Sept. 26 (UPI) — The Trump administration has halted funding to three public school districts — in Chicago, Fairfax, Va., and New York City over their diversity policies.
The Department of Education on Thursday pulled $65 million in magnet school funding from the districts 10 days after issuing them a warning, The New York Times reported.
On Sept. 16, the department sent letters to the district accusing them of violating civil rights law. The Trump administration took issue with all three districts allowing transgender students to play in sports and use the bathroom of their choice.
Federal officials also threatened to withhold funds from Chicago schools over a program specifically designed to help Black students, according to Axios.
Department of Education spokeswoman Julie Hartman said that because the districts were willing to “continue their illegal activity” means move to cut funding “falls squarely on them.”
“These are public schools, funded by hardworking American families, and parents have every right to expect an excellent education — not ideological indoctrination masquerading as ‘inclusive’ policy,” she said.
The Chicago Teachers Union said the district is “standing firm” against the Department of Education’s threats.
Chicago Public Schools “and the Board of Education made clear they will not abandon the Black Student Success Plan or roll back protections for transgender students,” a statement from the union said.
“Instead, the district is demanding due process and defending these policies as both legally required and essential for closing opportunity gaps and protecting vulnerable students.”
New York City Public Schools said it had asked the Trump administration for an extension in response to the Sept. 16 letter.
“Cutting this funding — which invests in specialized curricula, afterschool education and summer learning — harms not only the approximately 8,500 students this program currently benefits, but all of our students from underserved communities,” the district said.