President Donald Trump is set to sign a series of executive orders addressing key issues in U.S. education, including critical race theory and school choice, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
The orders come amid ongoing debates over the role of race, history, and parental choice in education, two highly polarizing topics in American politics.
Critical race theory (CRT), originally an academic framework for analyzing systemic racism in U.S. history, has become a flashpoint in political discourse. While many Republicans argue that CRT promotes divisiveness and guilt among students, critics of the bans claim they stifle discussions about racial history and social justice.
Trump’s executive order will cut federal funding for public schools that incorporate CRT or similar concepts into their curriculums. “The president is committed to ensuring that no taxpayer dollars support divisive ideologies in our schools,” Leavitt told Fox News.
Another key aspect of Trump’s executive actions will be support for school choice, a policy that allows parents to use tax credits or vouchers to enroll their children in privately managed schools instead of the public education system. The policy, long championed by conservatives, aims to increase competition and parental control over education options.
In addition to the education-related measures, Trump is also expected to sign an executive order targeting anti-Semitic acts. The order directs the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate pro-Hamas graffiti and illegal actions during last year’s pro-Palestinian protests, which escalated amid Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
The measure could also revoke student visas for individuals involved in unlawful demonstrations, particularly those on university campuses.
Since returning to office, Trump has rapidly issued executive orders on issues ranging from illegal immigration to restrictions on gender transitions for minors, signaling an aggressive push on conservative policy priorities.
The latest executive actions are expected to draw strong reactions from both supporters and critics, setting the stage for continued battles over education and civil rights in the U.S.
