The Department of Justice (DOJ) has reportedly invested over $100 million in educational programs over the past four years. This spending, which focuses on themes like restorative justice, social emotional learning, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), has sparked concern among some parent advocacy groups.
According to a recent report by Parents Defending Education (PDE), a conservative organization that aims to shift school agendas away from progressive ideologies, the DOJ awarded grants totaling $100,113,942 to more than 900 school districts across 36 states from 2021 to 2024. The findings were first shared by the Daily Wire.
The breakdown of the spending reveals that $45 million was allocated for projects centered around restorative practices or social emotional learning. Additionally, about $32 million was used for initiatives specifically addressing diversity and how they might benefit particular demographic groups. Consultancy efforts that frequently endorse controversial theories such as critical race theory accounted for $19 million of the total expenses.
The PDE report also highlighted $10 million spent on proposals for hiring new administrative positions, including roles such as “restorative justice facilitator.” Notable examples included nearly $2 million allocated to the Minnesota Department of Education for anti-racism initiatives and just under $1 million awarded to Ocean County, New Jersey, to tackle school violence by reclassifying minor teasing as a form of oppression.
Furthermore, the DOJ’s STOP School Violence Program was mentioned as aiming to change disciplinary methods in schools, favoring social emotional learning over traditional punishment. PDE cautioned that such approaches could disrupt learning environments by prioritizing discussions over conflict resolution rather than removing disruptive students from classrooms.
The PDE emphasized that their financial figures are likely understated due to the way grant data is recorded, suggesting the actual spending might be even greater. Nicole Neily, PDE’s president, criticized the Biden administration for prioritizing ideological initiatives over genuine student safety, stating that taxpayer money is being spent on divisive projects rather than protecting school children.
Last month, PDE issued a similar report detailing the Department of Education’s expenditure of over $1 billion on DEI-related grants, which cover areas like hiring practices, programming, and mental health training in schools since 2021. This continuous financial commitment to promoting DEI initiatives is raising alarms for many parents and conservatives who believe that such spending should focus on academic success and safety rather than ideological agendas.
