Is This Curriculum Really Secular and Inclusive? Here’s How to Find Out

There’s a growing demand for homeschool and educational resources that are truly secular and inclusive, especially for families who are LGBTQ+, BIPOC, neurodivergent, disabled, or from other marginalized communities.

But here’s the problem: anyone can slap “secular” or “inclusive” on their website, regardless of whether the content lives up to the label.

If you want to avoid curriculum that’s covertly religious, exclusionary, or rooted in outdated worldviews, here are clear, actionable steps you can take to dig deeper and make sure the resources you’re using align with your values.

Who Created It and What Do They Stand For?

Curriculum reflects the perspective of its creator.

• Check for credentials. Look into who wrote or designed the curriculum. Do they have experience in education, child development, or the subject matter? If not, be cautious, especially if they’re selling educational content.
• Use LinkedIn or bio pages to get a sense of their background and beliefs.
• Search their name. Try search phrases like:
  • “Name” + curriculum + “controversy”
  • “Name” + “political views”
  • “Name” + “LGBTQ+”

If you can’t find any information at all, that’s usually a red flag.

Is It Really Secular?

Just because a curriculum is labeled “secular” doesn’t mean it’s free from religious influence.

• Scan the website. Check the FAQs, mission statement, or “About” page. Look for terms like “faith-friendly,” “Christian worldview,” or “character-based education” these terms are often used to signal religious content.
• Peek at social media. If their bios include “God first,” “loves Jesus,” or Bible quotes, chances are the curriculum isn’t truly secular.
• Watch for coded language. “Wholesome,” “patriotic,” “traditional values,” and “moral foundation” can be euphemisms for Christian nationalism or other biased ideologies.

This isn’t about being anti-religion. In theory, people of faith can absolutely produce a secular, inclusive curriculum, but the question is if they can intentionally separate their personal beliefs from their educational content. The key is transparency and whether the material respects a diverse range of identities and worldviews.

“Secular Version Available”

If a curriculum offers both a secular and religious version, dig deeper.

Some companies create a “secular” version of an originally religious curriculum by simply removing Bible verses, but they don’t actually change the underlying worldview. The result is often content that still reflects a Christian lens, just with the overt parts stripped out. This can show up in science that downplays evolution, history that centers Christian colonizers, or family examples that assume heteronormativity.

If a curriculum started out religious, the “secular” version may not be truly inclusive or worldview-neutral. Look at both versions (if possible), and check who created them.

You deserve a curriculum that isn’t trying to play both sides.

Does It Prioritize Inclusion and Representation?

A curriculum isn’t inclusive if it erases or ignores marginalized voices.

• Look for explicit statements. Do they say they support diversity, equity, inclusion, or belonging?
• Check who they follow and engage with on social media. Do they amplify LGBTQ+ voices? Black and Indigenous creators? Disabled educators?
• Evaluate sample content. Are LGBTQ+ families represented? Are BIPOC and disabled people shown as leaders, creators, and heroes, not just victims or side characters? Does the curriculum only include the obvious key figures, such as only discussing the Civil Rights Movement through the eyes of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rose Parks?

Use sites like American Indians in Children’s Literature to review and verify how Indigenous people and history are portrayed.

Are They Politically Aligned With Your Values?

Political activity can offer insight into someone’s deeper values — especially if they’re quiet about it in public.

Search the FEC database: https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions

• You can look up a person or company by name or employer to see political donations.
• This can help identify ties to anti-LGBTQ+ groups, white nationalist candidates, or conservative agendas that oppose inclusive education.

Watch the language. Words like tolerance or non-political often signal a lack of real commitment to inclusion. Marginalized communities deserve affirmation and representation and to not just to be “tolerated.” Education is never truly neutral. Claiming to be “non-political” is often a way to avoid talking about racism, queerness, ableism, or other systems of oppression.

Ask Directly

Transparency is a good sign. Evasion is not.

If you’re not sure, email the creator or send a DM. Ask things like:

• “Is this curriculum free from religious influence?”
• “Are LGBTQ+ families included or represented?”
• “Do you include BIPOC and Indigenous voices in your history or literature resources?”
• “Do you plan to add more content reflecting neurodiversity or disability representation?”

If they respond defensively or avoid answering, that’s telling.

Don’t Assume Safety Based on Identity Alone

Being part of a marginalized group doesn’t guarantee intersectional content.

