Both plans were outlined in executive orders signed by Trump on Wednesday. Examples cited in the order include a policy at Harrisonburg City Public Schools in Virginia requiring teachers to use students' preferred names and pronouns. The order unfairly tarnishes teachers and makes it harder for them to do their jobs, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.
The federal government provides billions of dollars to schools every year, though the vast majority of their money comes from state and local sources. The measure taps into a wave of conservative anger that has taken aim at classroom lessons that some see as too liberal. Opponents say the rules impose vague restrictions on teachers and create a chilling effect on discussions about history and other subjects.
Trey Walk, a researcher and advocate with Human Rights Watch, said students have a right to learn about how discrimination can be entrenched in law and society. It drew swift backlash from civil rights groups who said campus protests have mostly been peaceful and are protected by constitutional free speech rights.
Tensions over the Israel-Hamas war led to emotional demonstrations on U. The Biden administration opened more than investigations into alleged antisemitism and Islamophobia at schools and universities after Hamas' Oct. A flurry of schools reached deals to settle the cases before Trump took office amid fears that he would issue heavier sanctions. It was widely panned by historians, who said it was outdated and ignored decades of research.
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