A Texas education official went rogue, announcing that right-wing PragerU programming was coming to state classrooms

• A Texas education official partnered with PragerU to announce its programming is coming to Texas.
• But the state's education department said that's not true.
• PragerU's educational videos have been criticized for whitewashing history and defending slavery. 

A Texas education official seems to have gone rogue, partnering with advocacy group PragerU, and then announcing that its right-wing educational programming for kids would be coming to state classrooms. 

PragerU posted a video to its website Tuesday declaring that "PragerU Kids is Now in Texas!"

In the video, Texas State Board of Education member Julie Pickren tells PragerU CEO Marissa Streit that, "We are definitely ready to welcome PragerU into the great state of Texas."

A blurb beside the video also claims that "PragerU is an approved education vendor in the state of Texas."

Several officials with the Texas Department of Education told the Dallas Morning News, however, that not only has the agency not voted to approve PragerU's programming, PragerU has not even submitted its materials for consideration.

"No one from PragerU has presented to the State Board of Education or has contacted me, as chair of the State Board of Education, to discuss any working relationship," Board chair Keven Ellis said in a statement to the Dallas Morning News. "The SBOE has not received any request from PragerU to be approved as an education vendor." 

PragerU's educational cartoons, which have already been approved for use in Florida classrooms, have been criticized for whitewashing history, downplaying slavery, and promoting gender conformity.

Ellis and the SBOE did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Pickren did not immediately respond to Insider's request for clarification on why she decided to announce PragerU's approval in the state.

Pickren is not new to controversy. She received backlash for attending the Trump rally on January 6, where she reportedly sang "God Bless America" as insurrectionists broke into the Capitol, according to a local NBC affiliate.

PragerU CEO Marissa Streit told the Dallas Morning News in a statement, "Yes, we have been approved and it is our great pleasure and honor to serve multiple states including Texas, all the details are on our website." 

PragerU did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.