#PortlandME #ChildrensMuseum loses federal grant intended for #WabanakiHistory programs

by Gillian Graham, Portland Press Herald, Maine
Sat, April 12, 2025 at 4:06 AM EDT

"The Trump administration has terminated a nearly $250,000 grant the Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine was using for programs about #Wabanaki culture and history.

"The Portland museum was awarded the money last year from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and was already deep in the process of developing a project that includes programs for schoolchildren and other visitors, curriculum support for teachers and a play adapted from a children's book.

"Then an email arrived late Wednesday night notifying Executive Director Julie Butcher Pezzino that the grant has been terminated, casting uncertainty on how the nonprofit organization will pay for the project.

" 'It sort of feels like the rug was pulled out from under us in the middle of an important project,' she said. 'It's pretty brutal. It's a big loss in promised funds for an organization like ours.'

"The children's museum is among the many #museums, #libraries and other organizations across the country that are now scrambling to deal with the loss of funding they depended on to operate.

"President Donald #Trump signed an executive order declaring the Institute of Museum and Library Services [#IMLS], the primary federal support for U.S. libraries and museums, 'unnecessary' and vowing to eliminate or nearly eliminate it. Weeks later, he placed the federal agency's entire staff on a 90-day leave.

"This week, the #MaineStateLibrary laid off 13 staff members — nearly one-third of its staff — and closed for two weeks to restructure its operations because its funding from #IMLS is indefinitely suspended, according to State Librarian #LoriFisher.

"Maine is among more than 20 states suing the federal government over its attempt to shutter IMLS. That suit also challenges Trump's targeting of the Minority Business Development Agency and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

"The IMLS last year awarded $266.7 million in grants, research and policy development to museums, libraries and related organizations.

"The children's museum was awarded the $224,143 Museums for America grant in August, the first time in two decades it had received a grant from the IMLS.

"The museum had already received a $40,000 reimbursement from the grant funding and had requested another $15,000 reimbursement. But that second reimbursement never came and with Trump's comments about eliminating the agency, the museum staff and board were worried about the funding even before it was canceled.

" 'We had some concerns and suspicions, given the news and the termination of all the staff members at IMLS,' Butcher Pezzino said. 'That didn't feel like it would bode well.'"

Source:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/childrens-museum-loses-federal-grant-080600799.html

#CulturalErasure #TrumpIsABully #USPol #NativeAmericanCulture #WabanakiConfederacy #MaineFirstNations #History #ErasingHistory
#CharacteristicsOfFascism

#Trump upends #DOJ's #CivilRightsDivision, sparking 'bloodbath' in senior ranks

Trump's hand-picked head of the division has outlined priorities that are dramatically at odds with the way past administrations have enforced #CivilRights law.

April 23, 2025, 7:29 PM EDT
By Ken Dilanian

Excerpt: "Founded in 1957 after the passage of the 20th century’s first major civil rights legislation, the Civil Rights Division has always been subject to the policy preferences of the president, and enforcement priorities tend to differ in Republican and Democratic administrations. But there is no precedent for the changes that have been made over the last three months, which are far more consequential than anything that occurred in Trump’s first term, current and former officials say.

" 'I was there almost 18 years, and what’s happening now is basically the opposite of what we’ve been doing,' said a veteran lawyer who recently left the department. 'In the first Trump administration, they engaged with us as attorneys. The political appointees were normal lawyers. Sometimes we persuaded them and sometimes they disagreed, but there was always a conversation about why and what the law required. That is not happening.'

"In the Biden administration, the Civil Rights Division convicted 180 police officers of violating people’s civil rights, according to Justice Department records. It also prosecuted a variety of high-profile hate crimes cases, including one against the Texas man who targeted Mexicans when he killed 23 people at a Walmart in El Paso and the Pennsylvania man who killed 11 congregants at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.

"Among the many settlements over racial discrimination, the division secured reforms at Hawkins County Schools in Tennessee, where an investigation found that incidents of harassment — including a mock 'slave auction' to sell Black students to their white counterparts and a 'monkey of the month' campaign to ridicule Black students — created a racially hostile environment. On voting rights, the division successfully challenged an Arizona law requiring people registering to vote to list their birthplaces and provide proof of citizenship.

"Current and former employees say many of those enforcement actions are unimaginable under the new regime.

