Two House Republicans this month launched a Merit Caucus to work to prioritize excellence in classrooms and combat growing trends in K-12 and higher education advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.
Utah Rep. Burgess Owens, chair of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, established the caucus July 10 along with Rep. Brandon Williams of New York.
“The Left’s war on meritocracy has gone too far, lowering standards for students and teachers, discouraging achievement in the classroom, and eliminating academic excellence, all in the name of equity,” Owens said in a news release announcing the caucus.
“I’m proud to launch the first-ever House Merit Caucus to bring back the old-fashioned common sense that my dad, a WWII vet, taught me growing up: there is no substitute for meritocracy and hard work.”
Owens, who played for 10 NFL seasons for the Jets and Raiders, then became a corporate salesman and moved to Utah, understands the importance of excellence, according to his bio.
Reached for comment by The College Fix, Owens’ and Williams’ staff did not respond by publication time to discuss topics such as what additional Congress members might join the group and their top specific issues they plan to tackle first.
In a one-page primer on the caucus, the two lawmakers cited concerns over “equitable” grading trends that discourage achievement and lower standards, the elimination of requiring tests such as the SAT, racial quota systems, and lowering standards for teacher training and hiring.
“The Merit Caucus stands for the best ideas of the American Dream: That anyone can succeed if they work hard,” it states. “We believe in supporting teachers and students who strive for and achieve their best results. Success is based on the merit and achievement of an individual and we advocate for everyone to have opportunities to excel.”
Asked about the caucus and its chances for success, prominent conservative higher education analyst Steve McGuire with the American Council of Trustees and Alumni said it could achieve more under a Republican administration, which would be “more likely to take action against the policies and practices that are placing ideological goals above merit and excellence.”
“The two founding members of the caucus are Republicans. We should hope that some of their Democratic colleagues will join them,” he told The College Fix in an email interview.
McGuire said the topic is a pressing concern.
“The sheer dominance of race and gender issues in academic discourse has led to the exclusion of other important topics, concerns, and perspectives, and that has hampered the quality of both research and the education students receive,” he said.
In the one-page primer of the caucus, current examples of education lawmakers might target include: California’s decision to eliminate Algebra I math courses from 8th grade curriculums; public schools in Seattle shutting down 11 specialized schools for advanced students; and Boston’s effort to spend $120,000 to modify inequitable grading policies.
McGuire told The Fix that education has suffered under DEI.
“[G]rades have been inflated, students do not possess basic knowledge about our history and system of government, and employers report that graduates lack basic skills they need to succeed in the workforce,” he said.
“…Students are not receiving the education they deserve, and I expect the caucus will champion policies that improve educational outcomes while standing up for the right of every student to be treated fairly according to his or her merits,” McGuire told The College Fix.
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