Mercedes Schneider: PragerU Has Schmoozed Its Sketchy Content Into Six States, Including Louisiana
Mercedes Schneider is a teacher and scholar in Louisiana, and she notes with concern the inroads being made by a popular snake oil salesman. Reposted with permission.
On May 29, 2024, PragerU announced its official presence in Louisiana schools. PragerU posted on its site this video announcement including Louisiana state superintendent Cade Brumley and Prager U CEO Marissa Streit, as well as a link to “sign the petition to show your support and tell America you want PragerU in schools nationwide.”
According to Streit in this March 2024 NPR article, PragerU “shows up everywhere with medicine for the mind” in combating a US education system that is “a left-wing propaganda machine.” Then there’s this, also from NPR:
As of this writing, PragerU has “partnered” with six states: Florida, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Montana, Arizona, and Louisiana. (In August 2023, PragerU apparently announced a partnership with Texas. Texas said, “Not so fast.”)
PragerU is the abbreviated name for the nonprofit, Prager University Foundation. PragerU is not an actual university nor any postsecondary institution. In the finest print at the bottom of its web page, PragerU offers the following disclaimer regarding its misleading name:
PragerU is not an accredited university, nor do we claim to be. We don’t offer degrees, but we do provide educational, entertaining, pro-American videos for every age. View counts represent cumulative views from our website and social media channels.
As Fastcompany.com notes, PragerU cartoon videos promote such messages as one positive of slavery is that slaves are at least allowed to live (see NPR reference above); that gender-affirming care is “dangerous; that people of color should be critical of the Black Lives Matter movement, and that one should be upset about having to support infrastructure by paying taxes.
PragerU is not a university, nor is it an accredited entity. It is a far-right-leaning, hyperpartisan, well-funded nonprofit that seeks to embed itself in the curricular planning of state-level education departments. From Fastcompany.com:
Adrienne McCarthy, an academic researcher within the Kansas State University College of Education and coauthor of a study on PragerU, said in a phone interview that while she agrees financial literacy should be taught, “why use a non-credentialed organization with a clear agenda to be in part of your curriculum?”
“By adopting any part of the curriculum, you are providing them with a sense of credentials and authority on the matter,” she said. “The recommendation by the school board means this is a credible source.”
One can see this legitimacy-by-embed in PragerU’s communications with the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) officials including superintendent Brumley.
PragerU Chats Up Louisiana
On June 17, 2024, I submitted a public recoeds request to LDOE for emails and contracts:
The response letter included a 33-page attachment of email exchnges between PragerU and LDOE/Brumley. (Note: the document includes a lot of repetition as email response exchange grew.) Also, the response noted that no contracts exist between PragerU and LDOE:
In the email exchanges, PragerU clearly wants Brumley and LDOE to allow PragerU content to be used as a “supplement” in Louisiana public school classrooms. PragerU also pushed for a video announcement of a “partnership” between PragerU and LDOE as well as input on future social studies curricular planning.
Readers can access the entire 33-page email exchange above. However, let me point out the noteworthy highlights. The first email is dated February 07, 2024, from Dzana Homan, PragerU’s “Head of Education, Outreach, Kids.” Below is the opening of that email, which states that PragerU content “adheres to national and state standards in History, Social Studies… and is deeply rooted in American history and America’s traditions and values…” (so long as those “values” include, say, promoting the viewpoint of dismissing climate change):
PragerU chief of staff Jessica Stark, adds a “by the way” enticement that Arizona is now a PragerU “partner,” just like Louisiana could be…:
On February 15, 2024, Brumley requests a meeting to discuss PragerU social studies with “confidential assistant” Sabre Masters; chief strategy officer Matthew Johnson, and assistant superintendent Jenna Chaisson:
Following the requested Zoom meeting, Brumley contacts PragerU:
The LDOE-PragerU Zoom meeting happened on February 26, 2024:
Below is the apparent outcome of the February 26, 2024, Zoom meeting. Homan wants to leverage PragerU CEO Streit’s presence as well as including PragerU in development of Louisiana standards for financial literacy. (PragerU’s skewed, “anti-tax,” financial literacy insertion is described by one Dover, New Hampshire, school board member as PragerU’s “foot in the door” to “the beginning of a long and beautiful relationship.”):
Even though Homan wants to promote Streit as having “previously taught every grade in K – 7,” Streit does not mention as much on her PragerU bio. Moreover her degrees are not in K12 classroom teaching; this Kairos bio, though still bereft of any details about her teaching K-7, has more details than Streit’s PragerU bio:
A Los Angeles native, Marissa moved to Israel at a young age, where she completed her primary education and served in military intelligence unit 8200 of the Israeli Defense Force. She returned to Los Angeles to earn her bachelor’s degree in Business and Economics from UCLA, and her master’s degree in Education and Non-Profit Management from American Jewish University. Over the next decade, she gained valuable experience both as an educator, a school administrator, and the director of a philanthropic institute.
