FGI report details how the Head Start program used taxpayer dollars to push DEI and other controversial priorities.

(Washington, DC) — America has many programs designed to help those in need who are seeking better future for families. Head Start started with the laudable goal of free early childhood education and health services to struggling children and families. However, the Functional Government Initiative’s (FGI) new report “Head Start Needs a Restart” details ways the program used taxpayer dollars on priorities well outside of its original purpose.

Sadly, Head Start has fallen victim to the same politicization that many government programs have also fallen to in recent years, according to documents analyzed by FGI. Head Start not only embraced the controversial ideology of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), they pushed it on parents, teachers, educators… and children.

The findings in the report indicate that Head Start’s problems are not confined to the surface. Instead, the program went off the rails embracing DEI and divisive actions. For example, Head Start hosted webinars claiming that infants can have racist behavior before they can talk or walk.

Additionally, Head Start encouraged childcare professionals to “advance equity and inclusion when children are first beginning to understand these issues.” They recommended reading leading DEI texts, including the controversial “1619 Project” by Nikole Hannah Jones and Ibrahim X. Kendi’s book, How to be an Antiracist. In one part of its own website, the program’s core mission was described as being “to promote equity across race, ethnicity, income, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, education level, ability, age, citizenship, and geography.”

Where is early childhood development in that core mission?

And, naturally, the program favored scientifically dubious language like “birthing parents” instead of “mothers” and partnered with organizations that facilitate illegal immigration. Aside from objectionable content, there are studies that show the program has been ineffective at giving children a “head start” despite its name. The whole program clearly needs a thorough review.

You can read the report at: https://functionalgovernment.org/head-start-needs-a-restart/

Roderick Law, spokesman for FGI, issued the following statement:

“It is patently absurd to assert that babies can be racists before they can even walk or talk. What is even more absurd is that the early childhood education program is pushing half-baked, college communist theory instead of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Our children in need deserve much better than this. Head Start needs a restart.”

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