California sues Trump administration for cutting teacher training over ‘illegal DEI’

California joined seven Democrat-led states that sued the Trump administration Thursday, seeking to halt hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to teacher training programs designed to increase instructors in direly needed STEM fields as well as educate students who have disabilities or are learning English. It’s a betrayal of students, teachers and our communities,” said A.Dee Williams, a Cal State L.A. educator professor who works with trainees as the head of the Los Angeles Urban Teacher Residency Program. In announcing the grant cuts Feb. 17, the Department of Education said the programs use taxpayer funds to “train teachers and education agencies on divisive ideologies” that were “inappropriate and unnecessary.” It cited “critical race theory, diversity, equity, and inclusion ; social justice activism; ‘anti-racism’; and instruction on white privilege and white supremacy.” President Trump has pledged to rid schools and universities of “wokeness” and use federal funding as leverage. It adds that the programs are mandated by law to ensure “general education teachers receive training in providing instruction to diverse populations, including children with disabilities, limited English proficient students, and children from low-income families.” The lawsuit points out that many of the grants — some of which supported increasing racial diversity in teaching — were approved under the first Trump administration. They are confident and they are supported, and that’s why they succeed.” Jonathan Sze, a Cal State L.A. educator in training who teaches chemistry at Woodrow Wilson High School, said the Trump administration’s decision would “likely prevent people who are like me from becoming teachers.” Sze, who was studying to become a pharmacist, switched in recent years to focus on teaching science.