Trump Administration: End DEI in Schools or Face Federal Funding Cuts

The Trump administration has issued a sweeping directive requiring all public schools and universities to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives or risk losing federal funding. In a letter sent by the U.S. Department of Education to every state education department, officials warned that schools must eliminate “race-based decision-making” across admissions, hiring, financial aid, scholarships, and all aspects of campus life by February 28.

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The letter states that race-conscious policies violate federal law— citing the 2023 Supreme Court ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which took down affirmative action in college admissions. Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor stated that DEI programs “toxically indoctrinated students with the false premise that the United States is built upon systemic and structural racism.”

The administration has already begun dismantling federal DEI efforts. They plan to cut $600 million in training grants related to topics like critical race theory, white privilege, and activism. Also, the department has placed DEI officials on paid administrative leave, canceled related contracts, and removed more than 200 DEI resource pages from federal websites.

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While the directive applies to all federally funded schools, universities are expected to face the greatest impact. Some institutions have already begun rolling back DEI programming. Ohio’s public schools and universities rely heavily on federal funding. Institutions must decide whether to comply with the order or risk a legal showdown with the administration.

Trump Administration: End DEI in Schools or Face Federal Funding Cuts  was originally published on ronethebuzzcincy.staging.go.ione.nyc