The San Francisco Unified School District has filed a lawsuit alleging that AmeriCorps, the federal agency that manages grants and programs to support volunteers and vulnerable populations, is illegally withholding funding as part of President Donald Trump’s agenda against diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The suit says the agency is pressuring the district to self-certify that its programs do not include any “activities that promote DEI,” such as LGBTQ and racial equity initiatives.
SFUSD receives about $667,000 in annual AmeriCorps funding that primarily supports mentoring services for vulnerable students at 38 public schools. Those services are handled by 17 full-time and approximately 20 part-time AmeriCorps staffers.
Superintendent Maria Su said the AmeriCorps partnership “enables us to preserve precious resources and sustain vital programs that benefit SFUSD students furthest from access.” As the district plans for layoffs to address a $113 million deficit, it “simply cannot afford” to lose the funding.
While the school district operates independently from city government, the San Francisco city attorney’s office will represent the SFUSD in court.
“President Trump cannot hold our kids and seniors hostage to force people to agree with him,” said City Attorney David Chiu. “We are pleased to represent SFUSD in this matter to ensure our most vulnerable students and communities continue to benefit from these crucial programs.”
Su expressed gratitude to Chiu’s office for its pro bono representation.
Joining SFUSD in filing the suit is Santa Fe, New Mexico. That city would likely need to terminate senior and children’s programs if funding is cut, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit asks the court to declare that the withholding of funds violates the Constitution’s Spending Clause and the Administrative Procedures Act. It seeks an immediate halt to the practice and argues that Trump’s executive orders do not impose obligations on AmeriCorps grantees.
If the court sides with AmeriCorps, SFUSD will likely have to disband its “Rainbow,” or Gender and Sexualities Alliance student clubs, which are primarily supported by AmeriCorps members. District leaders are uncertain as to whether they will need to restart training of AmeriCorps volunteers on implicit bias awareness and the use of students’ preferred pronouns and chosen names. It’s considered ideal for volunteers to be matched with students who share similar identities or experiences.
AmeriCorps representatives could not be reached for comment.