Lightfoot dismisses Trump’s latest threat to cut funding as ‘more hot air’

Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday dismissed as “more hot air” President Donald Trump’s threat to yank federal funding from Chicago and other school systems that embrace the New York Times’ 1619 Project — which reframes U.S. history through the lens of slavery.

In yet another provocative presidential tweet, Trump proclaimed the U.S. Department of Education would be “looking at” claims that California plans to use the 1619 Project to teach students about America’s history of slavery and highlight the contributions of African Americans.

Trump was responding to a Twitter claim that California had “implemented the 1619 Project into the public schools” and declared: “Soon you won’t recognize America.”

The president responded: “They will not be funded!”

During a news conference to mark the opening day of remote learning at Chicago Public Schools, Lightfoot was asked whether Trump can legally defund school systems adopting the 1619 Project.

“No. It’s just more hot air. … The president has no power to try to take funding from any school district. And if he does, obviously we will see him in court,” said Lightfoot, a prominent Joe Biden supporter who has engaged in a running and bitter war of words with Trump.

“We’re a democracy. And in a democracy, we do not hide or erase our history. The 1619 Project was one that Dr. [Janice] Jackson and CPS embraced. We think it’s critically important that young people of all races and ethnicities and backgrounds understand this important part of American history.”

A few months ago, the City Council approved a resolution championed by the Black Caucus honoring Nikole Hannah-Jones, the New York Times reporter who won the Pulitzer Prize for the 1619 Project.

CPS last year encouraged school administrators and teachers to implement the 1619 Project into their lessons and provided schools with free copies of the New York Times Magazine’s special edition. Some students have since started to learn America’s history of racism and slavery through the project.