20 states, led by CA, sue Trump administration over halted after-school, summer funding

Various of the withheld money funds programs at the YMCA Photo courtesy of Sweetwater Union High School District More than states sued President Donald Trump s administration on Monday over billions of dollars in frozen learning funding for after-school care summer programs and more Particular of the withheld money funds after-school and summer initiatives at Boys Girls Clubs the YMCA or constituents schools attended by million children and teenagers nationwide Congress set aside money for the programs to provide academic aid enrichment and child care to mostly low-income families But Trump s administration lately froze the funding saying it wants to ensure programs align with the Republican president s priorities Led by California the lawsuit alleges withholding the money violates the Constitution and several federal laws Countless low-income families will lose access to after-school programs if the money isn t circulated soon according to the suit In a few states school restarts in late July and early August The Department of Teaching did not instantly respond to a request for comment After-school programs for the fall are in jeopardy Darleen Reyes drove through a downpour last week to take her son to a free Boys Girls Club day camp in East Providence Rhode Island She described camp administrators the flash flood warning would have kept her away but her son insisted on going Before kissing his mother goodbye Aiden Cazares explained to a reporter I needed to see my friends and not just sit at home Then he ran off to play In Rhode Island the state stepped in with funding to keep the summer programs running according to the East Providence club and the state has joined the federal lawsuit Other Boys Girls Clubs supported by the grants have exposed techniques to keep open their summer programs reported Sara Leutzinger vice president for communications for the Boys Girls Club of America But there isn t the same hope for the after-school activities for the fall A few of the Boys Girls Clubs nationwide that run summer and after-school programs stand to close if the Trump administration doesn t release the money in the next three to five weeks Leutzinger commented The clubs receive funding from the federal st Century Locality Learning Centers scheme The YMCA and Save the Children say multiple of the centers they run are also at danger of shuttering Time is of the essence disclosed Christy Gleason executive director of the political arm of Save the Children which provides after-school activities for schools in rural areas in Washington state and across the South where school will begin as soon as August It s not too late to make a decision so the kids who really need this still have it Rural and Republican-led areas especially affected Schools in Republican-led areas are particularly affected by the freeze in federal coaching grants Ninety-one of the school districts that receive the preponderance money per participant from four frozen grant programs are in Republican congressional districts according to an analysis from New America a left-leaning think tank New America s analysis used funding levels revealed in in states Republican representatives have been among the educators criticizing the grant freeze I deeply believe in fiscal responsibility which means evaluating the use of funds and seeking out efficiencies but also means being responsible releasing funds already approved by Congress and signed by President Trump reported Georgia schools superintendent Richard Woods an elected Republican In Georgia we re getting ready to start the school year so I call on federal funds to be disclosed so we can ensure the success of our students The Office of Management and Budget announced specific grants supported left-wing causes pointing to services for immigrants in the country illegally or LGBTQ inclusion efforts But Congress appropriation of the money was in a bill signed by Trump himself disclosed Maurice Mo Green North Carolina s Democratic superintendent of inhabitants learning To now suggest that for specific reason this money is somehow or another needing review because of someone s agenda I think is deeply troubling Green advised reporters Monday after North Carolina joined the federal lawsuit Elizabeth Ireland contributed to this article