Amid H-1B backlash, Vivek Ramaswamy says 75% of Class 8 students in US can’t do math

Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is running for governor of Ohio.

Entrepreneur and Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy has weighed in on the ongoing debate over the H-1B visa programme, arguing that the United States must first fix its failing education system before targeting skilled immigration.

“75% of 8th graders in America aren’t proficient in math & the average student in China is 4 years ahead of the average U.S. student,” Ramaswamy wrote on X. “It’s time to get serious about fixing K-12 education.”

Ramaswamy, who is running for governor of Ohio, also proposed a literacy benchmark: “If you can’t read by the end of 3rd grade, then you shouldn’t go to 4th grade until you can (subject to only very few exceptions).” He cited Mississippi’s education reforms, which moved the state from 49th to the top 10 in 4th grade literacy rankings, as proof that bold policy can yield results.

Several X users agreed with Ramaswamy. “MAGA hates Indians for excelling in education. They want jobs without education or qualifications,” wrote Raj (@rajgrad).

Another X user A Gene Robinson (@AlBuffalo2nite) commented, "Vivek is absolutely right… 75 percent of 8th graders can’t perform at grade level in math, and the average student in China is four years ahead. That’s not an accident." He added that it's the result of decades of federal mismanagement since the creation of the Department of Education in 1979.

"When you combine Democrat failing schools with the flood of H-1B visa labour displacing American graduates, it’s clear the system is breaking from within. Our kids are being undereducated while foreign talent is imported to replace them. That’s not progress… that’s national decay," the user said.

Another user pointed out that even the American physics and maths Olympiad winning team "has only Chinese and Indians".

Even American physics and maths Olympiad Winning team has only Chinese and Indians pic.twitter.com/YKYAeFgn0l

— Hurricanehudini (@Communal_kaffir) October 6, 2025

H-1B fee hike and Olympiad photo spark backlash

The debate on H-1B intensified after a photo of US President Donald Trump with the 2025 US Physics Olympiad team went viral. The team, which won a record five gold medals at the International Physics Olympiad, was celebrated at the White House. But online users quickly noted that none of the team members appeared to be white or of visibly American origin.

The image has become a symbol of the contradiction at the heart of US immigration policy — celebrating immigrant-origin talent while simultaneously making it harder for such individuals to stay and contribute.

Today @POTUS & @WHOSTP47 were proud to welcome the 2025 World Champion USA Physics Team to the @WhiteHouse!

These incredible geniuses DOMINATED at the International Physics Olympiad in July, bringing home a record FIVE gold medals — the greatest performance in team history. pic.twitter.com/ZmsNRHcz95

— Director Michael Kratsios (@mkratsios47) September 22, 2025

“This picture alone should be enough to explain why H-1B programme is important for US,” wrote X user Sarcastic Monk (@ThePiyush7). Another X user Bharat Singh (@OyeBhartsingh) commented, “100% non white Americans, threat to American jobs, Trump should deport them."

“LOL! Zero ‘ethnic white Americans’ on the physics team. One Russian, one Indian, and the rest Chinese—all non-white, immigrants of the 3 most hated countries in this country,” wrote Deep Barot (@deepbarot). “There you go. I spot Chinese and an Indian. Yeah, put more rules on H1B,” added Zorius Veximus (@ZoriusVeximus).