In a controversial move, the Trump administration recently threatened to withhold federal funding from schools—particularly those serving low-income and minority students—unless they eliminated certain diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within 10 days. Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights, chillingly declared, “Federal financial assistance is a privilege, not a right.” The demand specifically jeopardizes Title I funds, which are lifelines for under-resourced schools with higher percentages of students of color.

Undoing Decades of Civil Rights Progress

This isn’t the first time the Trump-era Department of Education has attempted to reinterpret civil rights laws. States already pledge compliance with antidiscrimination laws, yet this guidance presses further, coercing compliance with an ideological stance that undermines decades of educational equity. The move signals a push to revert to a time before the Civil Rights Act—when marginalized students were left to fend for themselves.

Dismantling the Department of Education

Since 2017, the Trump administration has downsized the Department of Education, laying off over 1,300 staff members and pushing toward its eventual dissolution. Created under President Jimmy Carter to consolidate over 260 education-related programs, the department has long served as a guardian for the rights of students with disabilities, English language learners, and racial minorities. Its rollback risks stripping away the very protections that ensured fair access to quality education.

The Legacy of Jimmy Carter

President Carter, once a school board member and Georgia governor, believed deeply in education as a path to full citizenship. Despite resistance from segregationists, he championed early childhood education and school integration in Georgia. His experience drove him to create a federal agency that would enforce equity when states fell short. Carter knew that civil rights gains, once won, could just as easily be lost—and history may be proving him right.

A New Political Agenda in Schools

Trump-era education policy frames state control as a shield against “ideological corruption,” yet in practice, this has been used to infuse a particular political ideology into classrooms. Conservatives have accused schools of pushing a “leftist agenda,” focusing more on cultural battles than academic outcomes. Concerns about what students are taught have replaced conversations about how well they are learning.

The Rise of the Anti-DEI Movement

By 2020, a crusade against DEI gained momentum. Influencers like Chris Rufo weaponized terms like critical race theory, turning them into political boogeymen. Across the country, conservative activists targeted books, curriculums, and programs that addressed systemic inequality. Ironically, civil rights language was co-opted to argue that inclusivity efforts were themselves discriminatory—a dangerous inversion of historical truth.

Education as a Path to Citizenship—For Whom?

Since the founding of the nation, education has been a gatekeeper to citizenship. George Washington and other founders believed in its civic importance, yet it was designed for wealthy white men. Slave codes banned Black people from learning to read. Women were largely excluded. Every attempt to expand access—from the G.I. Bill to desegregation—was met with resistance, reflecting a national reluctance to share educational opportunity equitably.

White Backlash and the Myth of Reverse Discrimination

As civil rights movements gained traction, some white Americans felt excluded. Cases like Regents of the University of California v. Bakke challenged affirmative action, and the progress enabled by the Civil Rights Act was increasingly framed as unfair to the majority. By the end of Trump’s term, the administration was actively pushing back against inclusive narratives, attacking efforts like the 1619 Project and promoting its own sanitized version of history.

The 1776 Commission and Rewriting History

In one of his final acts, President Trump established the 1776 Commission to “restore patriotic education.” Its report argued that the civil rights movement’s momentum had veered off course, framing policies designed to correct historical injustices as a betrayal of the founders' ideals. Critics say this version of history erases centuries of exclusion and suffering endured by marginalized communities.

The Aftermath: States Pick Up the Torch

Even after Trump’s departure, states like Florida, Texas, and North Carolina have carried forward the agenda. Laws banning discussions of LGBTQ+ identities, dismantling DEI programs, and purging diverse curriculums have passed. Education boards are now packed with ideological appointees, and funding is increasingly tied to the political tone of institutions.

Affirmative Action Struck Down

In June 2023, the Supreme Court struck down race-conscious college admissions. Opponents of affirmative action now question whether schools are violating the law if Black enrollment doesn’t plummet. The Trump administration has doubled down, returning to the federal level to wage a battle that now threatens to reverse decades of progress.

The Fight for Equality Must Continue

Education is not explicitly guaranteed in the Constitution, but it remains central to American democracy. Denying access to inclusive and accurate education denies future generations their full citizenship. Civil rights have always been hard-won, and their defense requires vigilance. Without it, the system risks returning to an era where only some stories—and some students—mattered.