Federal court blocks Trump-era directives affecting public school curriculum

A federal court has ruled against the Trump administration’s attempt to require school districts across the United States to censor certain lessons, abandon student support programs, and certify compliance with an interpretation of civil rights law that the court found unconstitutional. The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland sided with a coalition of national educator associations and a public school district in its decision.

AFT President Randi Weingarten commented on the ruling: “This is a huge win for students, families and educators and a sweeping indictment of Donald Trump’s draconian attacks on the essence of public education,” said Weingarten. “Here, the government decided to put its thumb on the scale to chill teachers’ duty to create safe and welcoming classrooms where critical thinking is valued and history is presented in an open and honest way.

“As the judge stated, the government cannot simply proclaim that it 'will no longer tolerate' speech it dislikes because of its 'motivating ideology'—a 'blatant' and 'egregious' violation of the First Amendment. She found that wielding this vague, cynical, arbitrary and unconstitutional requirement as a cudgel to defund our schools was injurious to students, our profession and the pursuit of knowledge itself—and it cannot stand. It is our job as educators to prepare students with the skills they need to negotiate a diverse and complex world. This decision rightly strikes down the government’s attempt to dictate curriculum, and, in so doing, upholds the purpose and promise inherent in our public schools.”

AFT-Maryland President Kenya Campbell also responded: “From the beginning, we have been clear that this directive from Trump’s Department of Education is an unlawful overreach that threatens the education of all Maryland’s students,” said Campbell. “Today’s ruling makes it clear that, regardless of President Trump’s wishes and endless attacks, our public education system will continue to meet the diverse needs of every student—from teaching true history to providing critical resources. From K-12 schools in our most vulnerable communities to our higher education institutions, this is a resounding victory for the public education our educators stand up for every day.”

The coalition involved in challenging these directives was represented by Democracy Forward.