Trump cutbacks and policies: stripping minority student protections

Trump cutbacks and policies: stripping minority student protections

Author: Ethical Schools February 16, 2026 Duration: 41:18

We speak with Derek Black, Constitutional law professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law, about the impact of Trump administration’s policies on students’ civil rights. Department of Education offices meant to ensure students are not subject to discrimination have been decimated. The Department of Justice has switched from protecting minority students' rights to focusing on so-called “discrimination" against whites and attacking transgender students. Professor Black also says the need for "circuit breakers" on executive power transcends this administration.

Overview

00:00-00:52 Intros

00:52:02:21 Threats to students’ protection from discrimination

02:21-03:53 Status of complaints to Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR)

03:53-05:30 Importance of access to OCR without an attorney

05:30-10:09 OCR procedures and remedies

10:09-13:55 Role Department of Justice is supposed to have in protecting students against discrimination; Trump Administration priorities

13:55-17:01 How the Administration’s approach is schizophrenic

17:01-23:10 Ethical quandaries facing district administrators

23:10-24:43 Supplementing not supplanting: What happens when the Department of Education is no longer monitoring

24:43-27:21 The uncertainty factor—who gets focused on

27:21-30:36 State Departments of Education: How they fit in

30:36-34:11 Theatrics at US Department of Education

34:11-38:00 Problems before the Trump Administration and what would be important afterwards

38:00-40:11 Some specifics of “circuit breakers” that could reduce executive power

40:11- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode.

References

 

Our first interview with Derek Black happened in 2021. Click here to listen to "The attack on public education: Will public schools survive?"

 

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear


Conversations about education often focus on test scores and curriculum, but there’s a deeper layer that truly shapes a student’s experience. Ethical Schools digs into that layer, exploring what it means to build a learning community grounded in integrity and care. Each week, hosts Amy and Jon sit down with educators and innovators who are actively reimagining schools. You’ll hear specific, grounded discussions about the practical work of creating environments where every student feels safe and respected. The dialogue frequently addresses how to support young people dealing with trauma, moving beyond theory to share actionable strategies that teachers are using right now. More than just problem-solving, this podcast highlights how to empower students themselves to become advocates and changemakers in their own communities. It’s a series that connects philosophy with daily practice, looking at the social and cultural structures within schools through a lens of ethics. For anyone invested in the future of education-whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or simply a concerned community member-this podcast offers a thoughtful and necessary perspective on the foundational values that make education meaningful.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 240

Ethical Schools
Podcast Episodes
NYC schools: still separate and unequal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:54
Student activists Coco Rhum and Hebh Jamal describe what real integration of NYC schools would look like and how to achieve it. Bringing sharp analysis and insight from their experiences as leaders in IntegrateNYC and Te…
Advice for Secondary School Teachers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:41
This is an encore. We interview Lev Moscow who, for the last 14 years, has taught history and economics at The Beacon School in New York City. Lev reflects that advisory, done well, can serve as a venue for students to e…
Multicultural Education: Challenges and Aspirations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:16
We speak with New York State Regent Luis O. Reyes on the evolution of multilingual education in New York, beginning with the ASPIRA Consent Decree that in 1974 established bilingual education as an entitlement for Puerto…
Multicultural Education: Challenges and Aspirations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:17
We speak with New York State Regent Luis O. Reyes on the evolution of multilingual education in New York, beginning with the ASPIRA Consent Decree that in 1974 established bilingual education as an entitlement for Puerto…
Gender Inclusivity: Where Science and Ethics Intersect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:00
We speak with high school science teachers and trans men, Sam Long and Lewis Maday-Travis, who have developed resources and trainings to help biology teachers develop gender-inclusive curricula. Science tells us that sex…
Gender Inclusivity: Where Science and Ethics Intersect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:00
We speak with high school science teachers and trans men, Sam Long and Lewis Maday-Travis, who have developed resources and trainings to help biology teachers develop gender-inclusive curricula. Science tells us that sex…
Emotionally Responsive Education: "inviting and containing" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:00
Margaret Blachly of Bank Street’s Center for Emotionally Responsive Practice describes how to fit materials, curriculum, and relationships together to create an emotionally safe classroom. Emphasizing the importance of a…
Emotionally Responsive Education: “inviting and containing” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:01
Margaret Blachly of Bank Street’s Center for Emotionally Responsive Practice describes how to fit materials, curriculum, and relationships together to create an emotionally safe classroom. Emphasizing the importance of a…
Special education: How students and their teachers are shortchanged [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:00
Jia Lee, NYC special education teacher and union activist, talks about the unfairness of the Fair Funding Formula, the school-to-prison pipeline, and the tendency of schools to re-traumatize vulnerable students. She also…