Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) has raised concerns about the Council on American-Islamic Relations’s (CAIR) involvement in American schools. In a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, Cotton warned that CAIR has longstanding connections to pro-Hamas organizations and provides educational materials he described as promoting pro-terrorist and anti-Israel views.
Cotton pointed to an announcement made by CAIR Philadelphia on August 26, 2025, regarding its plans to partner with schools in Pennsylvania and Delaware to promote inclusivity. He expressed concern about the lack of clarity around these partnerships and cited CAIR’s history as evidence that its influence could be harmful or unlawful.
In his letter, Cotton stated: “Such an organization should never have access to our nation’s children. On August 26, 2025, CAIR Philadelphia announced plans to partner with schools across Pennsylvania and Delaware to make them ‘more inclusive.’ While details of their alleged partnerships are unclear, CAIR’s history makes it clear that its influence will be detrimental and possibly illegal.”
He also referenced previous Department of Justice actions, noting that CAIR was listed as a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee during a major terrorism-financing case. Cotton further highlighted comments from Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, Executive Director of CAIR Philadelphia, who attributed the October 7th Hamas attack in Israel to Israeli occupation.
Cotton criticized educational resources offered by CAIR Philadelphia, including guidance for teaching about September 11 that advises educators not to use terms such as “Islamic terrorists,” “jihadists,” or “radical Islamic terrorists.” He also mentioned a lecture provided by the organization titled “American Jews and Political Power,” which discusses debates within the Jewish community over Israel’s policies and introduces students to young activists supporting the BDS campaign.
“The U.S. Department of Education must ensure that CAIR is not given an opportunity to push its radical, pro-terrorist, anti-Israel ideology on American schoolchildren,” Cotton wrote.
He concluded his letter by expressing willingness to work with Secretary McMahon on this issue.
