President Trump issued an executive order diverting federal funding from schools teaching “discriminatory equity ideology,” which is a vague reference to systemic racism. The order prohibits schools from treating individuals as members of preferred or disfavored groups and from asserting that certain people are oppressed based on their race. It also blocks schools from using federal funding to support transgender and nonbinary students through social transitions and participating in sports teams not corresponding to their birth sex. While the order will likely face legal challenges as the federal government does not have jurisdiction over school curriculums, experts argue that LGBTQ+ antidiscrimination protections extend to students. The order does not mention critical race theory, a legal analysis framework based on systemic racism taught in law schools and colleges, not K-12 schools. Republicans, including Trump, have criticized CRT, but it is not mentioned in the order. The federal government only provides a small portion of funding for schools, with most revenue coming from state and local property taxes. This executive order has raised concerns about the government’s influence over education and discrimination protections for marginalized groups.
Trump vows to cut off funding to schools that ‘indoctrinate’ students
