FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS STATEMENT
CONTACT: apr@fenton.com
October 16, 2025 – Dr. Andrea Abrams, executive director of the Defending American Values Coalition, a member of the American Pride Rises Network, issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s move to gut the U.S. Department of Education offices focused on special education, funding for low-income students, and civil rights protections:
“The Trump administration’s latest move to gut the Department of Education is not about fiscal responsibility—it is a ruthless action that erodes the support systems our nation’s most vulnerable children depend on to give them equitable pathways to success.
Since January, the Trump administration has waged war on our nation’s education system and weaponized it against the children and young people they serve. This authoritarian regime has used diversity, equity and inclusion as an excuse to attack higher education institutions for not submitting to a right-wing agenda, and cut federal funding for public schools who refuse to back away from DEI initiatives that are proven to foster a learning environment where all students can thrive.
By gutting offices that give students with disabilities, low-income students, and students of color equal access to a quality education, the Trump administration and a complicit Republican Congress have once again scapegoated vulnerable communities in an effort to actualize authoritarian aspirations. These cuts leave millions of students without access to the tools and resources that give them a fair chance to succeed, and the consequences are likely to impact our nation for generations to come.
While the administration’s attempts to hoard opportunity for a select and privileged few knows no bounds, American Pride Rises stands firmly with educators, families, students and advocates fighting to strengthen our nation’s education system. We will not remain silent while this administration dismantles pathways to the American Dream and the futures of our nation’s children. Together, we have the power to fight for a nation where every student —regardless of background, zip code, or ability—has the chance to thrive.”
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.