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On the steps of the Colorado Capitol, Terrell Morton looked out on the small crowd of fellow researchers and said they gave him hope.
Less than two weeks ago, the Trump administration canceled two of the University of Illinois at Chicago assistant professor’s grants that involved researching how to help Black students in science, technology, engineering, and math.
“It lets me know that I am not alone in this space when it comes to advancing and fighting for justice,” he said.
About 125 researchers and educators from across the nation — along with a small group of students — joined Morton to signal their opposition to President Donald Trump’s decisions about K-12 and higher education. Trump has sought to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, cancel research grants, and dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
The group was in Denver to attend the American Educational Research Association’s annual meeting, which brought together 10,000 researchers from across the country.
Organizers say they saw an opportunity with so many researchers gathered in one spot to hold the rally, which was not part of the AERA conference, in a public space to protest Trump’s efforts to exert control over universities and research.
Elizabeth Todd-Breland, a former Chicago Board of Education member and historian, said with so many researchers in Denver, the hope was to build solidarity at a time when research is under attack.
“It’s going to take all of us working together to push back against those threats,” Todd-Breland said.
Mildred Boveda, who is a Pennsylvania State University associate professor, said researchers typically work behind the scenes to share information and ideas. But now that the federal government wants to limit higher education research and ideas, she said she feels college educators can no longer stay quiet.
“We’re under attack right now by a few who are actually engaging in indoctrination that we’re being falsely accused of,” she said. “We’re trying to set the record straight. We are trying to defend not just educational institutions, but education truth.”
Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.
