Original submission by Lynne M. Taylor, American Policy Center
If you’ve heard of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), STEAM (with the “A” for Arts), or STREAM (adding “R” for reading/writing), you may not know there’s a new acronym emerging: STEAMA. Depending on where you live—even globally—the “A” might stand for agriculture or athletics. Sometimes, it stands for both. But what exactly does STEAMA mean, and how is it connected to farmland loss?
STEM’s Globalist Roots
STEM’s origins trace back to the United Nations and the National Science Foundation, where it was used as a marketing tool to support educational changes introduced alongside Common Core State Standards. This was no coincidence. A 2004 agreement between UNESCO and Bill Gates set the stage for a global curriculum. Gates himself admitted that testing would drive curriculum, which is exactly what happened.
This effort aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), embedding globalist ideals into national education systems. In the U.S., a pivotal PCAST (President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology) report played a key role in shaping the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The agenda: develop a STEM-educated workforce for a STEM-based global economy.
While the acronym might seem harmless—who doesn’t support science and math?—the reality is that STEM has become a vessel for workforce tracking and skill-based training, not academic enrichment. Regionalism, a core UN strategy, is also deeply embedded in STEM-related education under ESSA.
If you missed earlier articles from APC on how local schools and communities are being molded by the SDGs, read about color psychology and the Smart City transition.
STEAMA: The Agriculture Agenda
In North Carolina, where agriculture has long been a backbone, farmland is vanishing—replaced by solar panels. In 2024, North Carolina ranked second in the nation for farmland loss due to solar development. Globally, the solar boomis displacing farmland that could feed millions.
In one NC school district, students are now taught to code with the promise of improving agriculture. This initiativebegins in second grade and focuses on making children “globally ready.”
In Pennsylvania, STEAMA is being introduced even earlier. At first glance, this website appears benign, but the emphasis on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is telling. SEL programs often teach what to think, not how—a far cry from genuine critical thinking. For more on how SEL contributes to student frustration, see this article.
STEAMA: The Athletics Angle
In Florida, STEAMA incorporates athletics, mental health, and performance-based education. Though mental health is a valid concern, schools today risk over-medicating and mislabeling students due to overreaching assessments and federal mandates under ESSA. These allow community organizations increased access to schools in the name of “whole child” well-being.
The Tiger Woods Foundation and DOD Connection
Even well-known figures like Tiger Woods support initiatives that unknowingly align with the UN’s global goals. Woods’ foundation partners with organizations like the U.S. Department of Defense, which has its own STEM Ambassador Program.
Cambridge, MA: The STEAM City
In Cambridge, Massachusetts, the concept of a STEAM City is becoming reality. This initiative combines education, healthcare, and public libraries to promote a citywide STEAM mindset. Beneath the glossy language lies a more sobering truth: increased data collection, collectivism, and constant assessment.
The Land Grab Problem
Education is also being used to normalize land grabbing. One video game uses the slums of Mumbai to promote SDG #1 (No Poverty) by simulating land acquisition. Other resources address global land rights and farmland loss under the guise of sustainability.
A broader initiative called GIRLS uses STEM as a vehicle for globalist messaging—not female empowerment. A STEAMA site explicitly ties its work to AI and “outcome-based art.” Gender equality and land value education are also being linked to SDG #5, raising questions about whether these goals are harming the land more than helping it.
STEM, in all its forms, is being used to manipulate education systems worldwide—sometimes linking to technologies like CRISPR and AI to reshape not just learning but the human body. We can’t just shrug and move on. We must educate others, ask hard questions, and challenge these systems.
To dig deeper, explore my full archive of research on STEM, STEAM, STREAM, and STEAMA here.
