University Drops OAU Student From Graduation After Protest

United States – A federal appeals court has rejected an effort by the Trump administration to stop the release of millions of dollars in school mental health grants designed to address shortages of counselors, psychologists, and social workers nationwide.

The grants, approved by Congress following the 2022 Uvalde, Texas school shooting, were intended to help school districts—especially in rural and underserved communities—strengthen student mental health services. The Biden administration initially prioritized applicants who demonstrated plans to hire counselors from diverse backgrounds or from within the communities they serve.

The Trump administration sought to unwind parts of the program, arguing that race-conscious criteria embedded in some grants were “divisive” and harmful to students. Officials instructed recipients that they would not receive funding beyond December 2025.

In October, U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson ruled that the move to cancel the grants was “arbitrary and capricious,” prompting the Department of Education and Education Secretary Linda McMahon to seek an emergency stay.

However, on Thursday, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the request. The panel stated that the government failed to show it was likely to succeed on its jurisdictional arguments or that it would suffer “irreparable injury” without a stay.

The ruling currently applies to grantees in 16 Democratic-led states that sued to block the administration’s actions. In California, for example, the decision restores roughly $3.8 million in Madera County and about $8 million in Marin County.

After Evanson’s ruling in October, the Trump administration claimed the grants had been used “to promote divisive ideologies based on race and sex,” a characterization strongly disputed by the states and school districts involved in the lawsuit.

The decision ensures continued funding for school mental health initiatives, allowing districts to bolster support services for students amid ongoing nationwide shortages of qualified mental health professionals.