Censorship in the Classroom: Understanding How Trump’s Executive Order Targets Critical Race Theory in K-12 Education

By: Mercy Hillo

On January 29, 2025, Donald Trump signed an executive order banning what it states “discriminatory equity ideology”—language regarding race, gender, and sexual orientation—as well as language associated with “social transition in K-12 education. While the order does not explicitly state critical race theory (CRT), it effectively prohibits the discussion of race and systemic exclusion in the classroom. As stated in the policy, it aims to “end the indoctrination in K-12 schooling.” However, in practice, the policy actively censors discussion around race and identity in the classroom.  

What does this all mean? 

According to the order, public schools risk losing federal funding if they incorporate critical race theory and/or gender ideology in their curriculum. Critical race theory is an academic framework that examines how race and racism have shaped legal and social infrastructures. Additionally, it explores the lasting implications of racism in the U.S. In recent debates over K-12 education, CRT has become a catch-all phrase to target DEI initiatives in education. Furthermore, the executive order condemns CRT and DEI-based curricula by calling them “anti-American” ideologies. Contrary to that characterization, CRT and DEI-based curricula do not antagonize the U.S. but rather offer a critical perspective on its history. By encouraging students to analyze the legacy of racism, CRT and DEI-based curricula provide students with the tools to recognize and address barriers in their lives. For instance, education scholar Gloria Ladson Billings argues that CRT teaches students how laws and policies are influenced by racism. As a result of this influence, marginalized communities face an education gap in which students lose educational opportunities. Through the lens of CRT, educational gaps result from systemic failures rather than individual achievement gaps. Shifting the focus on systemic inequalities, as shown through CRT, empowers students and prepares them to participate in democracy by advocating for themselves in the voting booths.

This ban harms the K-12 curriculum as it may lead to censorship, avoidance of topics, and total erasure of identity. Under the policy, educators are discouraged from discussing race or risk losing funding. The executive order cites schools as forcing students to adopt identities as “victims or oppressors,” a reductive misrepresentation of CRT. Educators who utilize CRT guide students in understanding the societal structures that shape their lives. Moreover, the policy does not offer clear criteria for the ban, instead it vaguely “bans discriminatory equity ideology." This leaves room for contrasting interpretations. As a result, educators face a further risk for simply adopting a culturally inclusive classroom. 

The inclusion of critical race theory and DEI-based curricula is important because it equips students with the necessary framework to understand inequalities that shape their lives. These concepts push students to challenge traditional notions of race, power, and privilege. In doing so, CRT and DEI-based curricula pave the way for a more inclusive education that encompasses a diversity of American experiences and history. By addressing challenging topics, CRT encourages students to both recognize and strive to dismantle systemic inequalities. This in turn prepares students for becoming future leaders in the nation. 

The executive order signed by Donald Trump is not just an attack on CRT in education but a threat to students and teachers everywhere by policing speech and topics taught in classrooms. The ban actively seeks to punish educators for addressing topics such as race and inequality which does not protect students but harm them by censoring education. Both teachers and students deserve to feel empowered in the classroom, and that begins with freedom in the curricula.