Former U.S. President Donald Trump is taking major steps to change how schools in the country operate. His education plan is creating a wave of strong reactions across states, schools, and communities.
Ever since he came into power, Trump has made it clear that he wants schools to follow his views. Just a few days after becoming President, he signed orders aimed at removing what he calls “woke” thinking from classrooms and promoting school vouchers.
While these orders didn’t force immediate action, they instructed the education department to start preparing for change.
Now, things are becoming more serious.
Trump’s administration is sending warnings to schools and colleges across the country. The message is clear — either follow the new rules or lose government funding.
In K-12 schools, Trump’s team has sent official letters to districts they believe are breaking Title IX, a law that bans sex-based discrimination in schools.
These schools, according to Trump’s administration, are being flagged for allowing transgender students to use facilities like locker rooms that match their gender identity. The administration argues this violates the rights of other students.
Colleges and universities are also under fire. Many have received notices claiming they are breaking the Civil Rights Act by running programs to support minority students.
For example, some schools offer scholarships or networking events specifically for students from underrepresented communities. The Trump administration sees this as discrimination.
Federal funding is being used as a key pressure tool. Experts say that while earlier presidents like Obama and Biden also investigated civil rights violations,
Trump’s strategy is on a much bigger and more aggressive scale. According to political professor R. Shep Melnick, there is no past example of this level of pressure being put on schools.
The Education Department has not responded to media questions yet. But in an earlier statement, civil rights official Craig Trainor said that both schools and colleges using DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs will face investigations. If they’re found guilty of discrimination, their funding could be stopped.
Some states are facing even bigger threats. In Maine, a disagreement over transgender athletes playing in girls’ sports has become a national issue.
Trump’s administration has said it will freeze all federal education funds for the state unless it blocks transgender girls from joining girls’ teams. This is, although only two transgender athletes are currently participating in such sports across Maine.
A federal court has already stopped the administration from cutting off school lunch funds over this policy. Still, Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi has filed a case against the state. Maine’s Governor, Janet Mills, is standing firm and says the fight is about defending state rights, not just school sports.
Other states are also getting letters from Trump’s team. School associations in California, Minnesota, and Oregon are now being investigated for allowing students to take part in sports or use school facilities based on their gender identity. These investigations are also connected to policies supporting inclusion and equality.
While it’s not new for governments to check if schools are following civil rights laws, the way Trump’s administration is doing it is being seen as extreme.
Melnick points out that past investigations usually took years, but Trump’s team is moving fast and using threats of legal action and funding cuts to make schools follow their rules.
Even famous universities are not being spared. Harvard and 45 other colleges, including Arizona State and the University of Utah, are being investigated for working with “The Ph.D. Project.”
This program helps minority students build careers in business, but the administration says it could be breaking the law by giving special opportunities to certain groups.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon says that the goal is not to stop debate or different views in colleges. Instead, she claims the administration is trying to make sure civil rights are protected for all students.
Experts believe more legal cases are coming. Melnick says that many schools may fight back in court, and if Trump’s team starts losing these cases, other schools might also refuse to follow the new rules. This legal battle could grow bigger in the coming months.