Anti-Racism, Education & Gospel

Church, on these paths of justice, courage and self-giving love, we will no longer live and lead as if pursuing and preaching matters of justice are an elective in our discipleship and leadership. We will hold near and dear how these matters are in fact part of the core curriculum of our faith and our call.

 

We are in mission to impact, transform and change the world, one conversation, one policy and one relationship at a time.

 

Bishop Lelia Ortiz, Metro DC ELCA Synod Emanuel 9 prayer service closing commission, June 17, 2020


Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 1 Corinthians 10:17


GLSC's Anti-Racism Team is concerned about and following the dismantling of efforts to:

  • Learn about and celebrate the diversity the triune God unfurled when they created humankind in their image.
  • Continue progress made toward equity and inclusion for all people in our society and schools.
  • Undermine and weaken the public school system.

The information below is provided for consideration by individuals through a gospel-focused lens and reflection on how it informs personal speaking and action. Questions or thoughts? Contact Corinne Baker

EO: Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling

This executive order (EO) identifies "discriminatory equity ideology" and "gender ideology" as two examples of "indoctrination" happening in schools. It sets out to:

  1. End gender-affirming policies in schools
  2. Create requirements for promoting patriotic education

American First Legal asked the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) to investigate ACPS and other Northern Virginia districts for violating:

  1. Title IX of 1972
  2. Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling executive order

The investigation calls ACPS and NOVA schools "radical, lawless" and that the school districts would rather deny biology than teach it."


The EO defines "discriminatory equity ideology" as an "ideology that treats individuals as members of preferred or disfavored groups rather than as individuals. It minimizes agency, merit and capabilities in favor of immoral generalizations."


Examples given in the order include saying that "members of a race, color, sex or national origin are morally or inherently superior," while another is "racist, sexist, or oppressive." It says that this ideology considers the U.S. as "fundamentally racist, sexist or otherwise discriminatory." The EO re-establishes the 1776 Commission that was created to counter the 1619 Project.


Recent polling shows teachers focus on developing students' historical thinking skills not telling them what to think. A recent study of high school students confirmed that most schools aren't teaching a one-sided portrayal of the nation's politics and history.


Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits race discrimination by programs receiving federal funds. If schools discriminate through curriculum, it's already illegal and unconstitutional.


Roughly 3% of high school students identify as transgender, and 2% are questioning their gender identity. Because of bullying and other mental health challenges, researchers and advocates say schools are vital to improve outcomes.


States are responsible for education and local districts for curriculum. DOE, its secretary, and the federal government have no authority over curriculum matters. Within the last decade, Congress tightened language to ensure states are fully in control. However, this EO and DOE actions like the 'Dear Colleague' letter (pdf) create confusion and have a chilling effect on authentic teaching by professional educators.


Why It Matters

All children deserve honest, age-appropriate teaching of our history, what it means today, and how it informs the future.


What's Next

The executive branch can't pull funding unilaterally. Under nondiscrimination laws including Title IX and Title VI, the DOE's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) investigates allegations. If they find a violation and that the school is refusing to address the violation, DOE will recommend a funding termination. Then there is a waiting period, during which Congress can override the department's attempt to terminate funds.


Through case law and regulation, the DOE can't cut all funding to a school to keep from harming innocent recipients, and to prevent vindictive or punitive use. The funding termination must target the particular program where OCR found a violation. School districts can also appeal funding termination decisions.


Sources

Schools & Libraries Action Committee, February 2025 meeting

EO: School Vouchers

This executive order (EO) directs federal agencies to look for ways to use funds they oversee to help families attend private schools—including religious schools.


It also directs the DOE to come up with guidance for states on how to use formula funds, such as Title 1, to help low-income kids go to private or religious schools. School choice should be made a priority in discretionary grant programs.


Legislation has been introduced in both chambers that would expand school choice through a federal tax-credit scholarship program. The bill would provide tax credits to people and businesses that donate to organizations that grant scholarships for students to attend private schools.


Under the measure, the federal government would provide $10 billion annually in tax credits for private schools and homeschoolers. Students from families earning up to 300% of the median gross income for their area would be eligible for the scholarships, which could be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment for private or public schools.


