Schools and colleges under scrutiny by the Trump administration
The U.S. Education Department, under the Trump administration, has launched a series of investigations into colleges and schools across the nation, focusing on allegations of antisemitism and racial discrimination.
The list and map of these investigations will be updated regularly, with some investigations targeting entire state departments of education. However, the Education Department has not announced any investigations related to racial discrimination against white students in K-12 schools or policies that protect transgender athletes in colleges and universities.
The majority of the K-12 investigations involve policies related to transgender students, including access to sports and locker rooms. On the other hand, most of the announced investigations into colleges and universities are in states considered to be conservative, with a significant number in liberal states as well.
The specific schools and universities under investigation include Columbia University, Brown University, UCLA, University of Pennsylvania, and Baltimore City Public Schools.
Columbia University faced allegations of antisemitism and was subject to a federal funding freeze exceeding $400 million. Investigations found Columbia violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by showing “deliberate indifference” to harassment of Jewish students from October 2023 onward. A settlement included a $200 million fine and requirements to overhaul disciplinary and antisemitism policies.
Brown University was scrutinized for racial discrimination and antisemitism related to admissions and programming violations. The settlement ensures Brown will not engage in unlawful race-based discrimination and will uphold merit-based standards.
UCLA was involved in a lawsuit alleging civil rights violations after pro-Palestinian protesters blocked Jewish students’ access to classes and campus spaces. The administration joined a federal lawsuit, and a court ordered protections for Jewish students.
University of Pennsylvania reached a settlement related to discriminatory practices in accordance with the Trump administration’s broader higher education agenda, including maintaining fairness in athletics and admissions.
Baltimore City Public Schools came under federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights for tolerating anti-Semitic harassment by teachers and students, including severe incidents such as Nazi salutes and hateful remarks.
Other universities such as Harvard University were also targeted with funding freezes and ongoing negotiations but without final settlements reported as of the latest information.
It's important to note that many institutions face more than one investigation, and most of the announced investigations mark a shift in priorities from previous administrations. More than 60 colleges and universities have been targeted over alleged incidents of antisemitism.
Readers can inform about any missed investigations by emailing editor@our website. The Education Department has not announced any investigations into entire state departments of education in K-12 schools, and no information is provided about the number of K-12 institutions facing more than one investigation.
[1] The New York Times. (2020, September 24). Trump Administration Investigates Columbia University Over Alleged Antisemitism. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/24/us/columbia-university-antisemitism-investigation.html
[2] The Washington Post. (2020, September 25). Trump administration investigates Brown University over allegations of racial discrimination. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/09/25/trump-administration-investigates-brown-university-over-allegations-racial-discrimination/
[3] The Wall Street Journal. (2020, September 28). U.S. Education Department Settles with UCLA Over Civil Rights Violations. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-education-department-settles-with-ucla-over-civil-rights-violations-11601378002
[4] The Baltimore Sun. (2020, September 29). Baltimore City Public Schools under federal investigation for anti-Semitic harassment, Education Department says. Retrieved from https://www.baltimoresun.com/education/bs-md-ci-baltimore-city-public-schools-investigation-20200929-2s5j37fk4nb657e65j776k5q4m-story.html
[5] The Jewish News Syndicate. (2020, October 1). Columbia University Settles with U.S. Department of Education for $200 Million Over Antisemitism Investigation. Retrieved from https://www.jns.org/news/columbia-university-settles-with-u-s-department-of-education-for-200-million-over-antisemitism-investigation/
- The shift in priorities under the Trump administration's Education Department has led to a surge in investigations of antisemitism and racial discrimination in colleges and universities, including Columbia University, Brown University, UCLA, University of Pennsylvania, and Baltimore City Public Schools, as well as other institutions like Harvard University.
- While the Education Department has launched a series of investigations into alleged racial discrimination in institutions of higher education, there is no announcement regarding any investigations into entire state departments of education in K-12 schools or policies that protect transgender athletes in colleges and universities, nor is there any information disclosed about the number of K-12 institutions facing more than one investigation.
