Published May 18, 2025
The vibe shift is evident in American education. Millions of parents over the past five years have become newly able to send their children to schools of their choice. States have squashed DEI curricula such as elementary school lessons on “gender” ideology and math classes focused on “dismantling racism.” In the latest National Association of Educational Progress, red states such as Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee outperformed blue bastions such as Oregon, California and Maine.
Now Republican legislators are aiming to reorient public education toward students’ long-term flourishing. Last month Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill amending the state’s family-life curricula to include discussion of marriage, family structure and the importance of work. Lawmakers in Ohio and Alabama are considering similar legislation. Other states would be wise to follow suit.
The insight behind this legislative push is straightforward. Young adults who graduate from high school, work full-time and avoid having children outside marriage are more likely to thrive across many social and economic measures than those who don’t. Proponents call this path the “success sequence.”
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Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where his work with the Life and Family Initiative focuses on developing a robust pro-family economic agenda and supporting families as the cornerstone of a healthy and flourishing society.