More than a dozen states have proposals to invest public funds in private schools, including Mississippi, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Texas.


Why It Matters

Federal funds are a small but important portion of school budgets.


Only public schools guarantee religious freedom protections to all students. They are the center of our communities and educate 90% of our kids. Diverting funds hurts more people than helps.


What's Next

Agency heads are to report back in a few months on the options and their plans for implementation starting next fall.


Sources

Schools & Libraries Action Committee, February 2025 meeting

EO: Eliminate DOE

This executive order (EO) directs the Secretary of Education to facilitate closure of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), return education authority to states and local communities, and ensure effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits.


(Note: The EO also charges the Secretary with ensuring "that any program or activity receiving federal assistance terminate illegal discrimination obscured under the label "diversity, equity, and inclusion" or similar terms and programs promoting gender ideology." See the EO: Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling section.)


As a congressionally created federal agency, eliminating the Department of Education requires action by Congress.


From its origins, what is now called the Department of Education (DOE), has been charged with helping to ensure civil rights and "collecting such statistics and facts as shall show the condition and progress of education in the states and territories, including at schools for newly emancipated African American children."


These 2 key roles are exemplified today by DOE’s working to bridge longstanding gaps in:

  • Student civil rights and equal educational opportunities
  • Education for students with disabilities
  • Federal student aid for college including Pell grants and loan programs
  • Teacher development resources

Severe staff reductions and termination of current contracts and grants for Congressionally authorized activities is rendering DOE unable to effectively fulfill statutory mandates.

This risks supports that students who are homeless, have special education needs or live in rural areas, families with low-incomes, English learners, and others depend on. It also threatens to widen gaps in education and achievement between racial and ethnic minority groups, students whose families have different economic situations, and others.


It also threatens our ability to measure what is working or not across the country and for states and local schools to benchmark their outcomes relative to other schools, states or national data. The EO notes the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress "showed that 70% of 8th graders were below proficient in reading, and 72% were below proficient in math." These are indeed worrisome outcomes that we must know to address. We know them because of DOE.


Why It Matters

As detailed above, the risks to students locally and across the country are great. This EO dismantles the civil rights-focused and data-informed infrastructure developed, improved and maintained by professionals with expertise in child and human development, teaching and learning, curriculum, policy, measurement and evaluation, the law, and intervention and training.


These actions are being conducted in the absence of informed leaders using data to objectively evaluate the consequences.


DOE & Related Civil Rights Timeline

  • 1867: The DOE was created as part of reconstruction after the Civil War toward ensuring civil rights. Many of the department's critics associated it with ongoing efforts to educate formerly enslaved people, which didn't sit well with many in the South, as well as some in the North.
  • 1868: Congress voted to demote the department to the Office (at one point renamed to Bureau) of Education in the Department of the Interior.
  • 1953: Office moved into the Health, Education and Welfare Department.
  • 1954: The Supreme Court rules that state-sanctioned segregation of public schools violates the 14th Amendment in Brown v. The Board of Education.
  • 1964: Congress passes Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title VI prohibits racial discrimination if federal funds are involved.
  • 1965: Congress passes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; Title I provides funding to help low-income families
  • 1965: Congress passes the Higher Education Act of 1965, which support Pell grants and loans for college students.
  • 1971: The Supreme Court rules on acceptable methods to speed up the process of integration.
  • 1975: Congress passes the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which supports education for students with disabilities.
  • 1979: Congress elevates education to a cabinet-level department by through action that broke the Department of Health, Education and Welfare into the DOE and what’s now called the Department of Health and Human Services.

Sources

https://hechingerreport.org/school-segregation-a-visual-timeline/

https://www.history.com/articles/department-education-andrew-johnson-reconstruction

https://www.nea.org/about-nea/media-center/press-releases/coalition-sues-trump-administration-dismantling-department-education-hurting-all-students

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/02/06/how-the-department-of-education-came-into-existence/

https://suny.buffalostate.edu/news/1871-2021-short-history-education-united-states

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