental input in education.
An AI assessment from a Christian-family perspective — religious freedom, parental rights, and freedom in education — not legal or voting advice.
Official summary
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to prevent the American History and Civics program from funding radical indoctrination, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
- Burgess Owens (R)
Status timeline
- 2026-05-21Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 19 - 15.H
- 2026-05-21Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session HeldH
- 2026-05-07Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.H
- 2026-05-07Introduced in HouseH
H = House · S = Senate · A = Assembly