Pentagon introduces Western civilization course

The United States — United States Department of Defense, under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is introducing a new high school course centered on Western civilization and Christianity this fall in schools operated by the United States — Department of Defense Education Activity for military families. The course will use a textbook published by Encounter Books, titled 'The Golden Thread: A History of the Western Tradition, Volume I: The Ancient World and Christendom,' with lesson plans developed in partnership with Hillsdale College. Critics, including historians and educators, argue the textbook misrepresents history, conflates Western civilization with Christianity, and portrays Islam as a threat. The initiative is part of a broader reshaping of the defense school system toward patriotic and classical learning, including hiring classical learning teachers, replacing leadership with Paul Craft, and appointing Tiffany Hoben as chief academic officer. The Trump administration has also aligned military academies to accept the Classical Learning Test. The American Civil Liberties Union previously sued the defense school system over book bans. The course has sparked debate over the role of religion and patriotism in education.