Pentagon-run schools to launch Western civilization course with Christian focus
The Defense Department is adding a Western civilization course to its schools, using a textbook that critics say conflates Christianity with Western identity.
The Department of Defense is introducing a new Western civilization course this fall in the schools it operates for military families. The curriculum, which will be offered through the department's virtual school, is part of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's broader push to steer education toward patriotic values and classical learning.
The Department of Defense Education Activity runs roughly 160 schools across 11 countries, serving about 70,000 students who are children of active-duty military or civilian service members. Unlike most public schools, these institutions are directly managed by the federal government, making them a focal point for conservative efforts to reshape education.
The course, titled "Western Civilization to 1500," will use a textbook published by Encounter Books, a conservative publishing house. The text, "The Golden Thread: A History of the Western Tradition, Volume I: The Ancient World and Christendom," includes lesson plans developed in partnership with Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian institution in Michigan.
Critics, including historians and educators who reviewed excerpts, argue the textbook presents a misleading view of history. They say it equates Western civilization with Christianity and portrays Islam as a threat to both. Yale professor Phil Gorski questioned whether the course is "a Trojan horse for classical Christian education."
The textbook's authors defend their work, stating that ignorance of Western history leaves citizens "unarmed against the general hostility to their own tradition." They credit early Christianity with promoting humane treatment of all people and describe Islam as inherently more violent, citing events like the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and 9/11.
Publisher Roger Kimball said the book was peer-reviewed by 15 experts, while co-author James Hankins, a Harvard emeritus professor, said the text acknowledges the West's cultural debts to the Islamic world. Hankins argued that abandoning the study of Western civilization has contributed to "cultural disorientation" in recent generations.
The move is part of a wider reshaping of the Defense Department's schools, which have begun hiring classical learning teachers and bringing in new academic leaders with ties to conservative education initiatives. Hegseth, in his 2022 book "Battle for the American Mind," has advocated for classical Christian education, arguing that progressives have worked to remove God and religion from schools.
Classical education, which emphasizes the liberal arts and critical thinking, has gained traction among conservative politicians. However, critics contend the movement focuses too heavily on Greek, Roman, and other Western writers while neglecting achievements from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the textbook or the broader curriculum changes.