Qatar-Funded Indoctrination in America’s Public Schools
A Deep Dive into K-12 Indoctrination by Grade Level
In June 2024, Chris Rufo, from City Journal, exposed a collection of publicly accessible documents compiled by the Portland Association of Teachers, an affiliate of the state teachers’ union that encourages its more than 4,500 members to “Teach Palestine!.” More troubling revelation is how radical and anti-American ideologies are infiltrating U.S. public schools through a comprehensive curriculum available to tens of thousands of educators. This Google Drive compilation contains teaching materials from various organizations, most partly funded by Qatar.
The material is systematically organized by grade level, from kindergarten through high school. The content is designed to indoctrinate children into a political anti-American worldview, starting with teaching kindergarteners to protest "injustices," resources to teach “Woke Kindergarten” and culminating in high school students being taught to view the U.S. as a "terrorist state" while glorifying violent resistance as "revolutionary" or “freedom fighting.” The program includes pro-Islam, anti-Jewish and and anti-Christian content and even introducing “Queer” and “Sex-Education”, connected to “Palestine”
Even subjects like math are politicized, with lessons linked to the Palestinian cause. In addition, teachers are given resources to help students cope with emotional trauma when learning about the so-called "genocide" in Gaza, acknowledging the psychological impact of this indoctrination. This isn't just about teaching history or facts—it's a carefully planned effort to mold children's beliefs, manipulate their emotions, and prepare them for “activism”, all backed by Qatar's financial influence, hidden through non-profit organizations.
Qatar’s Propaganda in U.S. Classrooms: Al Jazeera and Radicalization Resources
The resources also include films and documentaries, many from Al Jazeera, a Qatar-funded outlet known for its pro-Palestinian bias. Al Jazeera journalists have ties to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization and AJ+ has failed to register under FARA, as mandated by the First Trump administration in 2020. These materials serve as a tool for indoctrination, shaping students’ views on global conflicts by promoting skewed perspectives on the Palestinian cause and anti-Western sentiment, some produced by literal terrorists.
Legal Shield for Indoctrination
In addition to providing a comprehensive guide for indoctrinating students from pre-K through 12th grade, the materials also include resources for teachers to protect themselves from potential legal challenges when receiving pushback for the content they are teaching. These resources offer strategies and advice on how to handle parental or administrative objections, with suggestions on how to defend the inclusion of controversial topics like radical activism and pro-Palestinian ideologies in the classroom. Teachers are provided with legal guidance on navigating potential lawsuits and ways to shield themselves from liability, making it clear that this curriculum is not just about educating students, but also about preparing educators to defend the controversial nature of the material they are promoting.
U.S. Schools Receive Direct Funding From Qatar
In addition to embedding ideologies through teaching materials “provided by non-profits” to tens of thousands of teachers nationwide, Qatar has literally been financing U.S. Public Schools for decades. Qatar’s influence on U.S. public education dates back to the 2009-10 school year, when Qatar Foundation International (QFI) made its first contributions of $625,000 to support educational programs. Over the years, QFI’s funding has increased significantly, reaching $3.8 million in the 2017-18 school year, and $5.5 million in 2014-15.
The latest year for which total funding information is available from Qatar Foundation International (QFI) for U.S. public schools is 2021. As of that year, QFI had contributed at least $30.6 million to public schools in the United States since its inception in 2009. The funding data indicates that QFI has been consistently increasing funding to influence U.S. K-12 Public Schools.
A new investigation by Breccan F. Thies reveals Qatar’s extensive funding of K-12 education in U.S. public schools through Qatar Foundation International (QFI. QFI has funded Arabic language programs, teacher salaries, and school trips, pushing a pro-Qatar, pro-Palestinian narrative in classrooms. QFI-backed lesson plans encourage loyalty to Qatar, while materials from the Zinn Education Project promote a negative view of U.S. foreign policy and blur the lines of terrorism.
Schools accepting QFI funding must report activities to Qatar and undergo oversight, including teacher evaluations. The investigation highlights how QFI’s reach extends to schools across the country, with some districts displaying maps erasing Israel and labeling the region as “united Palestine.” Legal experts warn QFI-backed schools should register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), as concerns grow about Qatar’s influence on shaping the next generation of activists and policymakers.
