US appeals court rejects Trump administration bid to halt grants for school mental health workers

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US appeals court rejects Trump administration bid to halt grants for school mental health workers

2025-12-05 14:36 Last Updated At：14:40

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal appeals court on Thursday rejected the Trump administration's bid to halt an order requiring it to release millions of dollars in grants meant to address the shortage of mental health workers in schools.

The mental health program, which was funded by Congress after the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, included grants meant to help schools hire more counselors, psychologists and social workers, with a focus on rural and underserved areas of the country. But President Donald Trump’s administration opposed aspects of the grant programs that touched on race, saying they were harmful to students and told recipients they wouldn’t receive funding past December 2025.

U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson, ruled in October that the administration’s move to cancel school mental health grants was arbitrary and capricious.

The U.S. Department of Education and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon requested an emergency stay and on Thursday, a panel from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied that motion.

The panel wrote in its decision that the government hadn't shown it is likely to succeed based on its claims that the district court doesn't have jurisdiction or that it will be “irreparably injured absent a stay.”

The grants were first awarded under Democratic President Joe Biden's administration. The Education Department prioritized giving the money to applicants who showed how they would increase the number of counselors from diverse backgrounds or from communities directly served by the school district.

The Trump administration said in a statement after the ruling in October that the grants were used “to promote divisive ideologies based on race and sex.”

The preliminary ruling by Evanson, a U.S. District Court judge in Seattle, applies only to some grantees in the 16 Democratic-led states that challenged the Education Department’s decision. In Madera County, California, for example, the ruling restores roughly $3.8 million. In Marin County, California, it restores $8 million.

Weatherald's maiden half-century leads Australia to 130-1 in Ashes test

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Jake Weatherald led a counterattacking start to Australia's innings Friday, posting his maiden test half-century as the hosts reached 130-1 at the first interval on Day 2 in reply to England's 334 in the second Ashes test.

Weatherald, who was out for a second-ball duck in his test debut last month in Perth, scored an unbeaten 59 and shared partnerships of 77 with Travis Head (33) and 53 with Marnus Labuschagne

Only two wickets fell in the first session — one for each team — in warm, bright afternoon conditions in the day-night match at the Gabba.

England resumed Day 2 at 325-9 and added nine runs in 14 balls before No. 11 Jofra Archer was dismissed, leaving Joe Root unbeaten on 138.

The No. 1-ranked batter in test cricket posted his maiden hundred in an Ashes match Down Under late on Day 1 and shared a 70-run last-wicket stand with Archer.

The Australians wasted no daylight, with the 31-year-old Weatherald making the scoring look easy as he raced to 50 from 45 balls, stroking nine boundaries and a six with a series of cuts and uppercuts.

Head, who was the star of Australia's series-opening eight-wicket win in Perth, added 30 runs after a getting a reprieve when he was dropped by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith in the ninth over off Archer's bowling.

He immediately went on the attack, encouraged by Weatherald's confident start.

Labuschagne replaced Head at the crease and followed in the same mode, hitting 27 off 29 balls as the Australians scored at a run-rate of 6.19 in 21 overs.

Brendan Doggett picked up the last of the England wickets on the 14th ball of the day for Australia when Archer hooked and Labuschagne took a diving, one-handed catch at backward square. England’s innings lasted 76.2 overs.

Root faced 206 deliveries in his drought-breaking century, his first in four Ashes tours to Australia.

Archer's 38 came off 36 balls, his career-highest test score containing two sixes and two boundaries including a classic square drive in Mitchell Starc's first over of the day.

Root shared crucial stands of 117 with Zac Crawley (76), 54 with Harry Brook (31) and 70 with Archer.

Starc returned 6-75 from 20 overs to increase his series haul to 16 wickets.

The pink ball is difficult to play as the sun fades and the lights come on in the day-night test matches, a situation that could help England's bowlers peg back Australia's early run-rate.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket