1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

The withholding of over $5 billion in critical education funding by the U.S. Department of Education is deeply concerning. These funds provide vital support and safe environments for hundreds of thousands of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Restoring all promised funding for the current school year is crucial to ensuring equal access to quality education and preventing disruptions that could have long-lasting impacts on students' well-being and academic success. The attempt to scrutinize these grants for perceived biases appears misguided and detrimental to the very children and communities they are meant to serve. A prompt release of the complete funding allocation is urgently needed to uphold our commitment to investing in the future of all students, regardless of their circumstances. Lawmakers must demand the immediate restoration of the funding.