Court protects vital teacher training funds

The Trump Administration’s attempt to eliminate $250m in teacher-training grants has been halted by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun, who issued a temporary restraining order. Joun described the cancellation as “arbitrary and capricious and an abuse of discretion,” emphasizing it was not lawful. The U.S. Department of Education had canceled these grants, claiming they funded training on “divisive ideologies,” including critical race theory and social justice activism. In response, Democrat-led states California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Wisconsin filed a lawsuit to prevent these federal cuts, which aimed to enhance teacher training in STEM, English learners, and disabled students. The White House’s broader proposal includes cutting $600m nationwide for teacher training, putting these states at risk of losing significant funding.