Episode 266: Literacy as Political Smokescreen - Weaponising Education

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Recorded17 Jun 2025

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“Today’s episode argues that the Trump regime’s “Science of Reading” initiative is not a genuine effort to improve literacy but rather a political strategy to control public education. The author of the source article, Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, contends that this policy, masquerading as “evidence-based instruction,” is a smokescreen for defunding institutions, centralising ideological control, and promoting privatisation. It is presented as a rigid, phonics-first approach that excludes diverse learners—such as multilingual, neurodivergent, and trauma-affected students—and discredits the expertise of inclusive literacy specialists. Ultimately, Dr. Hoerricks posits that this initiative weaponises literacy by transforming it from a tool for liberation into a mechanism for standardisation, surveillance, and stratification, serving to enforce compliance with capitalist, white Christian nationalist, and neurotypical norms.”Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/literacy-as-smokescreen-how-the-trumpLet me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit autside.substack.com/subscribe

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