It’s unfortunate, but even creators who are BIPOC, disabled, or LGBTQ+ themselves may exclude or undermine other communities in their work. Always vet the actual content.

Examples of red flags:

• A Black history curriculum that ignores queer Black leaders.
• A neurodivergent creator who makes sexist or homophobic posts.
• An Indigenous history unit study that never mentions community members with disabilities.

Representation must be intentional, respectful, and multidimensional.

When Curriculum Claims It’s “For Everyone”

It sounds comforting, but it’s often a red flag.

Curriculum that claims to be “for all homeschool families” or says it “works for everyone” usually isn’t actually inclusive, it’s simply trying to avoid controversy. In reality, this approach often ends up centering the needs and values of the most privileged families while ignoring or erasing others.

That can look like:

• No mention of LGBTQ+ identities or families
• Whitewashed history or sanitized depictions of injustice
• Science that avoids evolution to not offend religious users
• A rigid, worksheet-heavy structure with no flexibility
• No consideration for neurodivergent learners such as ADHD, autistic, or twice-exceptional kids
• A one-size-fits-all pace and format that doesn’t work for real kids with real differences

True inclusivity isn’t about being “neutral.” It’s about being intentional, designing materials that affirm diverse identities and support different learning needs.

So when you see “for everyone,” take a closer look. Who is it really built for?

How Homeschool Method Impacts Secular and Inclusive Goals

Not all homeschool methods are automatically aligned with secular or inclusive values, and that matters when you’re choosing curriculum.

Some approaches come with built-in worldviews that may shape the way information is presented:

• Charlotte Mason often includes Christian theology and outdated views on child development and social roles.
• Classical education frequently centers Western civilization and uses sources rooted in Eurocentrism or conservative ideology.
• Waldorf is based in anthroposophy, a spiritual philosophy that humans can contact spiritual worlds, which can be incompatible with evidence-based science.
• Spiritual but not religious programs may still include pseudoscience or metaphysical claims in health, history, or science content.

This doesn’t mean you can’t draw inspiration from these methods, but it’s important to vet curriculum built around them carefully. Ask: Whose voices are included? Is the science accurate? Are marginalized communities acknowledged respectfully?

The method behind the curriculum matters, because it influences what’s taught, what’s left out, and how your child sees the world.

Quick Red Flag Checklist

❌ “Secular version available” – Often a Christian curriculum with the Bible verses stripped, but the worldview stays the same.

❌ “For all homeschoolers” or “works for everyone” – Usually means it centers the most privileged and ignores marginalized and neurodiverse learners.

❌ “Non-political” language – Often a signal that real-world issues are being avoided or whitewashed.

❌ Mentions of “tolerance” – Suggests bare-minimum inclusion rather than active affirmation.

❌ Silent on diversity – No mention of race, LGBTQ+ identities, disability, or social justice? That silence is telling.

❌ Overly spiritual or method-driven – Approaches like Waldorf, Charlotte Mason, or Classical often come with religious or biased roots that may conflict with secular, inclusive values.

❌ Outdated or biased content – No evolution in science? History that praises “explorers” but erases Indigenous voices? Red flags.

Want Help Putting This into Practice?

Looking for a simple, practical way to apply all of this?

I created a Secular & Inclusive Curriculum Rubric to help you evaluate resources with clarity and confidence. It’s designed for homeschoolers, educators, and anyone who wants to make sure the materials they use are truly inclusive, accurate, and respectful of diverse identities.

You can use this rubric to:

• Evaluate whether a curriculum will work for your family’s needs
• Write notes as you skim through curriculum
• Remind you of your core needs while curriculum shopping

PDF Copy
Canva Link (no sign in required)
Canva Template Link (requires sign in BUT you can edit it to fit your needs)

Final Thoughts

Choosing curriculum is an act of trust. As secular and inclusive homeschoolers, we deserve resources that reflect our values, affirm our children, and prepare them for a diverse world.

Lean on community. If you’re unsure about a curriculum, ask in trusted groups, forums, or social media spaces that align with your values. Secular and inclusive homeschooling communities are often the first to spot red flags and can point you toward better options. You don’t have to do all the vetting alone.

One of my favorite resources is Strictly Secular + Inclusive Homeschooling — a Discord/Band-based space that I am directly involved in. This space is filled with knowledgeable folks, including Em and my other admin team members, who helped me write this article.

You have the right to ask questions, dig deeper, and walk away when something doesn’t feel right.