useapen
2024-11-15 08:34:06 UTC
WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trumps vision for education revolves around a
single goal: to rid Americas schools of perceived wokeness and
left-wing indoctrination.
The president-elect wants to keep transgender athletes out of girls
sports. He wants to forbid classroom lessons on gender identity and
structural racism. He wants to abolish diversity and inclusion offices.
Throughout his campaign, the Republican depicted schools as a political
battleground to be won back from the left. Now that hes won the White
House, he plans to use federal money as leverage to advance his vision
of education across the nation.
Trumps education plan pledges to cut funding for schools that defy him
on a multitude of issues.
On his first day in office, Trump has repeatedly said he will cut money
to any school pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity, and
other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on our
children. On the campaign trail, Trump said he would not give one
penny to schools with vaccine or mask requirements.
He said it would be done through executive action, though even some of
his supporters say he lacks the authority to make such swift and
sweeping changes.
Trumps opponents say his vision of Americas schools is warped by
politics that the type of liberal indoctrination he rails against is
a fiction. They say his proposals will undermine public education and
hurt the students who need schools services the most.
Its fear-based, non-factual information, and I would call it
propaganda, said Wil Del Pilar, senior vice president for Education
Trust, a research and advocacy organization. There is no evidence that
students are being taught to question their sexuality in schools. There
is no evidence that our American education system is full of maniacs.
Trumps platform calls for massive funding preferences for states and
schools that end teacher tenure, enact universal school choice programs
and allow parents to elect school principals.
Perhaps his most ambitious promise is to shut down the U.S. Education
Department entirely, a goal of conservative politicians for decades,
saying it has been infiltrated by radicals.
Americas public K-12 schools get about 14% of their revenue from the
federal government, mainly from programs targeting low-income students
and special education. The vast majority of schools money comes from
local taxes and state governments.
Colleges rely more heavily on federal money, especially the grants and
loans the government gives students to pay for tuition.
Trumps strongest tool to put schools money on the line is his
authority to enforce civil rights the Education Department has the
power to cut federal funding to schools and colleges that fail to
follow civil rights laws.
The president cant immediately revoke money from large numbers of
districts, but if he targets a few through civil rights inquiries,
others are likely to fall in line, said Bob Eitel, president of the
conservative Defense of Freedom Institute and an education official
during Trumps first term. That authority could be used to go after
schools and colleges that have diversity and inclusion offices or those
accused of antisemitism, Eitel said.
This is not a Day One loss of funding, Eitel said, referencing
Trumps campaign promise. But at the end of the day, the president
will get his way on this issue, because I do think that there are some
real legal issues.
Trump also has hinted at potential legislation to deliver some of his
promises, including fining universities over diversity initiatives.
To get colleges to shutter diversity programs which Trump says amount
to discrimination he said he will advance a measure to have them
fined up to the entire amount of their endowment.
His platform also calls for a new, free online university called the
American Academy, to be paid for by taxing, fining and suing
excessively large private university endowments.
During his first term, Trump occasionally threatened to cut money from
schools that defied him, including those slow to reopen during the
COVID-19 pandemic and colleges he accused of curbing free speech.
Most of the threats came to nothing, though he succeeded in getting
Congress to add a tax on wealthy university endowments, and his
Education Department made sweeping changes to rules around campus
sexual assault.
Universities hope their relationship with the administration wont be
as antagonistic as Trumps rhetoric suggests.
Education has been an easy target during the campaign season, said
Peter McDonough, general counsel for the American Council on Education,
an association of university presidents. But a partnership between
higher education and the administration is going to be better for the
country than an attack on education.
Trumps threats of severe penalties seem to contradict another of his
education pillars the extraction of the federal government from
schools. In closing the Education Department, Trump said he would
return all education work and needs back to the states.
Were going to end education coming out of Washington, D.C., Trump
said on his website last year. In his platform, he pledged to ensure
schools are free from political meddling.
Rather than letting states and schools decide their stance on
polarizing issues, Trump is proposing blanket bans that align with his
vision.
Taking a neutral stance and letting states decide wouldnt deliver
Trumps campaign promises, said Max Eden, a senior fellow at AEI, a
conservative think tank. For example, Trump plans to rescind guidance
from President Joe Bidens administration that extended Title IX
protections to LGBTQ+ students. And Trump would go further, promising a
nationwide ban on transgender women in womens sports.
Trump ran on getting boys out of girls sports. He didnt run on
letting boys play in girls sports in blue states if they want to,
Eden said.
Trump also wants a say in school curriculum, vowing to fight for
patriotic education. He promised to reinstate his 1776 Commission,
which he created in 2021 to promote patriotic education. The panel
created a report that called progressivism a challenge to American
principles alongside fascism.
Adding to that effort, Trump is proposing a new credentialing body to
certify teachers who embrace patriotic values.
Few of his biggest education goals can be accomplished quickly, and
many would require new action from Congress or federal processes that
usually take months.
More immediately, he plans to nullify executive orders issued by Biden,
including one promoting racial equity across the federal government.
Hes also expected to work quickly to revoke or rewrite Bidens Title
IX rules, though finalizing those changes would require a lengthier
rulemaking process.
Trump hasnt detailed his plans for student loans, though he has called
Bidens cancellation proposals illegal and unfair.
Most of Bidens signature education initiatives have been paused by
courts amid legal challenges, including a proposal for widespread loan
cancellation and a more generous loan repayment plan. Those plans could
be revoked or rewritten once Trump takes office.
https://www.wkrn.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-trump-wants-to-end-
wokeness-in-education-he-has-vowed-to-use-federal-money-as-leverage/
single goal: to rid Americas schools of perceived wokeness and
left-wing indoctrination.
