A day after the prestigious Harvard University filed a lawsuit against the Donald Trump administration over its decision to cut billions in funding and impose political oversight, more than 100 American universities and colleges including Brown and Princeton have united to condemn what they describe as President Trump’s ‘political interference’ in the country’s education system.
In a joint letter, the universities and colleges including the Ivy League institutions, wrote, “We speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education. We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight. However, we must oppose undue government intrusion. We must reject the coercive use of public research funding.” The statement was released by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). The letter has been signed by heads of some big universities and institutions such as Harvard, Princeton, Brown, Wheaton College, University of California and many more.
This statement was released a few hours after Harvard University became the first US educational institute to sue the government over threats to its funding. Trump has increasingly targeted American colleges and universities, accusing them of allowing campus spaces to be misused by students and faculty for so-called “anti-Semitic” activities. He has also criticised these institutions for promoting what he calls “woke” culture and for implementing diversity policies that, according to him, have contributed to dividing the country—policies that have now been rolled back by the government.