Education reformer Christopher Rufo recently took to Twitter to discuss curriculum transparency, noting that critical race theory is unpopular among parents across different racial backgrounds. 

According to a report by catholicvote.org, Rufo said politicians and educations who resist transparency may have something to hide. He said that if educators are required to post their materials online, parents will end up having more power to know what their children are being taught. Rufo said his goal for this year is for more than 10 state legislatures to pass curriculum transparency bills requiring schools to make teaching materials easily available online. He wants to “return power to families.”

CatholicVote Political Director Josh Mercer agreed with Rufo and said he has “done great work.”

“I'm grateful that he's already helping lead the way to do more for families in 2022,” Mercer said. “And however much Democrats, teachers unions and public school officials try to deny it, it's in all the polling: American families have had it with the manipulation, secrecy and dismissiveness of the public education monopoly."

School success is imperative, he said.

"When schools fail, as they most often do in areas that serve minorities and the underprivileged, parents should have a say in determining their children's future. That starts with transparency, as Rufo outlines," Mercer said. "But I think that will only be the beginning. In the midterm elections and beyond, I think school choice — as well as other policies that empower the American family rather than the public education establishment — will be front-and-center.”

Polling has shown that nearly one of every two voters has expressed concern about politics in the classroom, according to a a report by Goldwater Institute.

Lawmakers in Indiana are currently revising language in a curriculum transparency bill that would require teachers to post class materials online, according to wdrb.com. However, a recent amendment makes it so that teachers do not need to post their daily lesson plans. 

According to penncapital-star.com, last year a similar bill in Pennsylvania passed in the House by a vote of 112-88 and then in the Senate by a 28-21 vote. State Rep. Andrew Lewis introduced the bill in response to teaching critical race theory and what he also called “anti-American socialism.” That bill called for schools to post textbooks, syllabuses and state academic standards on the internet. Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the bill in December saying that “under the guise of transparency” the legislation is politicizing what is being taught.

“This legislation is a thinly veiled attempt to restrict truthful instruction and censor content reflecting various cultures, identities and experiences,” Wolf said in his veto message. “My administration is committed to creating a safe learning environment for all students, and we will not take part in this dangerous and harmful imposition.”

PBS reported that there is “little to no evidence” that critical race theory is being taught in K-12 public schools. However, related topics like the consequence of slavery have been taught.