The Trump administration on Wednesday requested the Supreme Court to allow the cancellation of $65 million in teacher-training grants, arguing that these funds would support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
The Supreme Court indicated it would respond quickly to the government's emergency application, ordering challengers to submit their responses by Friday.
This filing marks the administration's second emergency application this week against a lower-court ruling and the fifth since President Trump assumed office.
Last month, the Education Department notified grant recipients through standard letters that funding would be terminated, citing activities that allegedly violate federal civil rights law, conflict with the department's policies, or fail to serve the best interests of the United States.
Judge Myong J. Joun of the Federal District Court in Massachusetts temporarily ordered that the grants remain available while he reviews a lawsuit filed by California and seven other states challenging the terminations.
On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston denied the Trump administration's request to pause Judge Joun’s order, stating that the government's arguments were based on "speculation and hyperbole."
In his ruling to temporarily block the grant cancellations, Judge Joun aimed to maintain the status quo, noting that failing to do so could severely impact numerous programs relied upon by public schools and universities. He argued that pausing the administration's actions would merely allow groups to continue receiving previously appropriated funds.
In the emergency application to the Supreme Court, acting solicitor general Sarah M. Harris claimed Judge Joun's order was part of a pattern of lower-court rulings obstructing government initiatives. She asserted that the objective was to hinder the executive branch's ability to redirect significant government funding that the administration deems contrary to national interests.
The case follows the Trump administration's decision to terminate over $600 million in grants for teacher training in February, as part of a broader initiative against diversity and equity efforts. The Education Department contended that the funding was used to promote "divisive ideologies" such as social justice activism and antiracism.
This situation is part of a larger upheaval within the Education Department, which escalated this month when President Trump instructed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to initiate the closure of the agency, a move requiring Congressional approval.
The cuts to training grants have significantly impacted two major professional development programs, the Supporting Effective Educator Development program and the Teacher Quality Partnership Program, which provided competitive grants to place teachers in underserved areas and address teacher shortages.
In New York, officials reported that public university systems had received over $16 million to assist students in graduating from teaching programs, aimed at filling vacancies in challenging areas such as math and special education.
A lawsuit filed this month by a coalition of eight attorneys general, including those from New York and Massachusetts, argued that the funding cuts would destabilize both urban and rural school districts, leading to the hiring of less qualified teachers and negatively impacting instructional quality.
The attorneys general warned that allowing the cuts to proceed would result in "immediate and irreparable harm" to public school students and their teachers-in-training.