Kindergarten to 2nd Grade: Introduction to Resistance and Ideological Frameworks
At the earliest stages of education, children are introduced to ideologies that frame them as agents of social change, introducing pre-school children to words and concepts like Ceasefire, Anti-Racist, Protest, Abolish are the "Woke words of the day. Telling children it is their duty to “protest injustices.” The Material includes “sensory guides” for introducing children to prepare them into attending protests on the streets.
As early as kindergartner, teachers are encouraged to teach about genocide and are provided with materials for emotional support for small children to “support grief”. This is not simply about teaching basic academic subjects but about shaping political beliefs from a very young age and scaring children for political indoctrination.
In kindergarten, the students are given lessons on "anti-Zionism" history. It tells children that Zionist Jews are land thieves who wanted to create "a country where rules were mostly fair for Jewish people with White skin." All part of the evils of "settler colonialism." Teachers are encouraged to share "keffiyehs, flags, and protest signs" with the children, and have them create their own protest material, with slogans such as "FREE PALESTINE, LET GAZA LIVE, [and] PALESTINE WILL BE FREE."
It also includes writing lessons in Arabic and story books meant to demonize Israel and Jews, by calling Zionists “bullies” and claim they violently stole her land, Palestinian word of the day and subjects like Math include coloring the map of “Palestine”, one that not only removes Israel, but more disturbing, children’s creativity is removed and are forced to only used the colors of the Palestinian flag.
3rd to 5th Grade: Political Activism and Historical Contexts
For 3rd to 5th graders, the curriculum not only continues to indoctrinate students with a pro-Palestinian narratives but also subtly fosters anti-American sentiments. Lessons like Sitti’s Bird: A Gaza Story and activities that explore media bias and activism shape students' views on Palestinian issues. A focus on settler colonialism in Palestine teaches students to view colonization as inherently evil, encouraging them to relate this narrative to current global conflicts, including American foreign policy. In Addition, it introduces children to “online activism” and teaches them how to create their own social media content, using tools like Canva.
Math lessons like Tatreez on the Coordinate Plane and Olives and Ordering Decimals tie Palestinian culture to classroom content, further pushing a political agenda. By intertwining cultural education with a critique of colonialism and U.S. involvement, this curriculum starts teaching children to reject American values and view the U.S. as part of the problem.
Middle School (6th-8th Grade): Deepening Ideological Lessons
In middle school, the curriculum becomes more focused on radicalizing students by introducing them to “resistance” movements in a way that romanticizes terrorism and frames it as a legitimate act of self-defense. The materials provided to educators encourage them to curate the message of “resistance”, guiding students to embrace radical ideologies from terrorists organizations, portraying these groups as freedom fighters struggling against oppression. Lessons on the Palestinian Liberation movements and Poetry Through a Human Rights Lens promote the idea that resistance, even through violent means, is justified in the face of perceived injustice.
The curriculum downplays the true nature of terrorism, urging students to challenge traditional definitions of violence and resistance, often painting these acts as morally righteous. By presenting terrorism as a political response to imperialism and framing the U.S. and its allies as oppressors, these lessons subtly shift students’ views, fostering admiration for violent resistance and radical ideologies. This goes beyond academic exploration and begins shaping their political and moral beliefs, pushing activism over critical thinking, and embedding radical ideas into their worldview.
High School (9th-12th Grade): The “Terrorism is a Social Construct” Narrative
By high school, the curriculum encourages students to chant in support of Palestinian martyrs and suggests that violence against Israel is justified: "Resistance is justified when people are occupied!" "We salute all our martyrs!"; "No peace on stolen land!"
Students are expected to fully embrace the ideological narrative being presented to them. The materials now include sophisticated lessons that challenge students to critically examine the global “war on terror,” framing it as an unjust campaign against oppressed peoples, particularly in the Middle East and indoctrinating students into thinking the U.S. is a “terrorist State”
What began as subtle ideological shifts has now evolved into full-scale radicalization by the time students graduate. Qatar-backed curriculum in U.S. classrooms is shaping a generation committed to anti-American ideologies and support for terrorism, funded by a nation that is the largest sponsor of terrorism.
We must ask: Why are we allowing American schools serve as breeding grounds for foreign-backed radicalization that undermines our values? Why are we allowing children to be taught to view themselves as political agents of resistance, with dangerous ideologies and a twisted understanding of the world?
If we continue down this path, we risk allowing Qatar to control the worldview of future generations. It’s time to refocus education on empowering students to think critically and independently—free from foreign influence and harmful political and radical indoctrination.
The Trojans