Trump orders US schools to stop 'indoctrination' of children

President Donald Trump is ordering US schools to stop teaching what he views as "critical race theory" and other material dealing with race and sexuality or risk losing their federal money.

The plan was outlined in executive orders signed by Trump on Wednesday.

The measure seeks to fulfil some of the Republican president's core campaign promises around education, though it's unclear how much power he has to enact the proposals.

His order on K-12 schools declares that federal money cannot be used on the "indoctrination" of children, including "radical gender ideology and critical race theory."

It says civil rights laws barring discrimination based on sex and race would be used to enforce the order, calling critical race theory an "inherently racist policy."

Trump also directs the education secretary to craft a strategy within 90 days to "end indoctrination in K-12 education."

Trump has appointed billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon as his education chief, but her Senate confirmation hearing has not been scheduled.

Dismantling 'inappropriate' content

During his campaign, Trump said he would sign an order "on day one" to cut federal money for schools that push critical race theory or other "inappropriate" content.

The federal government provides billions of dollars to schools every year, though the vast majority of their money comes from state and local sources.

A growing number of Republican states have adopted laws or rules barring the teaching of critical race theory or "divisive concepts" in public schools and universities.

On Wednesday, the White House also reinstated an order from Trump's first term, establishing the 1776 Commission to promote "patriotic education" in US schools.

Biden revoked the order and the commission's guide for teaching history. The guide played down America's role in slavery and argued that the civil rights movement ran afoul of the "lofty ideals" espoused by the Founding Fathers. It was widely panned by critics, who said it was outdated and ignored decades of research.