WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is ordering U.S. schools to stop teaching what he views as “critical race theory” and other material dealing with race and sexuality or risk losing their federal money. A separate plan announced Wednesday calls for aggressive action to fight antisemitism on college campuses, promising to prosecute offenders and revoke visas for international students found to be “Hamas sympathizers.” Both plans were outlined in executive orders to be signed by Trump on Wednesday. The measures seek to fulfill some of the Republican president’s core campaign promises around education, though it’s unclear how much power he has to enact the proposals. His order on K-12 schools declares that federal money cannot be used on the “indoctrination” of children, including “radical gender ideology and critical race theory.” It says civil rights laws barring discrimination based on sex and race would be used to enforce the order, calling critical race theory an “inherently racist policy.” Examples cited in the order include a policy at Harrisonburg City Public Schools in Virginia requiring teachers to use students’ preferred names and pronouns. Another policy at Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin says schools should “disrupt the gender binary” by teaching students to embrace different gender identities, according to the order. Teachers and school officials who promote the “social transition” of students would face action from state, local and federal legal authorities, according to Trump’s plan. It says the practice amounts to sexual exploitation. The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights investigates allegations of civil rights violations and can impose sanctions up to a total loss of federal money, though that penalty has almost never been used and must be approved by a judge. Trump also directs the education secretary to craft a strategy within 90 days to “end indoctrination in K-12 education.” Trump has appointed billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon as his education chief, but her Senate confirmation hearing has not been scheduled yet. During his campaign, Trump said he would sign an order “on day one” to cut federal money for schools that push critical race theory or other “inappropriate” content. The federal government provides billions of dollars to schools every year, though the vast majority of their money comes from state and local sources. The measure taps into a wave of conservative anger that has taken aim at classroom lessons that some see as too liberal. A growing number of Republican states have adopted laws or rules barring the teaching of critical race theory or “divisive concepts” in public schools and universities. Opponents say the rules impose vague restrictions on teachers and create a chilling effect on discussions about history and other subjects.
