Real and Presidential Danger to Public Education
Executive Orders Harming Public Education
If you’ve been hiding under a rock (or your bed), you may have missed the news of the myriad of Executive Orders (EOs) coming out of the White House in President Trump’s first couple of weeks in office. Trump has signed more EOs in his first 10 days than any President in their first 100 days.
These EOs are Project 2025 incarnate, each worse than the one before it: pardoning violent criminals, removing critical environmental protections, initiating a hiring freeze affecting all levels of government including health care for veterans, and so much more.
Primarily, states and local governments control curricula, classrooms, and operations; however, sweeping orders intended to make broad social agenda changes will impact public education, including aggressive anti-immigrant actions, redefining gender, targeting civil rights protections, and sweeping broader social agenda changes.
Before you close the browser and hide under your bed again because “it is all just too much,” check out alternative analyses of some the Trump EOs here:
If you are still here and not under your bed, you can read a rundown of the EOs that will negatively impact on students, public schools, and families at the end of this blog. But before you do, please consider the current effort by Trump to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (Dept of Ed) which has both a: 1) financial role distributing billions to colleges and K-12 schools; and 2) regulatory role including providing services to disabled, lower income, and homeless children. Interrupting these roles will have devastating effects for families, students, and school districts across the country.
Additionally, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) points out that the three EOs targeting DEI are attempting to turn back the clock on civil rights and upend “longstanding, bipartisan federal policy meant to open doors that had been unfairly closed. In his first few days, President Donald Trump is undertaking a deliberate effort to obfuscate and weaponize civil rights laws that address discrimination and ensure everyone has a fair chance to compete, whether it’s for a job, a promotion, or an education.” Specifically, via these three EOs, Trump is “aiming to chill efforts to promote equal access in education.”
A number of the EOs threaten civil rights of the transgender community including access to healthcare, sports, bathrooms, military service, and the right to exist. As a result, multiple groups are suing the Trump administration for their attacks on these civil rights, including:
Families and PFLAG, supported by Lamda Legal and the ACLU, have filed a complaint against Trump’s order to end all federal funding or support for healthcare for children under the age of 19. Trump’s order resulted in healthcare facilities across the country ending critical healthcare and support for transgender children and their families.
Lambda Legal and Human Rights Campaign who are suing to ensure that brave men and women are not banned from military service.
Of course, threats to public education come from multiple EOs as evidenced by the January 29th memo to freeze thousands of public programs and grants, including Title 1 funding, meals on wheels, and homelessness programs. Pressure from advocates, congress people, and 22 Attorneys General ensured a temporary restraining order was put in place. So these school community grants are safe…for now.
Obviously, this is devastating news; however, dozens of lawsuits have already been filed to combat the federal overreach and possible illegal actions by the Trump administration. Some of these have already resulted in temporary restraining orders. Nevertheless, keep vigilant, take care of yourself and your loved ones, keep on doing the work, and demand accountability from this administration and your elected officials, in particular U.S. Senators and Representatives who are responsible to hold the Executive Branch in check.
If you care about public schools, teachers, and students, pick something you are passionate about and advocate for it. Find groups that are like-minded and join them. Give funds to group suing for funding, civil rights, and freedom that is being taken away by these EOs. RESIST.
Trump EOs that Will Affect Public Schools
The President also rescinded close to 80 executive orders of preceding Presidents, including those that protect LGBTQIA people, offer asylum to refugees, efforts to reunite migrant families, and more. Education Week examines Trump’s first week of education-related EOs, but here are links an further information about education-related EOs to date:
Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government – This EO redefined “men” and “women” to a restrictive conception-based, non-scientific, incorrect, and likely illegal definition that effectively defined all Americans as women. In addition, Trump removed transgender protections, rights, and government publications.
Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing – Ends all federal government programs related to diversity, equity, inclusion, (DEI) and accessibility, and terminates federal positions related to DEI. Immediately, accessibility on many federal websites was disabled. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) removed guidance and training documents and canceled DEI training. The Army removed sexual assault guidelines, but reinstated them after outcry; however, this action begs the question of how will sexual assault and harassment be treated in public schools. Additionally, the EO as it intends to “encourage” ending DEI in private business and elsewhere. See Anjy Cramer’s blog on how DEI is civil rights.
Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling – This EO seeks to push federal policies on states and school districts as to what can be taught, where kids can go to the bathroom, and the level of patriotism in teachers’ civics lessons. It is unknown how this will affect public schools, particularly since typically states and localities have the authority over curricula and school policies. Nevertheless, it is chilling and threatening using words such as “indoctrination,” “radical,” and “anti-American.” Additionally, some far right groups like America First Legal are targeting Virginia school districts with lawfare by demanding federal investigations of Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William school districts.
Establishing And Implementing The President’s “Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – This unleashed DOGE on the federal government where Elon Musk’s agents have gained access to sensitive (e.g., private, financial, or protected) data in multiple agencies and are attempting to dismantle multiple federal agencies. The impact of this likely illegal effort will be felt in every sphere of American life.
Expanding Educational Freedom And Opportunity For Families – Prioritizes school choice in the ED via discretionary grants, which will pull more taxpayer money from public schools.
Protecting The American People Against Invasion – This is the primary mass deportation EO which is wreaking havoc in communities across the U.S. It permits Immigration, and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to conduct arrests in schools, churches, hospitals, and courthouses–all places that used to be sacrosanct, but now are targets of deportation terror and chaos. This is one of several EOs targeting immigrants, refugees, and schools. See 4 Public Education’s blogs on how departion cruelly affects public school communities and Fairfax County Public Schools response to deportation.
Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation – This EO specifically targets transgender children’s healthcare. The ACLU identifies that the EO “directs federal agencies to withhold funds from medical providers and institutions that offer gender-affirming medical treatments such as puberty suppressants and hormone therapies to anyone under 19, threatening to shut down access to essential health care that is already out of reach for many.”
Restoring Accountability To Policy-Influencing Positions Within The Federal Workforce – This is an effort to convert federal civil servants, most of whom are experts in their field and serve the American people, to political appointees loyal to the Trump Administration. Thus, merit ends in the federal government.
