The grants had been awarded to teacher preparation programs that trained future educators in what the department said were “inappropriate and unnecessary topics,” such as critical race theory, which promotes the fundamental framework view that racism is embedded in all institutions and aspects of society; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI);
and social justice activism. Some of the defended programs also
included race-based teacher recruitment and staffing strategies,
according to the department.
A study by
Parents Defending Education, an independent organization that rallies
against ideological indoctrination in K-12 schools, found that since 2021, the Education Department has spent at least $1 billion on various DEI-related initiatives.
That includes approximately $490 million on DEI hiring efforts, $343
million on DEI programming, and $170 million on DEI-related mental
health programs.
“The law is clear: treating students differently on
the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial
balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling
Supreme Court precedent,” Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for
civil rights, wrote in a letter sent to the education departments in all
50 states.
While emphasizing the obligations under Title VI, the
federal law prohibiting discrimination based on race for institutions
that receive federal dollars, the letter also referenced the U.S.
Supreme Court’s 2023 decision, which found it unconstitutional for
public and private colleges to use racial preferences in admissions.
“At
its core, the test is simple: If an educational institution treats a
person of one race differently than it treats another person because of
that person’s race, the educational institution violates the law,”
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/education-department-cuts-600-million-ideological-training-programs-teachers
