President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Wednesday aimed at promoting school choice and eliminating federal funding for curricula he described as “indoctrinating” students with “anti-American” ideologies concerning race and gender.
The first order directs the Department of Education to provide guidance on how states can use federal funds to support “choice initiatives,” supporting parental choice in selecting schools. Trump emphasized that the policy will assist parents in directing their children’s education, noting that too many children struggle in government-run schools.
The second directive seeks to end federal funding for schools using funds for curricula, teacher certification, and related purposes focused on “gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology.” Trump and his supporters have long criticized public schools for teaching students, particularly white children, to feel ashamed of their heritage due to America’s history of slavery and racial discrimination. The order claims that teaching concepts like “white privilege” and “unconscious bias” undermines national unity and promotes racism.
The order also appears to target “critical race theory” (CRT), although it does not directly mention the term. CRT, an academic concept exploring the racial biases embedded in U.S. laws and institutions, has been a contentious topic in the debate over how American history and structural racism should be taught in schools.
Trump’s orders have sparked concerns about their potential impact on how race and history are taught, with critics saying the orders could limit the range of educational materials available to students. Supporters, however, argue the orders align with Trump’s commitment to pushing a conservative education agenda that challenges liberal curricula.
The first order also emphasizes funding for school choice programs, a goal championed by conservatives who argue that public schools fail to meet academic standards. Many Democrats and teachers’ unions oppose school choice, fearing it undermines public education.
The directives could influence as much as $30 billion to $40 billion in federal funding for education, with the potential to affect private and religious school options. Additionally, military families and Native American families will be allowed to use federal funds to select their schools.
Trump’s school choice agenda has gained traction in states with Republican leadership, and lawmakers are now discussing a potential federal school voucher program.
