03.30.17

Scott Condemns Trump Administration’s Decision to Pull Funding for School Diversity

WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Department of Education’s decision to not fulfil grant awards to school districts seeking to make public schools more diverse:

“The Trump Administration’s decision to end the Opening Doors, Expanding Opportunities Grant Program is not only disappointing, but also shortsighted. The Administration's assertion, as reported by the Washington Post, that using $12 million already appropriated federal funds is ‘not a wise use of taxpayer dollars’ is wrong.

“I remind President Trump and Secretary DeVos that it is the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Education to promote equity of educational opportunity in pursuit of fulfillment of the promise of Brown v. Board, and that despite much progress, that promise remains unfulfilled. Just last year, the Government Accountability Office found that our nation’s public schools are more segregated by race and class now than they were in 1968. Despite this troubling trend, research shows that all students are better served in diverse learning environments. That is why, despite the availability of only $12 million dollars, nearly 30 school districts applied for the opportunity to reexamine school assignment and enrollment policies to better integrate their public schools. Continuing this important program would have been an easy way for the Trump Administration to affirm its commitment to civil rights. Unfortunately, the Trump administration missed that opportunity.” 

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