A U.S. District Judge, Stephanie Gallagher, has permanently blocked two memos from the Trump administration that threatened schools with funding cuts over their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
This year, the Trump administration sent a “dear colleagues” letter to universities warning them of potential funding losses if they didn’t cease what they termed as “illegal” DEI initiatives. Shortly after, a K-12 district received a memo stating that there were no DEI practices in place at their school.
The American Federation of Teachers, along with Democratic Forward and others, filed a lawsuit against these memos, arguing that the administration hadn’t followed the necessary procedures and had violated the rights of educational institutions.
Gallagher, who was appointed by Trump, noted in her ruling that “the agency’s actions did not comply with the procedural requirements of the APA, suggesting that they violate significant constitutional rights.”
The Education Department was contacted for comments regarding the ruling.
Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, commented on the federal court’s decision, stating that it reaffirmed what the plaintiffs had long believed: the actions taken by the Trump administration regarding civil rights, equity, and inclusion were unlawful and posed risks to all Americans.
In the “Dear Colleague” letter, the Trump administration claimed that universities were attempting to sidestep a Supreme Court ruling from 2023 regarding affirmative actions.
According to their statement, “This sector will not tolerate the blatant and concealed racism that exists in our educational institutions. The law is unambiguous. Treating students differently based on race to attain unclear goals like diversity or social justice is illegal, as established by Supreme Court precedents.”