Homan really wants PragerU in on Louisiana’s financial literacy. A week later, on March 18, 2024, Homan follows up by contacting Masters:
Brumley is all in:
There is more about aligning PragerU content to Louisiana standards, but how does one “align” obvious, overt bias? Moreover, why is PragerU apparently wedging itself in state education departments free of charge?
At the very least, there’s nonprofit donor money to be made in belching ultra-conservative ideology as *free* curriculum.
Even though LDOE is not formally contracted with PragerU for content, and even though the content is promoted as “supplemental,” someone is shelling out major dollars to PragerU the Nonprofit in order to infiltrate public school curriculum with hyper-right propaganda and to amply fund this “conservative nonprofit focused on changing minds.”
Some Details from PragerU Tax Forms (2010 – 2023)
Prager University Foundation (PragerU) was founded as a nonprofit in 2010 and located in Herndon, Virginia. On its 2010 tax form, PragerU vaguely describes its mission as a “public charity that will be carrying on programs. The primary programs will be online videos of an educational nature.” Allen Estrin is listed as PragerU president, and Roger Silk and Michael Noble are listed as secretaries. Silk is the founder and CEO of Sterling Foundation Management, LLC, the entitly listed on the 2010 tax form as operating PragerU.
By 2012, Marissa Streit (nee. Sharpe) is added as Chief Operating Officer (COO) (salary: $105K for 40hrs/wk). Total revenue: $524K.
By 2013, PragerU total revenue doubles to $1.2M.
No filing for 2014; by 2015, PragerU relocates to Owings Mills, MD, and has a total revenue of $3.6M. As of yet, no individual named Prager has made an appearance on the tax forms.
By 2016, total revenue is up to $5.2M, still for the same unclear mission statement of “carrying on programs” through “online videos of an educational nature.” Within a year, by 2017, the total revenue once again doubles, this time to $10.2M; the nonprofit relocates to Sherman Oaks, CA (though “state of legal domicile” is still listed as VA), as Striet becomes CEO (total compensation: $399K for 40 hrs/wk).
With Streit as CEO in 2018 (Streit’s total compensation is $398K as total revenue rises to $18.6M), Dennis Prager finally makes an appearance as “president and founder”; zero compensation for 40 hrs/wk. What also makes an appearance is the “American Judeo-Christian value system” and “educat[ing] the public on core American values” as part of the sole program service accomplishment listed on the form:
PRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION (THE FOUNDATION) SEEKS TO CREATE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE UNIQUE AMERICAN JUDEO-CHRISTIAN VALUE SYSTEM BY LEVERAGING THE VIRAL POWER OF THE INTERNET WITH CONTENT – RICH, VISUALLY COMPELLING COURSES. THE FOUNDATION PRODUCES FIVE-MINUTE VIDEOS WHICH MAKE KEY CONCEPTS ACCESSIBLE, UNDERSTANDABLE AND FUN. THE RESULT IS A WHOLE NEW APPROACH TO HIGHER EDUCATION – THE FIVE-MINUTE UNIVERSITY. THROGUH VIDEO PRODUCTION AND MARKETING WE: – EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON CORE AMERICAN VALUES. – SUPPORT ONGOING EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
In 2019, total revenue increases to $23.8M. The program accomplishment statement is modified as follows:
PRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION (THE FOUNDATION) SEEKS TO CREATE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE UNIQUE AMERICAN, JUDEO-CHRISTIAN VALUE SYSTEM BY LEVERAGING THE VIRAL POWER OF THE INTERNET WITH DIGITAL CONTENT. THE FOUNDATION MAKES KEY CONCEPTS ACCESSIBLE, UNDERSTANDABLE AND FUN. THE RESULT IS A WHOLE NEW APPROACH TO HIGHER EDUCATION AS WE PROMOTE WHAT IS TRUE, WHAT IS EXCELLENT AND WHAT IS NOBLE, THROUGH DIGITAL MEDIA. OUR VISION IS A WORLD COMMITTED TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
The “true, excellent, noble” language is a nod to chapter 4, verse 8, of Paul’s letter to the Philippians in the New Testament.
