The Department of Defense Education Activity, which operates approximately 160 schools across 11 countries serving roughly 70,000 students from military families, is launching a new Western civilization course this fall as part of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s initiative to emphasize patriotic values and classical learning. The course will utilize a textbook titled “The Golden Thread: A History of the Western Tradition, Volume I: The Ancient World and Christendom,” published by Encounter Books and developed with lesson plans from Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian institution in Michigan.
Historians and educators who examined the textbook expressed concerns about its treatment of historical content. They noted the material presents Western civilization and Christianity as inseparable and portrays Islam as inherently threatening to both. Critics pointed to specific passages describing Islam as more inclined toward violence than Christianity, while characterizing Christian conflicts such as the Crusades as defensive actions. The textbook also references contemporary events including the October 7 Hamas attacks and 9/11 when discussing Islamic tradition.
The curriculum shift reflects broader changes within the Defense Department’s school system, which is recruiting teachers trained in classical learning methods and appointing academic leaders with ties to classical education charter schools and Republican-backed educational initiatives. Classical education emphasizes the liberal arts and critical thinking, though detractors argue the approach disproportionately focuses on Greek, Roman, and Western texts while underrepresenting achievements from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Hegseth has long advocated for classical Christian education, arguing in his 2022 book that failing to pursue such approaches represents a cultural defeat. The high school course, offered through the Pentagon’s virtual school, fulfills world history graduation requirements. The Pentagon stated its commitment to providing quality education but did not directly address questions about the textbook or the broader classical learning initiative.
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