Amid a flurry of executive orders from the Trump administration impacting education is one that threatens to pull federal funding from schools promoting “radical indoctrination.”
The order says this so-called “radical indoctrination” could include “gender ideology and "discriminatory equity ideology.” Those are two concepts that Republicans across the country have targeted in public education culture wars in recent years.
The order also promises to support programs that promote "patriotic education," and some major social media accounts such as Libs of TikTok, have identified school systems they say are acting in defiance to the president's order and should be defunded.
But Lance Fusarelli, a professor of educational leadership and policy at North Carolina State University, said he believes the order was “a little bit of political theater.”
"I think that's going to appeal to his base, and it'll appeal, I think, a bit beyond his base," Fusarelli said. "I think, from that standpoint, I think it's really quite a shrewd and clever move politically on his part. But it is broad and I mean, it's kind of wide-ranging what it talks about. Some of the stuff that's in the executive order is already prohibited."
For example, there's a section that instructs the U.S. attorney general to work with local school leaders and attorneys general to "file appropriate actions" against K-12 educators who sexually exploit minors or offer medical treatment without a license—both of which are already illegal.
Fusarelli is skeptical that the order would have a major impact on schools, as “gender” and “equity” ideology represent broad terminology that’s typically not explicitly included in school curricula to begin with. The vagueness of the order could create uncertainty for teachers.
“I think they’re going to have to be careful talking about things like white privilege, unconscious bias—to the extent that they actually do talk about these things and a lot of teachers don’t—but they’re going to have to be kind of careful," Fusarelli said.
That said, many school districts are already navigating similar questions due to state laws designed to target what conservatives claim are problematic teachings of gender and race. North Carolina passed a Parents Bill of Rights with similar aims in 2023. CMS passed policies to comply with the state law, which outlines requirements for public schools, such as creating processes for parents to review and challenge textbooks; requiring educators to notify parents if their children want to use a different name or pronouns; requiring opt-in permission for sexual education; and banning “instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality” in grades K-4.
In a written statement to WFAE, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools said it will continue to monitor federal executive orders, but remains focused on providing a high-quality education to students.
