The Department of Education warned institutions that receive federal funds to end D.E.I programs or face potential investigations that could lead to the loss of funds.
In a press release from Saturday, the Department of Education stated it had sent a “Dear Colleague” letter to institutions that get federal funds stating that they must end “using race preferences and stereotypes as a factor in their admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, sanctions, discipline, and beyond.”
The Press release reads, “For decades, schools have been operating on the pretext that selecting students for ‘diversity’ or similar euphemisms is not selecting them based on race. No longer.”
The release also claims that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices have led to censorship, stating, “The DEI regime at educational entities has been accompanied by widespread censorship.”
The release further urges readers who believe an institution violates this rule to file a complaint with the Department of Education.
The letter sent by Craig Trainor, the acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education, echoes many points in the press release.
The letter begins by decrying and reiterating the illegal nature of discrimination based on “race, color, or national origin.”
Then, it continues by saying that it simply restates “existing legal requirements under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution, and other relevant authorities.”
The letter states that schools in recent years have “discriminated against students based on race, including white and Asian students, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds and low-income families.”
The letter also says that “Educational Institutions [have] toxically indoctrinated students with the false premise that the United States is built upon systemic and structural racism and advanced discriminatory policies and practices.”
The letter also states that the “ Department will assess compliance with the applicable statutes and regulations based on the understanding embodied in this letter.”
The letter ends by stating that “Institutions that fail to comply with federal civil rights law may, consistent with applicable law, face potential loss of federal funding.”
The letter has sent shockwaves through the educational community and a strong rebuke from some groups. One of them is PEN America, a nonprofit organization that prides itself on protecting free speech, particularly through literature.
“This declaration has no basis in law and is an affront to the freedom of speech and ideas in educational settings,” PEN America stated in a released statement and further called for the department to “rescind this letter immediately.”
The letter raises concerns locally as Leon County Schools, like many other school districts, receive much funding from Federal Sources.
According to the 2023-2024 budget, over 98 million dollars of Leon County Schools funding originates from Federal sources like grants and initiatives.
The letter and its demands continue to push shockwaves throughout the academic community and put many Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives at risk of removal, which may further reshape today’s ever-changing educational landscape.