The fascist-led transformation of HISD, the public schools district in Houston (see “Turning What Were School Libraries Into Detention Centers: The Fascist Transformation of the Houston School District”), is happening in a context of intensifying fascist attacks on public education across the country. Elimination of all public education has been a cornerstone of the Christian fascist program for years, and they see it possibly coming to fruition soon. Katherine Stewart wrote in the New York Times last year, “Opposition to public education is part of the DNA of America’s religious right. … Jerry Falwell [a now-dead founder of Christian fascism] said he hoped to see the day when there wouldn’t be ‘any public schools—the churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them.’”

Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, the two leading Republi-fascist candidates for president, have said they would abolish the federal Department of Education, and put responsibility for education in the hands of the states. This March, 161 Republican congresspeople voted to basically eliminate the Department of Education.

“Heritage Classical Academy” is an example of the kind of charter school, and the kind of indoctrination, the fascists are establishing. The Houston Chronicle described Heritage as “a conservative response to anti-racism, LGBTQ-inclusive sex education and other progressive themes in public schools.” For several years, leading Christian fascists attempted to open Heritage in Houston. They were turned down three times. But this year, after the HISD takeover, they succeeded. Heritage Classical Academy will open in Houston next year.

It is part of a program run by Hillsdale College. Hillsdale describes its mission as maintaining “by ‘precept and example’ the immemorial teachings and practices of the Christian faith.” Hillsdale was a small, obscure college in Michigan until, beginning about 25 years ago, it became a center of Christian fascist intellectuals. It is still small, but it now has enormous influence as a training ground for new legions of fascists. Hillsdale has a program for its primary school education steeped in what it calls “patriotic education.” This program is currently in 59 schools across the country and is expanding rapidly, with enthusiastic endorsements from Christian fascists like Supreme Court “Justice” Clarence Thomas and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The New York Times reported that Bill Lee, Tennessee’s Christian fascist governor, “recently invited the college to start 50 schools using public funds, including $32 million set aside for charter facilities.”