Democrats are launching a new attack.
Washington, D.C. — Tempers flared on Capitol Hill Wednesday as Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) accused Education Secretary Linda McMahon of promoting policies that echo the dark days of the Jim Crow era—all because the Trump administration is eliminating controversial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) mandates from public schools.
During a heated House hearing, Lee claimed the Department of Education is “encouraging a culture of racism” by cutting DEI funding and returning to what she derided as “traditional American values.” In Lee’s view, removing progressive programs is equivalent to rewriting history, comparing the administration’s efforts to post-Civil War propaganda.
“Why is this department taking its lead from Jim Crow?” Lee asked, in one of the day’s most dramatic soundbites.
Her outrage centered on an April directive requiring schools to certify they are free of DEI programs in order to continue receiving federal funding—an initiative backed by many conservatives seeking to restore common-sense education and remove political activism from the classroom.
McMahon Pushes Back: “African History Can Absolutely Be Taught”
Secretary McMahon calmly defended the policy, saying no schools have lost funding and the certification was intended to ensure taxpayer dollars aren’t spent on political indoctrination. When pressed on whether African or Middle Eastern history classes would be allowed, McMahon replied that such content could absolutely be part of a balanced curriculum—as long as it doesn’t promote radical ideology.
Lee attempted to trap McMahon with emotional appeals, referencing the Tulsa Race Massacre, the Ruby Bridges children’s book, and even LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations in schools, but McMahon remained firm: education should be accurate, age-appropriate, and free of ideological bias.
“I think our studies should all be taught accurately,” McMahon stated.
Progressives Outraged as DEI Cuts Advance
Lee’s combative tone highlights the growing panic among progressives as the Trump administration and its allies continue dismantling DEI-based hiring, curriculum mandates, and race-centered policy goals. McMahon, who is overseeing these reforms, appeared before lawmakers to defend a budget that prioritizes academic excellence, fiscal discipline, and parental rights in education.
Many conservatives see the rollback of DEI as a long-overdue course correction. Instead of pushing divisive identity politics, they say schools should focus on math, science, reading—and a love for America.