President Donald J. Trump‘s Department of Education is moving to enact significant cuts in the allocation of federal grants that are funding training programs for teachers focused on topics such as critical race theory, social justice activism, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Under the Biden government, these funds were allocated to organizations and nonprofit groups that work to educate teachers on how to push anti-racism and ‘deconstruct’ supposed white privilege and supremacy. Additionally, the grant money appears to have supported hiring practices emphasizing a candidate’s racial background.
Critics of these programs, such as Erika Sanzi from Parents Defending Education, argue that such training emphasizes race and gender as central criteria for assessing individuals, potentially leading to the integration of these ideas into classroom practices and policies.
“It’s hard to overstate how radical these teacher trainings are—we are talking about forcing teachers to talk about their race at work, asking educators to ‘take personal and institutional responsibility for systemic inequities,’ promoting abolitionist teaching practices and defining equity as equal outcomes,” Sanzi said in a statement, adding: “And not for nothing but all we see are declining outcomes for the students that these trainings purport to help most.”
The Department of Education, in announcing the cuts, noted the programs funded included materials encouraging educators to take responsibility for so-called systemic inequities such as racism, and providing professional development on cultural competence and dismantling racial biases. Additionally, the training sought to build an understanding of racial and sociopolitical histories to combat student marginalization.
These funding reductions are part of President Trump’s broader efforts to identify and cut government waste, fraud, and abuse. Additional recent cuts include $900 million from the Institute of Education Sciences and more than $350 million from Regional Educational Laboratories and Equity Assistance Centers.
