It’s hard to ignore the contrast: while communities are celebrating Black History Month, the Trump Administration is undermining programs that actually help Black children and families in PA.

The top of the list is eliminating the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). Pennsylvania alone will lose more than $700 million in Title I federal education funds, an essential lifeline for the public schools that educate the poorest and most diverse students in the state. Title I was enacted in 1965 as a response to the Civil Rights Act, and 60 years later, it’s still a crucial support to states like Pennsylvania where state and local funding sources are woefully inadequate to meet students’ basic needs.

Every school in America gets Title I funds according to the percentage of students who live in poverty and the schools with the lowest achievement levels. This Commonwealth, along with the many other the states that voted for Trump in the 2024 election, will be hardest hit because they rely more heavily than other states on federal funding for education. In fact, Pennsylvania schools depend more heavily on federal funds compared to other states, with over $3,000 per student on average coming from federal sources.

Slashing this federal school funding will cause nearly 7,000 PA teachers to lose their jobs. This move will decimate the teacher workforce, which is already facing historic shortages. An estimated 92,000 Pennsylvania students will suffer the impact with larger class sizes and less support to boost their achievement. 

None of these outcomes are good for any child, but Black children already attending underfunded schools would be especially hard hit. If the White House really wants to honor the contributions of Black Americans, it should double down on supporting education and any measure that will help students achieve.

Case in point, abolishing DEI programs will thwart progress on improving school climate for today’s K-12 students of color. Children First research shows that suburban Black and Hispanic students are far less likely than white students to experience a positive school climate, reporting feeling unsafe and unsupported. Black and Hispanic students receive harsher punishments for the same offenses as white students and are not enrolled in rigorous, college-level classes. The key to all students thriving is to embrace practices that acknowledge race, not whitewash the realities in schools.

Another consequence of the President’s outlandish proclamations aimed at DEI is that many children are feeling “othered” and criticized. We should never be a nation that wants to make a child feel less than.

Diversity may be Fox News’ boogeyman, but we can’t turn away when we see efforts that make Black and brown children feel less than. You can do your part by attending school board meetings to speak up for equity and inclusion. And join us in Harrisburg on May 13th to advocate for full education funding so all students have the education they need for success in life.