A discussion between commentator Riley Lewis and education advocate Corey A. DeAngelis focused on what they described as a shift in public education from academic fundamentals to political activism.

Lewis opened the exchange by contrasting traditional classroom instruction with current trends she believes are taking hold in schools across the country.

“To ask you, what happened? It used to be so simple. It was reading, writing, arithmetic, the basics about history and geography. It was real education. Now it’s anti-ICE protests and walkouts. It’s indoctrination. It’s sexualization and the trans ideology in every classroom in America. What the heck happened? Corey.”

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Lewis’ comments referenced reports of student walkouts, protests related to immigration enforcement, and classroom debates over gender identity policies.

DeAngelis responded by arguing that public schools have become a vehicle for broader political objectives.

“It’s crazy, Riley. The radical left has figured out that they don’t even have to have their own kids. To have their own kids anymore. They could shape the direction of this country by molding the minds of other people’s children in the public school system, where there’s about 50 million kids every year for 13 years of their lives, they get control of them for seven hours a day, and so conservatives are having more kids than liberals, but the teachers unions are able to put their thumb on the scale and to brainwash kids in these public schools that we should rename brainwashing facilities.”

DeAngelis cited enrollment figures to support his argument, noting that approximately 50 million students attend public schools annually. He emphasized the duration of time students spend in classrooms, describing it as a significant influence over children during their formative years.

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The conversation then turned to the National Education Association’s annual convention in Portland, Oregon. DeAngelis criticized the union for passing resolutions he said were unrelated to classroom instruction.

“And look, you look at the Neas annual convention last year in Portland, Oregon, they passed all these resolutions that had nothing to do with education.

They were declaring more on the Trump administration. And in one of their resolutions, they called to oppose President Trump’s immigration agenda.”

DeAngelis argued that political engagement by the union predates the most recent convention, stating that similar efforts have been underway for years.

“So this started way before last year. Last in last year, they had Becky Pringle, the head of the NEA. She was protesting in San Francisco, rallying the troops out there to get them to protest ICE. And they’re also telling teachers to to join these anti ICE trainings. They’re telling teachers to wear blue colored shirts to protest ICE and on specific days, it’s all coming from the top.”

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