In a move to cut wasteful spending and refocus resources on core educational needs, the Department of Education (DOED) has terminated $600 million in grants for training programs deemed "divisive" and "inappropriate." These programs, focusing on concepts like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), along with instruction on White privilege and White supremacy, have been criticized by the Trump administration.
This decision follows shortly after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded by Elon Musk, announced cuts exceeding $370 million in similar DEI training programs within the Education Department. The terminated grants encompassed programs that, according to the DOED, required educators to acknowledge systemic inequities and critically evaluate their own practices.
The eliminated funding also targeted programs offering spaces for educators to address biases and engage in discussions about equity, as well as programs focusing on historical and sociopolitical understandings of race and racism. This reallocation of funds has drawn praise from figures like Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, who emphasized the potential for increased investment in literacy education. Representative Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, also expressed support for the decision.
The DOED indicated that many of the terminated grants included recruitment strategies based on race. Chris Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, applauded the move, calling for a complete shutdown of such programs. This action aligns with the Trump administration's broader efforts to reform the Education Department, including an order for all state education departments to eliminate DEI policies or face potential loss of federal funding.
President Trump has expressed his intent to potentially abolish the Department of Education, aiming to empower individual states in managing their education systems.
