{"id":271669,"date":"2025-10-02T10:50:29","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T10:50:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/271669\/"},"modified":"2025-10-02T10:50:29","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T10:50:29","slug":"trump-administration-cancels-nyc-magnet-school-funding-over-transgender-student-policies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/271669\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump administration cancels NYC magnet school funding over transgender student policies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sign up for Chalkbeat New York\u2019s free daily newsletter<\/a> to get essential news about NYC\u2019s public schools delivered to your inbox.<\/p>\n

The Trump administration is canceling millions of dollars in magnet school grant funding after New York City officials missed a Tuesday deadline<\/a> to overhaul their policies regarding transgender students.<\/p>\n

At stake is $36 million that city officials expected to flow to several schools over the next three fiscal years, beginning on Oct. 1, through the U.S. Department of Education\u2019s Magnet School Assistance Program. Funding for school districts in Chicago<\/a> and Fairfax, Virginia, was also canceled.<\/p>\n

New York City intended to use the magnet school grants on several campuses to foster \u201ca more racially diverse population through unique thematic programs which offer early college access coupled with career pathways and a strategic, aggressive, and targeted approach to outreach and recruitment,\u201d according to the grant applications<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The episode represents one of the first known examples of the Trump administration canceling funding for New York City\u2019s public schools as a result of the federal government\u2019s contested interpretation of civil rights laws. Since taking office, Trump has waged an aggressive push to roll back protections for transgender people and has targeted<\/a> several school districts.<\/p>\n

Federal officials informed the city\u2019s Education Department <\/a>on Sept. 16 the funding was in jeopardy because they were \u201cdeeply concerned\u201d with city policies that allow transgender students to participate in sports and use bathrooms and other school facilities in line with their gender identity. The U.S. Department of Education contended that the policies violate Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination at educational institutions that receive federal funding.<\/p>\n

Shortly after last week\u2019s funding threat, Mayor Eric Adams began railing against the city\u2019s policies on transgender students<\/a> in interviews and public appearances, drawing fierce backlash from state education officials and civil rights advocates who noted that the city\u2019s policies are rooted in state law and city guidelines.<\/p>\n

The mayor\u2019s desire to change city policy to line up with the federal government\u2019s demands raises fresh questions about his ties to the Trump administration, which has reportedly considered offering him a job<\/a>. Earlier in the year, the Justice Department pressed federal prosecutors to drop corruption charges<\/a> against Adams. (An Adams spokesperson previously denied a potential job offer played any role in the mayor\u2019s recent criticisms of the city\u2019s policies on trans students.)<\/p>\n

Jumaane Williams, the city\u2019s public advocate, said in a statement that the \u201cthe mayor and president are making trans and gender non-conforming kids less safe\u201d and suggested the mayor was angling for a job in the Trump administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know which is more disgraceful \u2013 the Trump administration ripping funding away from students\u2019 educations in order to further its own transphobic agenda, or Mayor Adams feeding that bigotry and wishing he could rewrite it into our laws,\u201d Williams wrote.<\/p>\n

The letter<\/a> from the federal Department of Education gave the city until Sept. 19 to agree to its demands \u2014 including adopting \u201cbiology-based definitions for the words \u2018male\u2019 and \u2018female\u2019\u201d \u2014 or appeal.<\/p>\n

The city Education Department\u2019s top lawyer requested 30 days<\/a> to consider whether to appeal the decision and requested more information about why the federal government was targeting a specific grant for magnet schools. She also indicated the federal government had \u201cdeprived the [city] of the procedures and due process required by federal regulations.\u201d<\/p>\n

But federal officials gave the city until Tuesday evening, just one week after their initial letter, to agree to the Trump administration\u2019s demands \u2014 a deadline the city Education Department did not meet. They claimed the tight timeline was necessary because the federal government must certify compliance with civil rights laws before the end of the federal fiscal year on Sept. 30.<\/p>\n

Department of Education spokesperson Julie Hartman said the funding was canceled because of policies that \u201cblatantly discriminate against students based on race and sex.\u201d She added that \u201cparents have every right to expect an excellent education \u2014 not ideological indoctrination masquerading as \u2018inclusive\u2019 policy.\u201d<\/p>\n

New York City Education Department spokesperson Jenna Lyle said officials are \u201cdeeply disappointed\u201d that the federal government denied their request for more time to consider an appeal. She said the funding supports after-school programs, specialized curriculums, and summer learning opportunities and would affect about 8,500 students in underserved communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the federal government pulls this funding, that means canceled courses and shrinking enrichment,\u201d Lyle wrote. \u201cThat\u2019s a consequence our city can\u2019t afford and our students don\u2019t deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adams spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus accused the federal government of \u201cdefunding our children\u2019s education\u201d to extract policy concessions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Mayor Adams may not agree with every rule or policy, we will always stand up to protect critical resources for our city\u2019s 1 million students,\u201d she wrote. \u201cWe are reviewing all of our options here \u2014 including litigation \u2014 to safeguard these important resources for our children.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.<\/p>\n

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