Trump Pushes for Private School Choice and Targets Education ‘Indoctrination’

President Trump’s new executive orders expand private school choice and tackle “radical indoctrination,” stirring controversy and raising questions about their impact on education.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump unveiled two executive orders, marking a bold move to enhance private school choice and confront what he describes as “radical indoctrination” in education.

These directives push federal agencies to prioritize initiatives that promote private schooling and to act against educators perceived to support students’ social transitions.

Key Objectives and Provisions

One of Trump’s main objectives is the revival of a 2020 initiative focusing on patriotic education.

Additionally, he seeks to impose restrictions on transgender and gender-nonconforming students regarding their participation in sports and access to bathrooms that align with their gender identity.

The U.S. Department of Education now has the responsibility to spotlight school choice, particularly through universal K-12 scholarship programs, when it comes to distributing discretionary grants.

Moreover, the secretaries of Defense and Interior have been instructed to create frameworks that enable military families and students in Bureau of Indian Education schools to access federal funds for their preferred educational institutions.

The Department of Health and Human Services is also expected to clarify how block grants for childcare may apply to private and religious schools.

Reactions and Concerns

Teachers’ unions quickly condemned the push towards school choice, viewing it as an attempt to misallocate federal funds towards private education.

The National Education Association’s president expressed that this initiative reflects a broader trend towards the privatization of education, a move that voters have previously rejected in ballot measures concerning voucher programs.

Frederick Hess, who leads education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, noted that the executive order signals the Department of Education’s priorities in reviewing grant proposals and guiding states on the use of federal funds.

The actual impact of these orders will depend heavily on how they are implemented, he cautioned.

Potential Implications for Education Policy

These recent executive actions are part of a wider strategy initiated soon after Trump’s second inauguration.

Yet, they have ignited concerns and are likely to lead to legal challenges, with critics arguing that the president is exceeding his authority by attempting to dictate educational practices.

Key provisions in the order labelled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” demand that financial support be withheld from schools promoting divisive ideologies surrounding gender or equity.

It also proposes legal consequences for educators engaging in inappropriate practices or supporting students’ social transitions.

Currently, federal law prohibits imposing specific curricula on schools, a measure supported by Republicans which previously obstructed Trump’s efforts to establish a framework for patriotic education in 2020.

While the Supreme Court may be leaning towards backing restrictions on gender-affirming medical care for minors, state laws still permit transgender and nonbinary students access to restrooms that correspond with their gender identity.

Education advocates stress the need for a thoughtful response as federal government involvement in the sprawling public school system can be complex.

Experts recommend that clarity surrounding the new directives is essential for a productive dialogue.

In terms of the school choice initiative, many experts consider it a reasonable expectation.

However, the real-world effects of these executive orders could be limited given that federal funding accounts for only about 11% of total K-12 financing, which mainly comes from state sources aimed at supporting disadvantaged students.

Derrell Bradford, president of the education policy organization 50CAN, predicts that the initiative to allow military families to allocate their federal education funds to their chosen schools will be well-received, particularly since Department of Defense schools are among the nation’s strongest performers.

He also suggests the orders may facilitate funding for establishing and expanding public charter schools, initiatives that faced hurdles during the Biden administration.

Despite excitement for potential improvements, experts like Bradford and Hess remain uncertain about the availability of adequate private school options for military families and students connected to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, particularly in overseas locations.

This uncertainty raises questions about the practical benefits of proposed voucher programs.

In contrast to Trump’s first term in 2017, when there were few advocates for private school choice, the current environment boasts many individuals seasoned in government affairs, potentially paving the way for more effective education policy advancements.

Source: The74million