On April 4, high school and college students from across the Washington Metro area gathered in a powerful show of unity at the U.S. Department of Education, demanding the Trump administration stop its ongoing attacks on public education.

The “Hands Off Our Schools” rally was organized by a coalition of area student governments from Georgetown, Howard, George Mason, American, and Temple University, representing over 100,000 students. This collective action of student voices standing up against the relentless assault on campus climate, free speech, DEI, civil rights protections, critical student aid, and academic support programs comes only a few weeks after the executive order to shutter the DOE.

Building on the legacies of student protest campaigns for the civil rights of all Americans, against the injustices of the Vietnam War, and against apartheid in South Africa — just to name a few — students in and around DC united under one common cause, equipped with a list of demands:

Preserve and Strengthen the Department of Education

The Department of Education plays a critical role in protecting the rights and opportunities of all students. It’s responsible for enforcing civil rights protections, upholding Title IX provisions, and supporting essential programs like Title I funding, special education services, and grants for low-income students. These programs ensure that every student, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, or economic status, has access to a quality education.

During her speech, Julia Comino, senior and vice president of American University’s Student Government Association, captures the danger of removing these safeguards, primarily Title IX, the federal law that protects students from sex-based discrimination in any school or education program that receives federal funding:

Title IX is the floor. The Department of Education is the only thing keeping us from falling through it.

—Julia Comino, senior at American University

Without a strong Department of Ed, protections that have long ensured students’ rights to equal access and opportunity will undoubtedly be at risk, and the most vulnerable students — first- generation, low-income, marginalized and vulnerable groups already facing systemic barriers — would bear the brunt of this loss. With growing threats to funding and resources, these students would face even greater challenges in accessing the education they deserve.

Ensure Students of All Identities Are Protected

Every student, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, sexuality, race, or first-generation status, deserves the right to attend the universities and colleges they want, learn from professors who reflect their diverse experiences, and be part of communities where they can thrive in safe, supportive spaces. Colleges and universities should be places where students can express their full identities without fear of discrimination or exclusion. However, recent executive orders and federal directives have undermined this vision, distorting the very essence of civil rights and diversity. These actions attempt to erase the critical support systems that ensure all students, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, can access equal opportunities for growth and success.

Evan Cornell, a second-year student and vice president of Small Town and Rural Students Association at Georgetown University, spoke about the challenges faced by these students:

“Hailing from a small town already brings with its limited resources and opportunities, many of which are offset by federal funding, programs, and support. But most times, federal grants are not just a supplement; they are a lifeline.”

The executive orders and federal directives that distort civil rights and DEI efforts only serve to deepen the disparities in the resources and support that students need. They threaten the very foundation of what it means to ensure equal access to opportunity for every student, regardless of their background or where they live.

Oppose Anti-DEI Actions Designed to Restrict Educators’ Classroom Autonomy

The freedom to teach and learn is foundational to our educational system, yet recent attempts to restrict educators’ autonomy threaten this vital principle. The right to present diverse perspectives, including those that challenge established narratives, is central to fostering critical thinking and preparing students for the complexities of the world. Attacks on DEI programs are not just about limiting the teaching of race, gender, and identity but also about restricting the intellectual freedom that defines higher education.

When funding is tied to whether a curriculum aligns with specific political views, it undermines the core mission of education – to challenge students to think independently and develop their own informed opinions. It’s imperative that we protect the rights of educators to teach the truth, even when that truth is difficult, and ensure that funding is not weaponized as a tool of political control.

Oppose the Retaliatory Targeting of Individual Students and Academics for Expressing Their Political Opinions

Universities should be places of intellectual diversity, where open discourse and the exchange of ideas are encouraged and protected. However, in recent years, there has been an alarming rise in the targeting of individuals for expressing dissenting political views. When individuals face personal or professional consequences for their political beliefs, it threatens the very fabric of academic freedom and weakens the principles of democracy. If we allow the administration to dictate academic discourse, we risk eroding the very freedoms that have long been the foundation of our educational institutions. The government must not be allowed to control or punish the free expression of ideas.

The Demand for Action

Through these demands, the students of Georgetown, Howard, George Mason, American, and Temple Universities, as well as high school students from DC, rejected the unconstitutional attacks on public education in the face of policies that threaten to demoralize fundamental freedoms and access.

Emily Han, a junior and director of external affairs for Georgetown University Student Association, was the last student to speak during the rally:

“Free expression is fundamental to learning, our growth, and now to our ability to fight back. We’ll always have our voices. Trump can’t take that away, not by silencing our affinity spaces, not by cutting our funding, not by unlawfully detaining our friends.”

From protecting civil rights and academic freedom to ensuring that all students have access to the support they need to succeed, this rally marks the beginning of a broader movement to safeguard the core values of American education, with a charge laid directly to the Trump administration to take their hands off our schools!

You can read their list of demands at bit.ly/HandsOffDemands.