Guest: The Chinese Communist Party’s influence in Alabama education

The Communist Chinese Party’s (CCP) influence is alive and well in Alabama.

This past session, HB9, carried by Representative Tommy Hanes, and SB280, carried by Senator Shay Shelnutt, both failed to make it to their respective floors. These bills would have shuttered the two CCP-funded and backed Confucius Institutes in Alabama.

Confucius Institutes have been flagged for concern by several members of Congress including Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, and the Trump State Department under Secretary Mike Pompeo forced these Institutes to label as foreign missions. Troy University and Alabama A&M University both housed Confucius Institutes at the start of the legislative session. Thankfully, the Confucius Institute at Alabama A&M is slated to be closed, but Troy University is dug in. Emails obtained after a Freedom of Information Act request was filed by the College Republican Federation of Alabama to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) between Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins and ACHE Executive Director Jim Purcell showed that the chancellor would back the Confucius Institute until the benefits were no longer there.

These emails also showed why HB9 was held in the House Education Policy Committee by Representative Terri Collins. Correspondence between Representative Collins and ACHE Executive Director Purcell showed concern about a reduction in Chinese students enrolling in Alabama universities and Chinese factories closing in retaliation.

This shows the passive influence the CCP has in Alabama as we are actively deciding education policy based on Chinese economic incentives. The Confucius Institute at Troy University even treated Alabama lawmakers to a lavish trip to China in 2015. Senator Jim McClendon who was one of the lawmakers who went to China on this trip was a no vote in the Senate Education Policy Committee for SB280. These legislators are being wined and dined by the CCP, and they are not aware of the threat that exists. The CCP under President Xi Jinping seeks to overtake America as the global superpower which would be detrimental to our national security. The CCP has moved towards targeting state level and upcoming and coming officials as they are softer targets not often aware of the threat. This was showcased in the recent case of Congressman Eric Swalwell being targeted by a Chinese spy. The CCP will do whatever is necessary to gain a foothold in the United States.

Confucius Institutes put on a front of being a way to exchange culture, but we must realize how sinister the CCP is. The propaganda they push is outrageous and goes as far as raising the Chinese flag on Troy University’s campus, but it didn’t stop on college campuses.

These Confucius Institutes even infiltrated K-12 classrooms in Alabama with the Confucius Classroom program. This led State Superintendent Eric Mackey to push a memo asking schools to end the program.

The CCP’s influence is wide-reaching, and we must act where we can to stop it. The CCP is actively committing genocide in China all while we glady accept funding from the communist regime. The moral dilemma is glaring, and as a recent college student, I would not want my university tied to such a cold, calculating and evil entity. Next session, the closure of these CCP espionage and propaganda outlets masked as cultural exchanges needs to be priority one.

Clint Reid is the two term State Chairman of the College Republican Federation of Alabama.