State Superintendent Mo Green says the Department of Public Instruction is monitoring the Trump administration鈥檚 reported efforts to
He said without seeing an actionable plan, it鈥檚 difficult to predict the potential impact. But Green warned that if the elimination were to come with federal funding cuts, that could create challenges for the state鈥檚 schools.
鈥淎 productive partnership with 鈥� and continuing funding from 鈥� the federal government are essential for North Carolina鈥檚 students and schools,鈥� Green told the state Board of Education Thursday.
The state gets $1.5 billion in federal funding for schools, Green said. That includes Title I funding, which supports high-poverty schools, and funding for services for children with special needs.
鈥淭he complete loss of this funding would be detrimental to students and result in loss of thousands of educator jobs,鈥� Green said.
Green said he intends to keep the public informed, focus on 鈥渦plifting public education鈥� and to work with other partners in government and schools to 鈥渁dvocate for solutions that protect educational opportunities for all students.鈥�
State Board of Education member speaks in favor of DEI
Meanwhile, amid efforts by the Trump administration to cut diversity efforts, a new state Senate bill aims to ban diversity, equity and inclusion from public schools. But at least one state Board of Education member spoke out against the proposal at this month鈥檚 meeting.
Responding Wednesday to an update on the bill, Vice Chairman Alan Duncan gave an impassioned plea in favor of the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. He said diversity is a 鈥渄emographic fact鈥� that has long been celebrated through the American concept of the melting pot.
鈥淭his was a place that was a beacon of freedom where we could celebrate our diverse backgrounds and yet come together,鈥� Duncan, a former chair of the Guilford County Board of Education said. 鈥淲hy would we not still be doing that? And why would that be some kind of problem for anyone?鈥�
Regarding equity, Duncan said that children are in different places and face different challenges.
鈥淲e as educators need to meet them where we are,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 part of the work that educators do.鈥�
State Senate Leader Phil Berger, who filed the bill, said this week that the bill targets instructional materials that 鈥減urport to say that one race is superior to another,鈥� though he did not list specific examples.
