On Wednesday, President Trump took significant steps to reshape education policies in America by signing a series of executive actions that target both higher education institutions and K-12 schools.
One of the prominent actions focuses on the regulation of college and university accreditors, which the White House claims have misused their authority by imposing what it labels as discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) standards.
The administration’s statement asserted that this move aims to increase accountability and intellectual diversity on college campuses, suggesting that many accreditors have enforced ideologically biased policies.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon expressed enthusiasm for the executive orders on social media, stating, “Today’s Executive Orders pave the way for critical innovations — inviting more competition in the higher education accreditation system, ensuring transparency in college finances, supporting new technologies in the classroom, and more.”
The set of initiatives reflects Trump’s conservative educational agenda, promising to dismantle Biden-era policies, strengthen workforce training programs, enhance artificial intelligence education, and initiate a new program focused on historically Black colleges and universities.
One key directive articulated by Trump is the need to “overhaul” the accreditation system that colleges must undergo to qualify for federal financial aid. Accreditation serves to confirm that educational programs meet acceptable standards of quality.
Trump previously characterized accreditation as a “secret weapon” in combatting ideological biases that he claims permeate higher education.
By enhancing competition among accreditors, the administration intends to hold colleges accountable for perceived ideological overreach.
Critics, however, warn that the changes could manipulate the accreditation process for political ends. Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors, remarked, “Trump’s goal is to manipulate accreditors in order to force colleges and universities to do his bidding and punish them when they resist. He is weaponizing the accreditation process to gain the leverage he seeks.”
In an additional action, the Trump administration aims to impose stricter regulations on the foreign funding that universities receive. The executive order suggests that federal grants could be withheld from educational institutions that do not fully and promptly disclose foreign gifts or contracts.
The administration has specifically pointed to institutions such as Harvard, claiming they have not adhered to existing disclosure requirements. While federal law mandates disclosure of donations or contracts exceeding $250,000 from foreign sources, a Harvard spokesperson remarked that the university has consistently complied with these regulations.
On his Truth Social account, Trump reiterated his disapproval of Harvard, labeling the institution as a “Liberal mess” and a “threat to Democracy.”
The final executive action pertains to K-12 schools, where Trump has called for a reevaluation of school discipline policies. This new initiative seeks to repeal previous guidance issued by Presidents Biden and Obama that aimed to address racial disparities in school disciplinary actions, such as suspensions and expulsions.
The new guidelines, as outlined by the administration, would prohibit the implementation of what it describes as “racially preferential discipline practices.”
Supporters of the order, such as Tiffany Justice of Moms for Liberty, believe it empowers local school boards to maintain discipline effectively, enabling teachers to concentrate on education rather than manage disruptive behavior.
Justice stated, “By ending federal overreach, it frees educators to focus on teaching, not chaos, ensuring kids get a quality education.”
However, the measures have drawn criticism from civil rights advocates. Judith Browne Dianis of the Advancement Project expressed concern that these actions threaten to dismantle vital civil rights protections within education.
Dianis stated, “These executive orders are another move to dismantle civil rights protections. The Administration wants to rebuild the school-to-prison pipeline but civil rights law is clear: schools cannot punish students more harshly because of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability.”
With these sweeping changes, the Trump administration aims to redefine the landscape of American education, stirring considerable debate over the implications for equity and civil rights in school systems.
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