FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS STATEMENT
April 24, 2025CONTACT
apr@fenton.com
The Trump administration’s coordinated executive orders are a dangerous attempt to reshape education through political control
ATLANTA, GA — In response to the Trump administration’s recent wave of executive orders targeting the college accreditation process, federal student aid access, DEI programs, and inclusive K–12 policies, Dr. Andrea Abrams, executive director of the Defending American Values Coalition and a leader within the American Pride Rises Network, issued the following statement:
“The administration’s most recent attempt to dismantle access to education is about consolidating power, restricting opportunity, and rolling back progress under the guise of reform. These orders are a direct threat to the students, educators, and institutions who have fought for equity and inclusion in education at every level. From weakening protections for our youngest students to threats to college accreditation and student aid to rollbacks on inclusive school policies, these unlawful and egregious actions continue the conservative campaign to dismantle equity and restrict opportunity for millions of Americans.
The reinstatement of outdated ‘school discipline’ policies puts young Americans at risk of being shunted from academic progress to the school-to-prison pipeline that has a long and troubled legacy in public education.
In addition, the focus on eradicating gains in higher education is clear. The administration’s move to tie accreditation to political ideology and control access to Pell Grants and federal loans is a clear effort to punish colleges that uphold DEI values and limit educational mobility for millions of students.
In the 2023–2024 academic year alone, federal programs disbursed $114.9 billion in student grants and loans, supporting over 10 million students across the country. And between 6 to 7 million Pell Grants are awarded each year. These vital resources are now being weaponized to enforce a political agenda. Coupled with plans to garnish wages from student loan borrowers, it’s yet another example of how these chaotic policies are harming working families across the country.
But we are not powerless. We applaud institutions like Harvard and other consortiums, as well as the dozens of academic leaders who have signed onto public letters rejecting this agenda. This is the moment for educational leaders at every stage, business leaders, and students to speak with one voice: We will not be bullied into abandoning our values. Nor will we be placated by vague gestures toward AI and HBCUs, which do nothing to hide the larger strategy at play: to control the narrative and redefine who is allowed to access education, succeed, and shape the future.
America’s strength has always come from expanding opportunity, not restricting it. These executive orders are a test of our nation’s commitment to its own ideals. We urge everyone who believes in fairness, access, and the American Dream to stand up now and demand better.”
About American Pride Rises:
American Pride Rises (APR) is an initiative committed to protecting pathways to the American Dream by fighting for a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive America for all.