" 'They are withdrawing everything we’ve done and taking the opposite side on voting rights, for example,' said a recently departed Civil Division lawyer. 'This is not ‘Oh, we want to do more religion cases’ or ‘We don’t want to do creative redlining cases.’ This is abandoning everything that we have done in the past. They are actively anti-civil rights. This didn’t happen in Trump 1.'

"Dhillon took office April 7, but the changes had already been underway. So far the Civil Rights Division has suspended investigations of police abuse and launched probes into whether Los Angeles is violating people’s gun rights and whether American #universities are tolerating antisemitism. The division was also involved in the lawsuit filed last week accusing the state of #Maine of violating the law by allowing #TransgenderAthletes to participate on women’s sports teams."

Read more:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/trump-upends-dojs-civil-rights-division-sparking-bloodbath-senior-rank-rcna202622?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

#TrumpIsABully #TrumpIsARacist #Fascism #AmeriKKKa #USPol
#CharacteristicsOfFascism #TrumpIsAWhiteSupremacist #BlackLivesMatter

Federal authorities arrest two #judges, escalating #Trump #immigration #crackdown

"This is a drastic escalation and dangerous new front in Trump’s #authoritarian campaign of trying to bully, intimidate, and impeach judges who won’t follow his dictates. We must do whatever we can to defend the independent judiciary in America." - #JamieRaskin, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee.

by Kevin Breuninger, Dan Mangan, Fri, Apr 25 2025

"Federal authorities have arrested a former #NewMexico judge and a #Wisconsin judge in two separate cases, accusing them of interfering with Trump administration immigration enforcement efforts."

Read more:
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/25/fbi-arrest-judge-hannah-dugan-milwaukee.html?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

#ResistICE #Immigrants #TrumpIsABully #TrumpIsAFascist #Fascism #ICE #USPol #CharacteristicsOfFascism

HOW CHILDREN ARE DISCIPLINED AT K-12 SCHOOLS?!!! Let me tell you what NOT TO DO! Don't hit, lock in a closet, or BULLY STUDENTS! Or else you might end up with folks who don't give a shit about your FUCKING RULES and WILL FIGHT BACK!

#USPol #TrumpIsABully

F*CK YEAH! #Resist!!! #Maine Department of #Education refuses to sign letter saying #DEI programs have been removed

by Stephanie Grindley, WGMEThu, April 24th 2025 at 5:12 PM

PORTLAND (WGME) -- "Maine's Department of Education says it will not sign a letter saying all #DEI programs have been removed from Maine classrooms.

"This is a response to a directive sent out on April 3 by the U.S. Department of Education. It said all state education agencies and local school districts needed to sign off on new Title VI certifications.

"The Maine Department of Education responded Thursday in a notice sent to all Maine schools, saying the Maine Department of Education and schools already comply with #TitleVI of the #CivilRights Act.

"The notice says Maine already submits regular certifications in return for federal funds.

"The notice goes on to say in part, 'After consultation with the Office of the Maine Attorney General, it was determined that signing the new certification would bind the Maine DOE to language of executive orders or other federal guidance without the force of law, and that lacked clarity regarding what was, or was not, prohibited. These were critical considerations, given the potential consequence of a loss of federal funding.'

"The Maine Department of Education says it's not signing the certification and is not collecting signed copies from schools. It went a step further and asked Maine school districts not to sign off on their own behalf.

"The Department of Education adds that it remains committed to faithfully implementing education programs in accordance with all federal laws."

https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-department-of-education-refuses-to-remove-dei-programs-from-maine-classrooms-civil-rights-act-title-vi

#MaineResists #ResistFascism #USPol #TrumpIsABully #CharacteristicsOfFascism

#Resist! Judge halts enforcement of Trump administration’s anti-DEI orders in education

The ruling bars the administration from proceeding with its plans for a so-called “End DEI” portal and a certification requirement. It applies to any entity with ties to the plaintiff organizations.

By Steven Porter Globe Staff,Updated April 24, 2025, 1:03 p.m.

CONCORD, N.H. — "A federal judge in New Hampshire issued a preliminary injunction on Thursday blocking the Trump administration from following through on threats to #defund #schools that defy its directives on #diversity, #equity, and #inclusion.

