NCYL, Education Civil Rights Alliance condemn recent executive orders, call on state and local leaders to stand up for students
'Now is the time for state and local education leaders to remain firm in their values of creating safe, equitable, and inclusive schools for all students,' reads portion of statement
The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) and 40 members of its Education Civil Rights Alliance (ECRA) today issued a strong rebuke to recent education-related executive orders from the Trump administration. The group simultaneously called on state and local education leaders to remain firm in creating safe, equitable and inclusive schools for all students, even in the face of threats from federal officials.
In a statement published by NCYL, the collective detailed its grave concerns with Executive Orders 14280 and 14281, which target and threaten to withhold federal funding from school districts if they continue long-standing and proven policies and practices that have historically protected marginalized groups of students from discrimination.
"We are deeply concerned about the use of Executive Orders 14280 and 14281 as attempts to confuse and threaten school districts and states to abandon protections that ensure all students have equal educational opportunities," reads a portion of the statement. "We call on state leaders to encourage districts and schools to continue to engage in activities that are legally compliant with Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504 and enforce students’ protections against discrimination."
School discipline is an area of particular concern with these recent executive orders.
School discipline policies can often deny students access to education based on a variety of factors like race, national origin, sex, or disability. Research and federal investigations have repeatedly found direct evidence of biased treatment in school discipline, where Black and Native American students are often punished more harshly or frequently than their white peers for similar childlike behaviors. Unfair discipline can have a disparate impact on students in ways that can lead to lower grades, lost classroom time, and pushout from school altogether especially for students of color and students with disabilities.
Through these executive orders, the Trump administration is sending a clear signal that it will not enforce civil rights protections for all students, particularly when it comes to protecting all students against race-based discrimination.
Despite the vague threats in the executive orders, the statement notes, students remain protected from discrimination by several federal civil rights laws — laws that must be enforced and adhered to, even by the president.
The ECRA, convened by NCYL, is dedicated to protecting the civil rights of historically and presently marginalized students by providing resources to families, educators, and advocates on creating safe, inclusive, and equitable schools. It was formed in 2017 to protect against the erosion of students’ civil rights, with a focus on urgent issues relating to state and local education.
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The National Center for Youth Law centers youth through research, community collaboration, impact litigation, and policy advocacy that fundamentally transforms our nation's approach to education, health, immigration, foster care, and youth justice. Our vision is a world in which every child thrives and has a full and fair opportunity to achieve the future they envision for themselves.
