Court Rules Against Trump Education Policies, Upholds Free Speech

BALTIMORE—A significant legal victory was achieved by educators and a public school district when the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland ruled against the Trump administration's directives. The court deemed the administration's efforts to enforce nationwide censorship in school districts and impose restrictions on educational content as unconstitutional. This decision was made in the case American Federation of Teachers et al. v. U.S. Department of Education et al. The ruling is a result of a collective legal challenge by various educator associations across the country.

“This is a huge win for students, families and educators and a sweeping indictment of Donald Trump’s draconian attacks on the essence of public education,” stated Randi Weingarten, President of the AFT. She emphasized that the government's attempt to restrict educators' ability to foster critical thinking and present history openly was a severe breach of the First Amendment. According to Weingarten, “the government cannot simply proclaim that it 'will no longer tolerate' speech it dislikes because of its 'motivating ideology'— a 'blatant' and 'egregious' violation of the First Amendment.”

Kenya Campbell, President of AFT-Maryland, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the importance of this ruling for Maryland's educational system. Campbell remarked, “From the beginning, we have been clear that this directive from Trump’s Department of Education is an unlawful overreach that threatens the education of all Maryland’s students.” She further noted that the decision affirms the commitment of public education to cater to the diverse needs of every student, ensuring that resources and accurate historical education are maintained.

The legal challenge was supported by Democracy Forward, a legal advocacy organization.

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The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) represents a diverse group of professionals, including 1.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals, higher education faculty, government employees, healthcare workers, and more.