Of course, part of the controversy with PragerU video content is that it is not “true” but in some cases, biased, and in others, false.
Dennis Prager’s son David is brought in as VP of “development” (total compensation $149K for 40hrs/wk). Streit’s total compensation rises from 2018 by $100K, to $498K (40 hrs/wk).
By far, PragerU’s highest paid independent contractors are Facebook (“media and marketing”; $3.6M) and GoogleYoutube (also “media and marketing”; $3.2M). The next highest independent contractor is the right-wing “presenter’ show host” Candace Owens at $446K. (On the PragerU “presenters” page, Owens is listed as a presenter, as are former Fox News talking head Tucker Carlson and Turning Point USA founder, Charlie Kirk.)
The nonprofit is also doing business with “interested persons” (Form 990 Schedule L):
KANSAS & BROOKLYN (ENTITY OWNED BY DENNIS PRAGER) RECEIVED $301,667 FOR CONSULTING SERVICES PERFORMED BY DENNIS PRAGER, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT.
PALM TREE CONSULTING (ENTITY OWNED BY DAVID PRAGER, FAMILY RELATIONSHIP WITH DENNIS PRAGER) RECEIVED $38,700 FOR CONSULTING SERVICES PERFORMED BY DAVID PRAGER, WHO HAS A FAMILY RELATIONSHIP WITH DENNIS PRAGER, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT.
On to 2020: The PragerU mission: “WE PROMOTE AMERICAN VALUES THROUGH THE CREATIVE USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA.” Total revenue: $36.2M. Streit’s total compensation is $504K (40 hrs/wk), and VP David Prager’s total compensation more than doubles from 2019 to a generous $399K (40 hrs/wk). Dennis Prager disappears from the form, except for that statement about interactions with interested persons (Schedule L):
KANSAS & BROOKLYN (ENTITY OWNED BY DENNIS PRAGER, CO-FOUNDER) RECEIVED $382,913 FOR CONSULTING SERVICES PERFORMED BY DENNIS PRAGER, CO-FOUNDER.
GoogleYoutube is the highest paid independent contractor (“digital advertising purchased”; $4M) and Facebook is a relatively close second (“digital advertising purchased”; $3.2M). Fox News Network made the top five (“television advertising”; $422K).
“Make America Great” is now incorporated into the more detailed mission statement:
PRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION (“PRAGERU”) IS THE WORLD’S LEADING CONSERVATIVE NONPROFIT THAT IS FOCUSED ON CHANGING MINDS. WE PROMOTE AMERICAN VALUES THROUGH THE CREATIVE USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA, AS OUR MISSION. TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL MEDIA, WE EDUCATE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AND YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE VALUES THAT MAKE AMERICA GREAT. OUR VISION IS A WORLD COMMITTED TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
As for program service accomplishments:
PRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION (“PRAGERU”) IS THE WORLD’S LEADING CONSERVATIVE NONPROFIT THAT IS FOCUSED ON CHANGING MINDS. WE PROMOTE AMERICAN VALUES THROUGH THE CREATIVE USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA, AS OUR MISSION. TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL MEDIA, WE EDUCATE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AND YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE VALUES THAT MAKE AMERICA GREAT. OUR VISION IS A WORLD COMMITTED TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. OUR KEY PROGRAMS ARE:- MARKETING OF DIGITAL CONTENT (THROUGH EXTENSIVE ADVERTISING ONLINE ON VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS)- PRODUCTION OF DIGITAL CONTENT (RANGING FROM 5-MINUTE EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS TO LONG-FORM PODCASTS)- PRAGERFORCE STUDENT AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS VOLUNTEER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
In 2021, total revenue is a whopping $56.6M; Streit’s total compensation jumps to $677K (40 hrs/wk); David Prager gets a new title, “chief development officer,” and his total compensation for his 40 hrs/wk is now $444K.
