Ed Dept gives schools ultimatum: End DEI programs or lose funding

The Department of Education sent a new letter to K-12 schools nationwide

saying schools must either comply with the Trump administration's anti-discrimination rules or risk losing their federal financial assistance

Thursday, state commissioners in charge of education agencies received a notice giving

them 10 days to sign and certify the schools they oversee do not offer any programs or

curriculum related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. By returning the document to the Department of Education, they are confirming nothing in the school's programs violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bans discrimination based on race, color, or national origin

Assistant Secretary for the Department of Education's Civil Rights Office said federal financial assistance is a privilege, not a right

When state education commissioners accept federal funds, they agree to abide by federal anti-discrimination requirements

According to the most recent census data from 2022, close to 14 percent of public school funding comes from the federal government

Some states rely more on federal funding than others. For example, Mississippi gets about 23 percent of its revenue from federal sources

In cities Detroit public school system gets nearly half of its funding from the government With federal funding playing a crucial role in schools organizations like the National Parents Union are making sure families have a voice in these

decisions. In response to the orders, the president of the National Parents Union questioned

is this what the Trump administration calls local control? You can't say you're giving

control back to states and then dictate how they run their schools. Once again, the Department of

Education cites the Students vs. Harvard case, where the Supreme Court ruled that race-specific

admissions violate the U.S. Constitution, particularly the 14th Amendment. The letter quotes Chief Justice John Roberts from the 2023 decision, stating

Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it. In February, the Department of Education sent out a Dear Colleague letter mandating schools in the use

of race and admissions, hiring, promotion, scholarships, discipline, and other programs or activities. The largest education union and the ACLU challenged the letter in court

arguing it violates teachers' free speech rights and issues a vague, potentially harmful directive

to schools. Following the lawsuit, the department later released a Q&A document addressing some of

the questions and clarifying the letter's intent. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Kaylee Carey. Find

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