"In an 82-page order, Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty said the administration’s #AntiDEI interpretation of federal law, as expressed in a letter the US Department of Education distributed in February, fails to give teachers clarity about what exactly the government requires of them.

" 'When a law fails to provide ‘minimal guidelines’ governing its enforcement, it may sweep in so much conduct that enforcement decisions become based on the ‘personal predilections’ of the person or entity bringing the enforcement action,' she wrote, ruling that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in proving the directives are unconstitutionally vague.

"McCafferty wrote that the February letter, in combination with the #EducationDepartment’s public statements about it and the launch of an '#EndDEI' portal, 'raise the specter of a public ‘witch hunt’ that will sow fear and doubt among #teachers lest they be publicly branded as peddlers of ‘divisive ideologies’ based on the Department’s — or even private parties’ — subjective assessments.'

"What’s more, teachers would face the risk of professional consequences whether they comply with the federal government’s anti-DEI directives or not, she added. The certification requirements for English teachers in New Hampshire, for example, require educators to consider #literature 'through various #CriticalLenses,' such as #gender, #ethnicity, #religion, or #SocioEconomic conditions, she noted.

"This lawsuit was first filed by attorneys with the National Education Association [#NEA] and the American Civil Liberties Union [#ACLU], who allege the administration is violating the #DueProcess and #FreeSpeech rights of teachers.

"Sarah Hinger, deputy director of the ACLU’s racial justice program, hailed Thursday’s ruling as a win for academic freedom.

" 'Every student deserves an education that reflects the full diversity of our society, free from political interference,' Hinger said in a statement. 'The federal government has no authority to dictate what schools can and cannot teach to serve its own agenda, and this ruling is an important step in reaffirming that.'

"The Center for Black Educator Development and six public school districts in #NewHampshire and #Vermont have since agreed to sign on as plaintiffs as well.

"State education commissioners were given until Thursday to submit certifications that their schools are complying with the federal government’s interpretation of the law, but McCafferty’s ruling bars the administration from proceeding with that certification requirement. It also bars the government from using its 'End DEI' portal as planned.

"The New Hampshire Department of Education required school districts and public charter schools to submit their certifications by last week, and most have done so, according to a list published on the state’s website.

"Rather than issue a nationwide injunction, McCafferty said the protections in her order apply to the plaintiffs in this case, their members, and 'any entity that employs, contracts with, or works with' at least one member of the plaintiff organizations.

"The NEA alone reports having 3 million members employed in a wide variety of educational settings, so McCafferty’s order could apply to a broad swath of entities.

"A federal judge in Maryland presiding over a similar lawsuit from another major labor union, the American Federation of Teachers, issued a similar order on Thursday.

"Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher wrote that she takes no position on whether the disputed policies are 'prudent or foolish,' but she must scrutinize the way the policies were made and has concluded the government didn’t follow the law.

"McCafferty was appointed by former president Barack Obama. [Gallagher?] was appointed by Trump.

"The government is expected to pursue an appeal."

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/24/metro/nh-federal-judge-schools-anti-dei-directives-trump-blocked/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/l9iEl

#NewHampshireResists #VermontResists #TrumpIsABully #USPol #CharacteristicsOfFascism

I somehow missed this story... Not only is #Trump railing against #DEI here in the US, he's trying to bully OTHER COUNTRIES into changing their policies! WTAF!

#Europe Map Shows Countries Defying Trump's DEI Order

By Jordan King
Published Apr 01, 2025 at 8:10 AM EDT
Updated Apr 06, 2025

"Newsweek has created a map showing the European nations where governments and companies have rejected a U.S. directive applying President Donald Trump's rollback of #diversity, #equity and #inclusion (DEI) policies to American federal contractors abroad, which include #France, #Belgium, #Spain and #Denmark.

"The directive warns that DEI programs may disqualify firms from U.S. federal contracts—even those based abroad.

"According to several European officials, companies have received letters from the U.S. government warning that Trump's executive order banning 'illegal' DEI programs would be enforced internationally. The letters reportedly demand that companies confirm within five days that they comply with U.S. federal anti-discrimination laws and do not operate any DEI programs that violate them.

"Newsweek has contacted the State Department, via email, for a response. It has also contacted U.S. embassies at several other European countries to ask if they have also received these letters.

