Trump's New Executive Order: Discipline for a Whiter, Harsher School System

Overview

Donald Trump issued an Executive Order titled "Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies."
Collaboration between the Department of Education and Department of Justice.
Directs multiple federal departments to take action.

30 days: Secretary of Education to issue new federal guidance on school discipline.
60 days: DOJ and DOE to coordinate with governors and state attorneys.
90 days: Department of Defense to revise school discipline code.
120 days: Multi-agency report on "discriminatory equity ideology" in schools.

The order targets previous policies addressing racial disparities in school discipline.
Critiques Obama's 2014 "Dear Colleague" letter, claiming it required race-based discrimination in discipline, which is disputed.
Data highlights racial disparities in school suspensions, particularly affecting Black students and students with disabilities.
Examples from real life, such as arrests of young Black children, demonstrate the harshness of current discipline practices.

References Trump's 2018 Federal Commission on School Safety, criticized for lack of relevant stakeholders and for blaming equity-based discipline policies for school violence.

Section 3: Ensures "Commonsense School Discipline Policies."
- New guidance to avoid racial discrimination under Title VI, potentially labeling inclusive practices as discriminatory.
- Vague measures for non-compliance could threaten funding and provoke federal investigations.
- Coordination with state governors and attorneys general could lead to state-level anti-equity discipline laws.
Revise school discipline for Department of Defense-run schools, potentially testing new punitive policies.

Inventory of Title VI investigations since 2009 to assess racial disparities.
Assessment of nonprofits that promote "discriminatory equity ideology."
Survey of non-equity alternatives and promotion of "traditional virtues" and "American values."
- Implications of reverting to equality rather than equity.

Engage with local school boards and state education officials to question policy changes.
- Ask about the future of trauma-informed, culturally responsive, or SEL-based practices.
- Demand transparency and push for continued disaggregation of discipline data by race and disability.
Parents and educators should collaborate to document and resist rollbacks of equity-based practices.

This executive order poses significant changes to school discipline policies, potentially undermining efforts to address racial disparities and support inclusive practices.
Continued vigilance and advocacy are necessary to protect equity-based discipline strategies.