The U.S. Department of Education has issued a directive requiring all federally funded educational institutions to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs within 14 days or face the loss of federal funding.
The directive, sent through the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), cites concerns over the widespread implementation of race-based policies in schools and universities.
According to the department, these programs violate federal civil rights laws by promoting race-based preferences in admissions, hiring, scholarships, and instruction.
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This move follows the 2023 Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which struck down affirmative action policies in college admissions.
The Education Department’s letter states that DEI programs operate as a form of racial discrimination, directly contradicting the principles of equal opportunity under federal law.
The letter specifically warns that institutions using non-racial factors as proxies for race in decision-making processes are in violation of federal law.
It outlines multiple examples of such violations, including race-conscious admissions policies, preferential hiring practices, and initiatives that apply different moral burdens to students based on racial identity.
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The letter reads in part:
“Relying on non-racial information as a proxy for race, and making decisions based on that information, violates the law. That is true whether the proxies are used to grant preferences on an individual basis or a systematic one.
It would, for instance, be unlawful for an educational institution to eliminate standardized testing to achieve a desired racial balance or to increase racial diversity. Other programs discriminate in less direct, but equally insidious, ways.”
The Department further condemns DEI efforts for enforcing racial stereotypes, segregating students, and denying them equal access to educational opportunities.
The letter emphasizes that such programs contradict federal law and Supreme Court precedent.
“The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent.”
Effective immediately, federally funded schools, universities, and state education agencies must:
- Dismantle DEI offices and related programs that promote race-based policies.
- End race-based hiring and admissions practices.
- Cease partnerships with third-party organizations that promote DEI initiatives.
- Eliminate racially segregated graduations, scholarships, and other programs operating under the banner of inclusion.
Students should be assessed according to merit, accomplishment, and character — not prejudged by the color of their skin.https://t.co/9FBUaiqys2 pic.twitter.com/G1XP2rPi6c
— U.S. Department of Education (@usedgov) February 15, 2025
Failure to comply, the department warns, will result in the withdrawal of federal funding.
The directive underscores that the federal government will no longer tolerate practices that use race as a determining factor in education.
With this sweeping policy change, educational institutions across the country are now facing an immediate and significant overhaul of policies that have been in place for years.
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Without this mandate, most of these districts would delay any action for years. Too many school boards are stuffed with leftists, and the teacher’s unions have too much power. Losing money hits them where it hurts most.