Mission statement focus shifts to “changing minds”:
PRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION (“PRAGERU”) IS THE WORLD’S LEADING CONSERVATIVE NONPROFIT THAT IS FOCUSED ON CHANGING MINDS. WE PROMOTE AMERICAN VALUES THROUGH THE CREATIVE USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA, AS OUR MISSION.
Program service accomplishment statement:
PRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION (“PRAGERU”) IS THE WORLD’S LEADING CONSERVATIVE NONPROFIT THAT IS FOCUSED ON CHANGING MINDS. WE PROMOTE AMERICAN VALUES THROUGH THE CREATIVE USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA, AS OUR MISSION. TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL MEDIA, WE EDUCATE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AND YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE VALUES THAT MAKE AMERICA GREAT. OUR VISION IS A WORLD COMMITTED TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
For “media/marketing,” Facebook gets $7M; Google gets $4.6M, and Fox News Company, $727K.
The nonprofit is still doing business with “interested person” Dennis Prager:
KANSAS & BROOKLYN (ENTITY OWNED BY DENNIS PRAGER, CO-FOUNDER) RECEIVED $462,083 FOR CONSULTING SERVICES PERFORMED BY DENNIS PRAGER, CO-FOUNDER.
2022: Total revenue: $65M. Mission statement goal is still “focused on changing minds” by “taking full advantage of today’s technology and social media” to “educate millions of Americans and young people about the values that make America great.” Streit getting close to breaking a million in total compensation ($979K for 40 hrs/wk). David Prager at $443K (40 hrs/wk).
“Media/marketing”: Facebook: $9.2M; Google: $7M; Fox News Network: $1.2M.
Dennis Prager’s Kansas and Brooklyn paid $493K for “consulting.” Still listed on Schedule L as “business transactions involving interested persons”:
KANSAS & BROOKLYN (ENTITY OWNED BY DENNIS PRAGER, CO-FOUNDER) RECEIVED COMPENSATION FOR CONSULTING SERVICES PERFORMED BY DENNIS PRAGER, CO-FOUNDER.
Finally, the most recent tax filing, 2023: Total revenue: $69M. No great revenue jump. Streit is still handsomely paid, but a little less than in 2022 ($949K total compensation; 40 hrs/wk). David Prager also takes a slight dip from 2022 ($433K for 40 hrs/wk).
Program service accomplishments once again includes “Judeo-Christian”:
PRAGER UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION (“PRAGERU”) IS THE WORLD’S LEADING CONSERVATIVE NONPROFIT THAT IS FOCUSED ON CHANGING MINDS. WE PROMOTE AMERICAN VALUES THROUGH THE CREATIVE USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA, AS OUR MISSION. TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL MEDIA, WE EDUCATE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AND YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THE VALUES THAT MAKE AMERICA GREAT. OUR VISION IS A WORLD COMMITTED TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. OUR PRIMARY PROGRAM IS MARKETING AND PRODUCING EDUCATIONAL CONTENT FOR ALL AGES, 4-104, WITH A FOCUS ON A PRO-AMERICAN, JUDEO-CHRISTIAN MESSAGE.
“Advertising”: Facebook: $8.7M; Google: $8.3M; Fox News Network: $842K.
And there is always Dennis Prager, PragerU co-founder, doing business with himself as owner of Kansas and Brooklyn. An old song from yet another new year:
KANSAS & BROOKLYN (ENTITY OWNED BY DENNIS PRAGER, CO-FOUNDER) RECEIVED COMPENSATION FOR CONSULTING SERVICES PERFORMED BY DENNIS PRAGER, CO-FOUNDER. $375,000
As for nonprofit donors to PragerU: One can search those using this proPublica full-text search engine, which is set to keyword “Prager University.” (I’ll let readers dive in as they wish. However, my fave is Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA ($350K in 2018 and $150K in 2019.)
Some PragerU Video Education
Let’s close with a lesson on PragerU. From watching these three videos, my audience will experience higher competency in critically evaluating PragerU motives and educational quality than any K12 students gain in academic value from exposure to PragerU’s well-funded, propagandistic lessons.
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