- The U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Government Efficiency told schools to eliminate DEI programs or risk losing federal funding. The DOE’s acting assistant secretary for civil rights sent a letter to the departments of education in all 50 states on Friday, Feb. 14.
- The decision applies to race-related programs, including financial aid and graduation ceremonies.
- Democratic Sen. Patty Murray responded, “I refuse to let Trump and Elon try to bully our schools.”
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The Department of Education (DOE) and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) warned state education agencies may lose federal funding if they do not remove diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The DOE’s acting assistant secretary for civil rights, Craig Trainor, sent a letter to all 50 states on Friday, Feb. 14, notifying them that they have 14 days to comply.
The letter based its argument on the Supreme Court case where Harvard University was sued over its affirmative action policies. The court ruled that using racial preferences in college admissions is illegal.
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The guidelines in the letter said schools using “race in decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies and all other aspects of student, academic and campus life” are in violation of anti-discrimination laws and legal precedent set in the affirmative action case.
How are DEI advocates responding?
Democratic lawmakers quickly criticized the letter.
“I refuse to let Trump and Elon try to bully our schools from teaching students basic and important topics like the history of slavery or treatment of indigenous people in America or the powerful contributions of the civil rights movement,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a statement.
What other education orders have come from Trump?
The letter followed executive orders from President Donald Trump. He directed agencies to provide a plan to eliminate federal funding for “illegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination” in schools. This includes gender ideology and concepts such as critical race theory.
The Department of Education previously announced it removed DEI references from documents and webpages, placed employees who led DEI initiatives on leave and dissolved its diversity and inclusion council.
Friday’s letter is the latest move in DOGE’s changes to the federal government. These changes have cut budgets and overhauled federal agencies, and 70 DEI training grants were recently terminated.
The letter did not specify what type of federal funds are at risk for schools and colleges.