In a long State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Donald Trump touted that his administration “ended DEI in America” and briefly highlighted his artificial intelligence policies — touching on two issues that are significantly shaping K-12 schools without directly mentioning the state of the education sector.
Trump’s claimed victory on ending diversity, equity and inclusion comes after the U.S. Department of Education has repeatedly and aggressively targeted such practices in school districts and colleges during his second term.
The administration’s goal to eliminate DEI, however, has faced pushback in courts with a mix of wins and losses for both sides.
In reacting to the speech, House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., praised Trump for making good “on his promises to revolutionize American education” while also returning education to the states, referring to Trump's efforts to eliminate the Education Department.
Trump, in his address to the nation, also mentioned policies on transgender youth. “No state can be allowed to rip children from their parents' arms and transition them to a new gender against the parents' will,” he said.
Walberg, in his Tuesday statement, also said the Trump administration has made “enormous strides to protect women and girls in sports.”
The Trump administration has targeted schools and states in the past year for supporting transgender students whether through the use of pronouns aligned with their gender identity or their participation in school sports.
Artificial intelligence also got a brief shoutout in Trump’s speech when he said First Lady Melania Trump’s promotion of the Presidential AI Challenge will help the next generation of Americans to “strongly succeed in the future.” That initiative encourages students and educators to develop AI-based solutions to community challenges.
In a Tuesday statement celebrating the “golden age of education,” U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said Trump’s speech “highlighted the remarkable progress our nation has made in just one year under his leadership.”
Trump has restored accountability in education, empowered parents and expanded opportunity for students nationwide, McMahon said, adding that “this is only the beginning.”
Leaders of the nation's two largest teachers unions, however, were dissatisfied with Trump’s speech.
National Education Association President Becky Pringle, who heads the largest one, said in a Tuesday statement that Trump’s dismantling of the Education Department is making it more difficult for students to get the services they need.
“Instead of offering a serious plan to support students and strengthen public education, tonight’s speech was filled with finger-pointing, scapegoating, and political theater,” Pringle said. “Donald Trump isn’t listening to families or educators and he’s recycling the same failed agenda.”
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said in a Tuesday statement that Trump “lacks empathy and unity.” While Trump’s speech “declared he’s made America great again,” Weingarten said there was “not one word of help” for struggling Americans, including millions of children. There was “not one word about their future,” she said.
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