Trump questions constitutionality of key funding source for HBCUs

Looks like Trump played some HBCU presidents who are desperate for school funding not just for a photo-op, but for suckers and fools. Trump was speaking out of both sides of his mouth when he promised more funding for HBCUs (which he did not put in the budget) as he is now questioning the constitutionality of a key funding source for the schools. George L. Cook III African American Reports.

In February, President Donald Trump invited leaders from historically black colleges and universities to the White House, a move they hoped signaled his support for the institutions and showed an effort to give them more clout in his administration. But critics had a more cynical description of the Oval Office meeting: a photo op.

Those naysayers got more ammunition on Friday after the White House released a signing statement connected to the recently approved federal funding measure. Tucked away in the last paragraph, the White House announced that it would treat a program that helps HBCUs get low-cost construction loans "in a manner consistent with the (Constitutional) requirement to afford equal protection of the laws."

People in higher education circles worried that the statement meant that the president was planning to get rid of a capital financing program that helps historically black colleges repair, renovate and build new facilities. Congress approved the program in 1992 after finding that "HBCUs often face significant challenges in accessing traditional funding resources at reasonable rates," according to the Education Department.

"I would rather have Trump do nothing with HBCUs - not even know they exist," Marybeth Gasman, a University of Pennsylvania professor who has researched HBCU history, told The Washington Post. "He will see them as a handout. He doesn't understand that he was given a leg up by his rich father. He doesn't see that other people need help from programs because of past discrimination and inequity."

Read more: Trump questions whether key funding source for historically black colleges is constitional.

Republicans are being dishonest about Pres. Obama not helping HBCUs

George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com

GOP lawmakers are planning to meet with the presidents of several HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) to discuss what these schools need and how they can help them survive. Now instead of just touting how they plan to help black students, Conservatives/Republicans have used this as an opportunity to attack President Obama in the eyes of African Americans.

They are spreading the lie that President Obama did little for HBCU's or cut funding to those schools and what's worse is that many of those spreading that lie are African Americans conservatives/pundits. Of course, they are saying/writing this to expound upon their false narrative that Obama did little to help African Americans. The sad part is that saying that Obama did little for HBCU's is a flat out lie.

Here are the FACTS

Over the course of 7 years, the Obama Administration has invested more than $4 billion in HBCUs, because these institutions are vital engines of economic growth and proven ladders of advancement for generations of African Americans.

Under the Obama Administration, 1 million more African-American and Latino students have enrolled in college. What’s more, black and Hispanic students earned more than 270,000 more undergraduate degrees in 2013-2014 than in 2008-2009. This Administration remains focused on continuing to increase the number of students who successfully complete college. To that end, the Department has worked to make new opportunities available to HBCUs.

Federal funding to HBCUs has grown each year since 2009. Through the Higher Education Act, HBCUs received a $17 million funding increase this year—the largest increase for the federal Strengthening HBCUs program in six years. And President Obama’s FY 2017 budget seeks to maintain and strengthen these opportunities for HBCUs to build their capacity. The FY 2017 budget proposes $85 million in mandatory funding to HBCUs, an increase of $5 million from FY 2016, plus an additional $244.7 million in discretionary funds for Title III.

The Administration has also fought for and won a historic commitment to fully fund Pell Grants and expand student aid for millions of low-income students. Pell Grant funding for HBCU students increased significantly between 2007 and 2014, growing from $523 million to $824 million. This year, President Obama announced a plan to make sure that Pell Grants are fully funded, including inflationary adjustments, and used strategically by students to reduce time and cost for receiving a terminal degree. The President’s 2017 budget also proposes a $30 million HBCU and Minority Serving Institution Innovation for Completion Fund, to help students from low-income backgrounds overcome challenges and persist through graduation day.

[SOURCE: US Dept. of Education]

What's also left out of the conversation is that most HBCUs are in states with Republican governors and state legislators. THEY are the ones that produce a budget and allocate where funds go not the President of the United States. So any funding cuts were done by the States, not President Obama.

So in closing, I would like to say to my conservative 'friends,' in the words of Daniel Patrick Moynihan "You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts."

When did Republicans start caring about black colleges?

George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com