Senate Education Committee sends resolution supporting PragerU Kids resources to the floor after questions and one recorded nay

The Idaho Senate Education Committee voted to print RS 32072 on a voice vote after extended questioning from committee members about the content and review process for PragerU Kids supplemental materials.

The resolution, presented by Senator Tammy Nichols, affirms legislative support for allowing PragerU Kids resources to be made available to Idaho public schools as optional, supplemental materials. “My name is Senator Tammy Nichols from District 10, and this is a resolution RS 3 2 0 7 2,” Nichols told the committee, describing the resources as “free optional educational materials for K through 12 students designed to complement traditional curriculum.”

The committee chair said the item required a separate motion because it differed from an omnibus motion the committee used earlier to move other RSs to print. The vote to move RS 32072 to print passed after a motion to print the routing slip; the committee recorded one member voting “nay” and that member requested to be recorded.

Why it matters: RS 32072 would express legislative support for making PragerU Kids materials available to districts and charters; the resolution does not mandate adoption. Senator Nichols said the materials are optional “and it's not something that has to be utilized.” She told the committee the Idaho Department of Education released a statement on Oct. 24, 2024, and that the department had reviewed parts of the resource and considered it appropriate for use as supplemental material. Nichols also said the resources have been adopted in nine states, a point she offered as evidence of broader acceptance.

Committee members pressed for details on accuracy, review and classroom use. Senator Ward Engelking said he had read criticisms that the PragerU videos “have been accused of promoting fascism, racism, sexism, and anti‑LGBTQ politics” and said historians and political scientists had criticized some videos as containing “misleading or inaccurate claims” about slavery, racism and immigration. “I have some issues with the content in PragerU,” Engelking said, and added he would not support moving the resolution to the floor without a hearing to review the materials.

Another senator questioned whether PragerU is an accredited educational institution and asked what process a curriculum‑review committee used to verify factual accuracy and objectivity. Senator Nichols said the Department of Education reviewed portions of the content and determined the materials could be made available as supplemental resources; because they are optional, Nichols said they did not undergo the same adoption process required for a district‑level mandated curriculum.

The committee also voted earlier, by voice, to print all RSs on the agenda except RS 32,072; that omnibus motion passed and the remaining items were moved to print. The record for those voice votes did not include a roll call tally.

What was not decided: Printing an RS sends it to the Senate floor but does not enact any policy or require school districts to use the materials. Committee members asked procedural questions about whether printing an RS precludes holding a full committee hearing; the chair indicated the committee would clarify procedure but proceeded to take the vote.

The committee discussion documented concerns about accuracy and oversight, the Department of Education's role in review, and the voluntary nature of supplemental materials. Committee members said they would review the materials before further action on the floor. The resolution will next appear on the Senate floor list after being printed by the committee.