Federal judges freeze Trump administration’s plan to eliminate DEI from schools

Three separate federal judges on Thursday ruled against the Department of Education’s plan to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in K-12 schools. The department in February issued a directive to all academic institutions across the country demanding they not engage in DEI practices, in accordance with the Trump administration’s policies. In the letter, acting assistant secretary for civil rights for the department Craig Trainor said schools could lose federal funding if they do not abide by the policy. Teachers unions and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People brought lawsuits against the administration soon after the government issued the directive.

What did the judges say? U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty heard a case brought by the National Education Association and said the administration’s policy likely violated the First Amendment. She agreed with the plaintiffs that the policy was unconstitutionally vague and that officials did not follow proper legal steps in its implementation. U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich in the District of Columbia agreed, ruling that the administration could not force schools to certify that they were in compliance with the anti-DEI rule. Meanwhile, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher said the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in a case against the policy because they could prove they would be irreparably harmed and that public interest favors them.

Have there been any other directives regarding education this week? President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed several executive orders related to education. Some of the topics included foreign influence at U.S. universities, promoting investment at historically black colleges and universities, reinstating certain school disciplinary procedures, and advancing education related to artificial intelligence in U.S. schools. He also signed an executive order to overhaul the higher education accreditation system. The order is intended to ensure schools do not engage in unlawful discrimination or ideological overreach.

Dig deeper: Read Owen Anderson’s opinion piece about how universities are rebranding their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.