"The United Kingdom's Office for Equality and Opportunity declined to comment to Newsweek saying it is 'not aware of this letter being sent to UK businesses' at this time.

Why It Matters

"The move marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration's effort to dismantle DEI initiatives across government and industry—and expands that campaign across borders. The executive order has drawn strong objections in some European capitals.

French companies and officials were among the first to respond. Aurore Bergé, France's equality minister, denounced the letters in an interview with BFMTV, calling them "a form, obviously, of interference" and "a sort of ultimatum laid out by the US embassy in our country."

What To Know

"The letter warned that the executive order applied to 'all suppliers and service providers of the US Government, regardless of their nationality and the country in which they operate.' "

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-dei-france-belgium-spain-2053557

#TrumpIsABully #TrumpIsARacist #TrumpIsAWhiteSupremacist #USPol #WorldPol #EuroPol #HerrDrumpf #Twitler

WTF! #AbregoGarcia Family Flees to Safe House After #Trump #DHS Posts Home Address on Social Media | Common Dreams

https://www.commondreams.org/news/el-salvador-prison-trump

#TrumpIsABully #DHSSucks #Gestapo #Nazis

#Resist! Four Maine college presidents sign national letter decrying Trump education 'overreach'

Riley Board, Portland Press Herald, Maine
Tue, April 22, 2025

"Four Maine higher education leaders have signed on to a letter accusing the Trump administration of 'unprecedented government overreach and political interference.'

"Safa Zaki of #BowdoinCollege, Garry Jenkins of #BatesCollege, David Greene of #ColbyCollege and James Herbert of the #UniversityOfNewEngland all added their names to the letter, published Tuesday by the American Association of Colleges and Universities. More than 230 presidents of colleges, universities and scholarly societies throughout the country have signed so far.

" 'We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,' the letter reads. 'However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live and work on our campuses. We will always seek effective and fair financial practices, but we must reject the coercive use of public research funding.'

"Though the letter primarily represents private institutions, leaders from a handful of state colleges and universities signed on, including University of Massachusetts Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes and Eastern Connecticut State University President Karim Ismaili. A spokesperson for the University of Maine system declined to comment.

"In recent months, the Trump administration has pulled or threatened to pull federal funding from higher education institutions that don't comply with his agenda on #StudentProtesters, admissions practices and #TransgenderAthlete policies.

"The administration has also revoked the visas of hundreds of international students. On Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union [#ACLU] of Maine filed a class-action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security [#DHS] and other agencies behind the visa revocations, asking that a judge restore the visas of any New England students who have had them wrongfully removed, and protecting future students from the same actions."

Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/four-maine-college-presidents-sign-224700038.html

#MaineResists #TrumpIsABully #HigherEducation #USPol #ResistAuthoritarianism #ResistFascism #CharacteristicsOfFascism

States defying #Trump anti-#DEI deadline risk losing education federal funding

The #NAACP and the Legal Defense Fund have filed "a federal lawsuit blasting the Trump administration for a 'legally flawed' interpretation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964."

Story by Mabinty Quarshie, Washington Examiner, April 22, 2025

Excerpt: "In total, at least 16 states and Puerto Rico intend to sign the certification, according to Education Weekly, while 16 states have declined to sign.

"Many of the states that have flat out refused to sign the order by citing their commitment to DEI policies are led by Democratic governors.

"Among those states are New York, the first state to publicly thumb its nose at the certification request, Colorado, Washington, Minnesota, Oregon, Wisconsin, Vermont, and Utah, with the latter two states having Republican governors.

[...]

"In Fiscal Year 2022, federal funding accounted for 14% of K-12 education funding. State and local funding provided 87% of K-12 funding.

"In fiscal 2024, the Department of Education spent $18.8 billion for schools with large numbers of #poor, neglected, delinquent, and other '#EducationallyDisadvantaged' students, as well as $55 billion in COVID-19 grants to #PreK programs, elementary, and secondary schools, according to Pew Research Center.

"Should the Department of Education strip states of federal funding, it could force cuts during the 2025-2026 school year."

Full article:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/states-defying-trump-anti-dei-deadline-risk-losing-education-federal-funding/ar-AA1Dn3PH

#Resistance #ResistFascism #CharacteristicsOfFascism #TrumpIsABully #TrumpHatesChildren #ProtectTransKids #USPol