The president-elect wants to keep transgender athletes out of girls
sports. He wants to forbid classroom lessons on gender identity and
structural racism. He wants to abolish diversity and inclusion offices.
Throughout his campaign, the Republican depicted schools as a political
battleground to be won back from the left. Now that hes won the White
House, he plans to use federal money as leverage to advance his vision
of education across the nation.
Trumps education plan pledges to cut funding for schools that defy him
on a multitude of issues.
On his first day in office, Trump has repeatedly said he will cut money
to any school pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity, and
other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on our
children. On the campaign trail, Trump said he would not give one
penny to schools with vaccine or mask requirements.
He said it would be done through executive action, though even some of
his supporters say he lacks the authority to make such swift and
sweeping changes.
Trumps opponents say his vision of Americas schools is warped by
politics that the type of liberal indoctrination he rails against is
a fiction. They say his proposals will undermine public education and
hurt the students who need schools services the most.
Its fear-based, non-factual information, and I would call it
propaganda, said Wil Del Pilar, senior vice president for Education
Trust, a research and advocacy organization. There is no evidence that
students are being taught to question their sexuality in schools. There
is no evidence that our American education system is full of maniacs.
Trumps platform calls for massive funding preferences for states and
schools that end teacher tenure, enact universal school choice programs
and allow parents to elect school principals.
Perhaps his most ambitious promise is to shut down the U.S. Education
Department entirely, a goal of conservative politicians for decades,
saying it has been infiltrated by radicals.
Americas public K-12 schools get about 14% of their revenue from the
federal government, mainly from programs targeting low-income students
and special education. The vast majority of schools money comes from
local taxes and state governments.
Colleges rely more heavily on federal money, especially the grants and
loans the government gives students to pay for tuition.
Trumps strongest tool to put schools money on the line is his
authority to enforce civil rights the Education Department has the
power to cut federal funding to schools and colleges that fail to
follow civil rights laws.
The president cant immediately revoke money from large numbers of
districts, but if he targets a few through civil rights inquiries,
others are likely to fall in line, said Bob Eitel, president of the
conservative Defense of Freedom Institute and an education official
during Trumps first term. That authority could be used to go after
schools and colleges that have diversity and inclusion offices or those
accused of antisemitism, Eitel said.
This is not a Day One loss of funding, Eitel said, referencing
Trumps campaign promise. But at the end of the day, the president
will get his way on this issue, because I do think that there are some
real legal issues.
Trump also has hinted at potential legislation to deliver some of his
promises, including fining universities over diversity initiatives.
To get colleges to shutter diversity programs which Trump says amount
to discrimination he said he will advance a measure to have them
fined up to the entire amount of their endowment.
His platform also calls for a new, free online university called the
American Academy, to be paid for by taxing, fining and suing
excessively large private university endowments.
During his first term, Trump occasionally threatened to cut money from
schools that defied him, including those slow to reopen during the
COVID-19 pandemic and colleges he accused of curbing free speech.
Most of the threats came to nothing, though he succeeded in getting
Congress to add a tax on wealthy university endowments, and his
Education Department made sweeping changes to rules around campus
sexual assault.
Universities hope their relationship with the administration wont be
as antagonistic as Trumps rhetoric suggests.
Education has been an easy target during the campaign season, said
Peter McDonough, general counsel for the American Council on Education,
an association of university presidents. But a partnership between
higher education and the administration is going to be better for the
country than an attack on education.
Trumps threats of severe penalties seem to contradict another of his
education pillars the extraction of the federal government from
schools. In closing the Education Department, Trump said he would
return all education work and needs back to the states.
Were going to end education coming out of Washington, D.C., Trump
said on his website last year. In his platform, he pledged to ensure
schools are free from political meddling.
Rather than letting states and schools decide their stance on
polarizing issues, Trump is proposing blanket bans that align with his
vision.
Taking a neutral stance and letting states decide wouldnt deliver
Trumps campaign promises, said Max Eden, a senior fellow at AEI, a
conservative think tank. For example, Trump plans to rescind guidance
from President Joe Bidens administration that extended Title IX
protections to LGBTQ+ students. And Trump would go further, promising a
nationwide ban on transgender women in womens sports.
Trump ran on getting boys out of girls sports. He didnt run on
letting boys play in girls sports in blue states if they want to,
Eden said.
Trump also wants a say in school curriculum, vowing to fight for
patriotic education. He promised to reinstate his 1776 Commission,
which he created in 2021 to promote patriotic education. The panel
created a report that called progressivism a challenge to American
principles alongside fascism.
Adding to that effort, Trump is proposing a new credentialing body to
certify teachers who embrace patriotic values.
Few of his biggest education goals can be accomplished quickly, and
many would require new action from Congress or federal processes that
usually take months.
More immediately, he plans to nullify executive orders issued by Biden,
including one promoting racial equity across the federal government.
Hes also expected to work quickly to revoke or rewrite Bidens Title
IX rules, though finalizing those changes would require a lengthier
rulemaking process.
Trump hasnt detailed his plans for student loans, though he has called
Bidens cancellation proposals illegal and unfair.
Most of Bidens signature education initiatives have been paused by
courts amid legal challenges, including a proposal for widespread loan
cancellation and a more generous loan repayment plan. Those plans could
be revoked or rewritten once Trump takes office.
https://www.wkrn.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-trump-wants-to-end-
wokeness-in-education-he-has-vowed-to-use-federal-money-as-leverage/