Donald Trump’s nationwide dismantling of DEI is not a drill, people.
On February 14 the Education Department sent schools across the country warning letters that their funding was at risk if they continued to hire or award scholarships based on race. Schools were given 14 days to act in accordance.
Four days prior, the department canceled $600 million in grant money that went towards training teachers in critical race theory, antiracism, and social justice activism.
“There’s nothing specific enough for us to be able to act on in 14 days unless we just wipe the slate clean,” Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education which represents over 1,600 colleges and universities, told USA Today.
Lawyers representing schools across the nation have also criticized this new mandate. Jackie Gharapour Wernz, a Texas education lawyer, referred to it as “regulation by intimidation.”
Trump does not seem to be slowing in his efforts to do just that. Looking into the details of this mandate, Executive Order 14151: “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” was issued to remove DEI programs within the federal government. Further, it was issued through the Department of Defense to end all celebrations of specific demographic groups, such as Black History Month.
Although some of Trump’s actions are only impacting those working within the federal government, he has also issued executive orders that will impact private sections. Executive Order 14173 revokes Order 11246: “Equal Employment Opportunity,” and strips women and minorities of the creation of any affirmative action plans from their federal contractors.
As of right now, schools have been given guidance to eliminate their DEI programs by February 28, although there are legal actions in motion that could extend that deadline.
On June 22, 2023, the Supreme Court rejected affirmative action at universities and colleges across the US. The Court voted 6 to 3 and deemed the admissions programs that took race into heavy consideration at schools such as Harvard and UNC, unlawful.
Chief Justice John Roberts oversaw the ruling, writing the majority opinion, and said, “A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination. In other words, the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual — not on the basis of race.”
Many universities have already taken action. West Point, US Military Academy, has already banned 12 of its race-based groups such as the National Society of Black Engineers Club and the Vietnamese-American Cadet Association. This action was seen as contradictory due to the years of diversification efforts the forces have put forth.
The Friday deadline looms.