Public Schools Given Ultimatum to Remove DEI Practices or Lose Funding
The US Department of Education (DOE) – which is currently undergoing the process of abolishment — is threatening to remove federal funding from schools that have DEI requirements.
On Thursday, the DOE gave federal education commissioners 10 days to confirm a certification that their schools do not partake in any activity or practice that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
The letter sent by the DOE specifically states that educational institutions using DEI practices are in violation of federal law.
For instance, an institution continuing use of DEI violates Title VI of the Civil Rights of 1964, which states “[n]o person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
The DOE further addresses consequences an institution in violation will face, along with loss of funding:
“For entities and institutions that use DEI practices in violation of federal law, those entities may incur substantial liabilities, including the potential initiation of litigation for breach of contract by the Department of Justice in connection with civil rights guarantees contained in federal contracts and grant awards seeking to recover previously received funds paid to them under these contracts and grants.”
Concerning the DOE’s memo, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor stated that “Federal financial assistance is a privilege, not a right.”
Trainor claims that “too many” state schools have taken advantage of government funding, and explains his reasoning:
“When state education commissioners accept federal funds, they agree to abide by federal antidiscrimination requirements. Unfortunately, we have seen too many schools flout or outright violate these obligations, including by using DEI programs to discriminate against one group of Americans to favor another based on identity characteristics in clear violation of Title VI.”
The White House began dismantling the DOE in March by slashing half of its workforce in the administration’s endeavor of removing bureaucracy from the federal government.
