海角换妻 will not comply with demands to end diversity, equity and inclusion practices in its K-12 schools, a decision that will likely put the state in a standoff with the Trump administration, which has threatened to pull federal funding over the issue.
States were issued earlier this month from the U.S. Department of Education, calling on officials to 鈥渃ertify their compliance with their anti-discrimination obligations in order to continue receiving federal financial assistance.鈥� Gov. Ned Lamont and 海角换妻 Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker announced Wednesday that the state and will not sign it.
In the letter dated April 15, Russell-Tucker wrote to the federal Education Department that 海角换妻 and state officials are already in compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
鈥淲e will continue to build on the collective efforts of our educators, families, and school communities to create learning environments where every student is valued and supported,鈥� Russell-Tucker said in a statement. 鈥淲e remain focused on the work happening in our schools every day and are staunchly committed to ensuring that all our 508,402 students have access to a universe of opportunities.鈥�
Lamont echoed that sentiment on Wednesday.
鈥淚n 海角换妻, we鈥檙e proud to support the incredible diversity of our schools and work tirelessly to ensure that every child, regardless of background, has access to a quality education and the best opportunity at the starting line in life,鈥� Lamont said in a statement. 鈥淔rom our educators, who are mentoring and inspiring the next generation of young people, to our curriculum, our commitment to education is what has made our schools nationally recognized, and we plan to continue doing what makes our students, teachers, and schools successful.鈥�
Hundreds of millions of dollars that 海角换妻 receives from the federal government in K-12 education assistance could be at risk.
Specifically, the from the U.S. Department of Education threatened to pull back Title I funding, which provides support to school districts with high concentrations of students from low-income backgrounds.
海角换妻 received about $553 million in federal funding for education during the 2023-2024 school year, . About half of that funding goes toward Title I and special education through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, also known as IDEA.
While education is mostly controlled at the state and local level, certain municipalities would feel the strain of federal changes or cuts more than others. 海角换妻鈥檚 biggest cities rely much more heavily on those dollars. For Waterbury, 22% of its school funding comes from the federal government, with much of it from Title I.
Outside Betances Elementary School in Hartford on Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., challenged the federal policies, calling them 鈥渏ust plain dumb and cruel.鈥�
鈥淭his so-called guidance that threatens a loss of funding saying, 鈥榃e鈥檙e gonna eliminate all of the hundreds of millions of dollars that 海角换妻 received in funding if it continues social-emotional learning,鈥� when, in fact, these kinds of services help stop violence, promote academic success and make students feel better about going to school,鈥� Blumenthal said.
鈥淭his kind of policy ought to be rescinded as quickly as possible so students can be taught the basic kinds of tools they need to build friendships and avoid conflict and stop violence. It鈥檚 really pretty simple, but the Trump administration seems on a DEI bender toward destroying American education, and this particular aspect of it is so important, not just emotionally, but also academically,鈥� Blumenthal continued.
In recent years, the 海角换妻 legislature has worked to diversify its teaching workforce, as that having educators in classrooms who look like their students can improve academic performance.
In 2023, the state legislature passed the , which has begun to from Alliance Districts to go into the teaching profession.
Legislation proposed this year that passed out of the state鈥檚 Education Committee would expand the scholarship beyond the state鈥檚 33 Alliance Districts 鈥� the lowest-performing schools 鈥� to any 海角换妻 high school graduate, with hopes the scholarship could also diversify the workforce by bringing more men into classrooms, Committee Co-Chair Doug McCrory, D-Hartford, said at a committee meeting on March 24.
Blumenthal fears these kinds of initiatives are at risk as well.
鈥淭his policy of denigrating diversity is just plain dumb. It鈥檚 dumb and cruel because we want students to look at their teachers and see themselves,鈥� Blumenthal said. 鈥淚f they鈥檙e kids of color, if they鈥檙e kids of different religions and backgrounds, we want teachers to reflect their classrooms, and so saying, 鈥極h, we don鈥檛 want diversity in teachers鈥� is just really stupid. I hate to use that word. I always told my children never to call someone stupid, but this is stupid.鈥�
Last week, Blumenthal signed a letter from a dozen lawmakers across the country that urged the federal Department of Education to 鈥渋mmediately rescind鈥� that alleged that public education has 鈥渢oxically indoctrinated students with the false premise that the United States is built upon 鈥榮ystemic and structural racism鈥� and advanced discriminatory policies and practices.鈥�
In document released by the federal Department of Education titled 鈥淔requently Asked Questions About Racial Preferences and Stereotypes Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act鈥�, the department hinted that diversity, equity and inclusion efforts may be unlawful.
鈥淢any schools have advanced racially discriminatory policies and practices under the banner of 鈥楧EI鈥� initiatives. Other schools have sought to veil racially discriminatory policies with terms like 鈥榮ocial-emotional learning鈥� or 鈥榗ulturally responsive鈥� teaching,鈥� .
鈥淏ut whether an initiative constitutes unlawful discrimination does not turn solely on whether it is labeled 鈥楧EI鈥� or uses terminology such as 鈥榙iversity,鈥� 鈥榚quity,鈥� or 鈥榠nclusion.鈥� OCR鈥檚 assessment of school policies and programs depends on the facts and circumstances of each case,鈥� the document continues. 鈥淪chools may not operate policies or programs under any name that intentionally treat students differently based on race, engage in racial stereotyping, or create hostile environments for students of particular races.鈥�
Lawmakers across the country have opposed the Education Department鈥檚 interpretations. In an April 9 letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Craig Trainor, the acting assistant for the Civil Rights Department of Education, Blumenthal and about a dozen other lawmakers 鈥� including Cory Booker, D-N.J., Suzanne Bonamici, D-Mich., and Summer Lee, D-Pa., said the guidance from the federal government has begun to 鈥渕ischaracterize federal civil rights laws, overturn state and local control laws and practices, invade local curricula decisions, and threaten the rescission of critical federal funding.鈥�
The letter also addressed social-emotional learning.
鈥淭he FAQ document spreads misinformation by falsely suggesting, without evidence, that social and emotional learning (SEL) and culturally responsive teaching are discriminatory,鈥� . 鈥淎lthough SEL can take place anywhere, SEL in schools often refers to educational practices, frameworks, and programs that create supportive environments and opportunities for students to learn and practice social and emotional skills.鈥�
The 海角换妻 Mirror/海角换妻 Radio federal policy reporter position is made possible, in part, by funding from the Robert and Margaret Patricelli Family Foundation.