The Kern County Board of Education heard a presentation Tuesday evening from representatives of PragerU, a conservative nonprofit media organization, outlining its supplemental educational materials for K–12 students. The presentation came amid vocal opposition from community members who warned the materials were politically motivated, misleading, and inappropriate for public schools.
PragerU representatives Kelly Iannuzzi, a school district outreach manager, and Selina Lewis, an education outreach specialist and on-screen personality, presented a range of free, online resources they said are designed to “support, not replace” existing classroom curriculum. The materials focus on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, life skills, and American civics and history.
“PragerU is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote timeless American values through digital media and educational entertainment,” Iannuzzi told trustees. “Everything we create is designed to help people grow intellectually and personally while upholding the principles our country was founded upon.”
The representatives highlighted several programs, including Cash Course, a short-form financial literacy video series; The Hustle, an entrepreneurship show featuring teens building businesses; life skills videos focused on workplace readiness; and civics content tied to the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary. They also previewed upcoming series such as U.S. Citizenship 101 and History in 5, and promoted a pilot “Book Fair in a Box” program as an alternative to traditional school book fairs.
Before the presentation, however, multiple speakers during public comment raised concerns about PragerU’s political ideology, religious framing, and credibility as an educational resource.
PragerU was founded in 2009 by conservative talk show host Dennis Prager and screenwriter Allen Estrin as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces short videos promoting conservative and pro-capitalist viewpoints across political, economic, and social topics.
In multiple states, including Florida, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arizona, PragerU materials have been approved as supplemental resources for classrooms. Supporters say they provide an alternative perspective to what they describe as left-leaning educational content.
Opponents, including teachers’ unions and historians, argue that some of the videos amount to “right-wing propaganda” and present disputed or misleading interpretations of historical facts, including on topics such as slavery and climate change.
Ellen Schaffhauser, a longtime community member who said she has followed PragerU’s content for years, warned trustees about the organization’s stated values.
“Prager University Foundation is a media organization that creates content promoting conservative and pro-capitalist viewpoints,” she said. “That sounds great, but what are those values? Pro-capitalism and pro-family, while upholding Judeo-Christian principles. This is really wedging Christianity into the public school system, which we know is not something the First Amendment subscribes to.”
Adam Blazer, a Bakersfield native, questioned PragerU’s motives.
“They just seem like a very politically motivated organization,” he said. “I don’t really think they’ll responsibly present information to children.”
Emiliano Tristan, a parent with children in local schools, called PragerU “a company that spreads misinformation and right-wing propaganda,” adding that it “continuously disregards scientific data,” including on climate change.
Another speaker, Valeria Angeles, criticized PragerU’s origins and lack of educational oversight.
“PragerU was quite literally created by Dennis Prager, a talk show host, not an educator,” she said. “PragerU is created and developed by influencers, not educators.”
Angeles also said the organization does not track student achievement data, calling into question its educational impact.
Paul Linfesty, the final public commenter, warned trustees that PragerU is part of what he described as a broader movement threatening public education and church-state separation.
“Prager University isn’t an accredited academic college at all,” Linfesty said, citing Americans United for Separation of Church and State. “Christian nationalists are trying to use the machinery of the state to impose their religious beliefs on all of our children. Not on our watch.”
When one member of the public was allowed to ask a question after the presentation, a veteran challenged the group directly.
“Since PragerU is not an accredited university or a university at all, and since PragerU doesn’t believe in science or diversity or factual history, why should we trust you to educate our children?” she asked.
Iannuzzi responded by acknowledging the organization’s ideological framework.
“We don’t hide the fact that we are a nonprofit organization rooted in Judeo-Christian values,” she said. “It’s an undeniable historical reality that many of America’s founders were Christian men. That perspective is woven throughout America’s founding tradition and civic language, and that’s how we teach history.”
Several trustees asked follow-up questions about how the materials would be implemented, whether they align with California standards, and whether the content could be considered pro-capitalist or pro-family. Iannuzzi confirmed that PragerU considers itself pro-capitalist.
“So in agreement with some of our earlier speakers, yes, we are pro-capitalist,” she said, describing entrepreneurship and financial literacy as tools to help students “build something from the ground up.”
Trustees also asked about implementation and accessibility. PragerU representatives said they could provide documentation showing how lessons align with Common Core standards and emphasized that Kern County would be the first local education agency in the area to partner with PragerU if it chose to do so.
No vote was taken during the meeting. Board members indicated the county superintendent, who was absent, would review the presentation at a later time before any decisions are made.
