by Quentin Brown
Last month, as senators grilled her during her confirmation hearing, Secretary of Eduation Linda McMahon said some encouraging things for Black college students. She promised to continue funding for HBCUs, said she supports Pell grants, which Black students disproportionately depend on to pay for college, and reportedly has met with the president of Howard University.
But there were a few worrisome signs, too: McMahon wouldn’t tell senators if she thinks teaching Black history violates President Donald Trump’s executive order banning DEI in publicly-funded classrooms. Just after taking office, she and Trump decimated the Department of Education, laying off nearly half of its staff — including deep cuts to the Office of Civil Rights and the office that administers college loans.
Add in the fact that two campus programs that help promote racial healing are being sued by a conservative activist group, and it’s no surprise some Black students who attend Northern Illinois University, my home campus, are anxious about the future of racial healing and other programs that help Black students.
Black Student Challenges
“BMI has been a lifeline for many students, including myself,” said Chance, a senior economics major at NIU who is originally from Texas and declined to give his last name. He was referring to the Black Male Initiative, a support program, to support men who struggle academically.
“I’ve been a part of BMI for two years now,” he says, pointing to Trump’s vow to defund colleges with programs that are DEI-adjacent. “I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for BMI. It’s unfortunate that the DOE wants to put a spotlight on us for negative attention.”
Ashanti Ford, a senior accounting major who came to NIU from Illinois, is uneasy expressed unease about McMahon’s nomination. “I don’t know if she understands the challenges Black students face,” Ford said. “Programs like BMI and BSAP are essential for our success. If she’s confirmed, I hope she listens to students like us before making decisions that could affect our futures.”
Located about 65 miles west of Chicago, Northern Illinois University is a campus participant in the Truth, Racial Healing and Reconciliation framework, created by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in partnership with the American Association of Colleges & Universities.
Yet those scenarios, others like them, and the conversations around them, are elements of events happening in Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus Centers, a network of facilitators and programs designed to help undo harmful stereotypes, rewrite damaging narratives, and train people to dismantle toxic racial hierarchies at the grassroots level.
“Need to Review Specifics”
As a participant in the TRHT framework, Northern Illinois University has a faculty and staff that prioritizes racial diversity and social justice. But with Trump’s crusade against diversity, equity and inclusion at the forefront of his administration, it’s not known what role McMahon will play in determining whether progress is advanced or undermined at institutions like Northern Illinois NIU, which has a strong commitment to DEI and serving diverse student populations.
When Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., pressed her about her commitment to ensuring Black history is taught in schools, McMahon responded, “I believe in the importance of a well-rounded education. But I would need to review the specifics of the executive order and its implications.” Referring to the executive order Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.
The hearing also touched on McMahon’s support for Title IX enforcement, which ensures protections against sex-based discrimination in education. Title IX is particularly important for marginalized students, including Black women and LGBTQ+ individuals, who often face intersecting forms of discrimination.
While she affirmed the necessity of Title IX, Democratic senators were skeptical. At NIU, officials have worked to create a safe and inclusive environment for all students through programs like the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, the Center for Black Studies, and bias response teams, alongside cultural competency training for the campus community.
But allies of Trump have already taken aim at two of NIU’s equity programs: the Black Male Initiative and Black Student Achievement Program both are facing a federal civil rights complaint from the Equal Protection Project, a conservative legal group. The complaint alleges that the programs, which aim to improve graduation rates for Black students, discriminate against white students based on race and sex.
Donald Bramlett, Center for Black Studies graduation specialist, says that, despite its name, the BMI is open to all students and has been instrumental in their success.
Black Students Face Challenges
Michael Woodhouse, a junior education major from Illinois, agreed. He said pushback like the lawsuit “only happens because we’re succeeding, becoming educated Black men. I came to NIU because I felt wanted.”
Ashanti Ford, a senior accounting major from Illinois, is uneasy about McMahon’s nomination. “I don’t know if she understands the challenges Black students face,” Ford said. “Programs like BMI and BSAP are essential for our success. If she’s confirmed, I hope she listens to students like us before making decisions that could affect our futures.”
Ultimately, McMahon’s nomination highlights the ongoing tension between efficiency and equity in education policy. Her ability to balance these priorities—while addressing the unique needs of Black students, HBCUs, and DEI initiatives—will determine her legacy as secretary of education.
For NIU, which has long been a champion of inclusive education, McMahon’s policies could shape the university’s ability to continue its mission of serving diverse student populations and promoting social justice. As the confirmation process continues, educators, advocates, and policymakers will be watching closely to see how her leadership shapes the future of education in America.
Source: Seattle Medium
