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on September 12, 2025
Washington had authorized about $190 billion of aid to help K-12 schools recover from the pandemic, with funds meant for tutoring students who fell behind, upgrades to school buildings, food for homeless students and other purposes. McMahon and the Justice Department argued that taking back the money served the public interest, because taxpayer funds should be used for their intended purpose and the public health emergency from the pandemic had long passed.
<img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1544776193-352d25ca82cd?ixid=M3wxMjA3fDB8MXxzZWFyY2h8M3x8b25saW5lJTIwZW5nbGlzaCUyMGtpbmRlcmdhcnRlbiUyMGdyYWRlJTIwcHJvZ3JhbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3NTc2MzUwNDN8MA\u0026ixlib=rb-4.1.0" style="max-width:420px;float:left;padding:10px 10px 10px 0px;border:0px;" alt="woman teaching girl" />NEW YORK, May 6 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Manhattan blocked the Trump administration on Tuesday from canceling more than $1.1 billion in unspent aid meant to help U.S. elementary and high schools address the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. But in a March 28 letter, McMahon, a member of Republican President Donald Trump's cabinet, said states had ample time to spend the money, types esl programs and allowing more time years after the pandemic ended was inconsistent with her department's priorities.
WASHINGTON, May 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. government said on Tuesday it will review an incident at the University of Washington in which pro-Palestinian protesters occupied a university building while demanding the school cut ties with Boeing over its contracts with the Israeli military. The university said on Tuesday thirty pro-Palestinian protesters who occupied the building late on Monday were arrested, and charges of trespassing, property destruction and disorderly conduct would be referred to prosecutors.
Other plaintiffs included attorneys general of Arizona, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada and Oregon. The administration of President Donald Trump labeled the incident as antisemitic activity. While it praised the university and law enforcement officials for their response, it urged the school to take enforcement actions and make policy changes. The Trump administration has threatened universities with federal funding cuts over pro-Palestinian campus protests against Israel's military assault on Gaza following Palestinian Hamas militants' October 2023 attack in Israel.
"The Task Force's review is in response to the eruption of antisemitic harassment and violence that occurred Monday, May 5 at UW's campus in Seattle," the U.S. Education Department, Health Department and General Services Administration said in a statement. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the government wrongly conflates their criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza with antisemitism and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with support for extremism.
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