When fourth-grade student Christian Mango sent off a persuasive essay to his Congresswoman as part of a school assignment, he hoped for the best.
Instead, the 10-year-old received a scathing letter, saying his essay in favour of electric vehicles was ‘propaganda’.
Christian, a primary school student in North Carolina, sent a letter outlining the benefits of electric vehicles to 82-year-old Republican Virginia Foxx and suggested giving a $5,000 tax rebate to electric car owners.
His mum, Emily, told local news: ‘Christian and his class wrote a persuasive essay of their choosing. They mailed it off to a representative, a CEO, whoever the decision maker was, to be influential in their persuasive essay points.’
In his essay, Christian argued that electric cars are better for the environment and can help fight climate change.
Foxx’s response arrived days later, with links to Fox News articles and rather harsh words for a ten-year-old.
She said his idea to give a tax rebate to electric car owners would take money out of the pockets of ‘hardworking people’.
She added: ‘I have also linked here six articles about the disastrous record of policies enacted to address “climate change” for your perusal.’
Foxx also told Christian that the US national debt needs to be paid off by 2038, adding: ‘2038 is only 12 years away and you and your classmates will be responsible for that debt. Incidentally, please ask your teacher to explain propaganda to you.
‘While I will never be able to know, my guess is that your teachers will not give you a good educational experience and help you learn to think for yourselves, but instead will indoctrinate and brainwash you. How sad.’
The letter has sparked outrage from Christian’s mother and people around the US.
‘She attacked his teachers, his school, his education, and referenced propaganda, indoctrination, and other concepts that a 10-year-old has not been exposed to. This is a totally inappropriate response to one of her youngest constituents,’ his mother said.
Christian said Foxx’s attacking his teacher was out of line: ‘I think it was wrong. The school didn’t do anything.’
Foxx’s office has since defended the letter, saying it ‘simply reveals a concern for indoctrination stemming from those responsible for educating students.’
She is currently running for a 12th term in Congress, having been endorsed by President Donald Trump.
The backlash towards Foxx has been swift. One wrote on X: ‘I’m pretty sure an 82-year-old writing a hate letter to a 4th grader is more a sign of being propagandised than support for an electric vehicle tax credit.’
Many have called for her to retire ahead of her re-election bid later this year.
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