Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

                                                                        Executive Orders 

Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI programs and Preferencing

       White House ~ 1/20/25

& 

Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit Based Opportunity 

         White House ~ 1/21/25

        (click pictures for links)

      Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has become the heart of education today. DEI, which dates back to the Civil Rights movement of 1964, is often misunderstood by its critics. DEI was created because marginalized communities have not always had equal opportunities in jobs, schools, and a sense of belonging in a majority white setting. DEI was an attempt to create spaces especially for work and school communities where people thrive while being afforded equal opportunities. Critics have argued that the DEI programs and policies are discriminatory which have brought about sweeping and radical changes to them due to the influences of the recent executive orders.  

     DEI has long been the champion of education to cultivate a learning environment where every student feels valued, respected  and provides equal opportunities regardless of an individual's background. In schools, DEI seeks to address the historical imbalances that have long been ingrained into our schools. Allen Johnson described this imbalance as being “privileged’ without actually feeling privileged that still exists in our schools today. DEI in our schools promotes cultural understanding and inclusive practices in all parts of the educational experience and learning community. The new executive orders are imposing significant changes in the schools across the US today. 

The new executive orders issued have created sweeping changes to all federal agencies including the Department of Education. It has forced them to rethink and modify their policies, curriculum and any support that is related to DEI initiatives.  

      The recent sweeping changes to DEI impact schools significantly as the current administration feels that DEI initiatives violate federal civil rights laws which is why they indoctrinated the new executive orders in January 2025. Key impacts to schools include restrictions to DEI programs, federal funds and dismantling the Department of Education on the national level. In particular, there will be significant effects on federal funding for all schools that support DEI initiatives and programs. This is something that I personally feel even now in my district. There is significant uncertainty surrounding programs, budget cuts and how this will affect the ability to fund our schools in the future. Additionally, the executive orders threaten all schools who do not comply with the certification requirements proposed by the new administration in compliance with the executive orders that apply to education. Many families and educators in the school district I teach in currently are trying to find ways to still continue to fund and design the  DEI  programs to achieve a community of learners who will ultimately benefit from discussions on diversity, equality and inclusion throughout their educational experiences. The two specific executive orders also target certain practices like ensuring equal opportunities for diversifying schools, scholarship opportunities and dismantling  the department of education. This puts schools in a difficult position as they must walk the tightrope of balancing the dedication to creating an inclusive environment for all students along with securing federal funds for schools. 

      Personally, I worry about teachers, administrators and the larger school community feeling concerned about the need to limit the valuable discussions in class which will hinder the learning environment out of fear from the kickback from the executive orders.The idea that funding is also tied to these executive orders is a scary for already underfunded schools. Thankfully there have been a number of lawsuits / legal challenges filed against the executive orders which hold merit in court as judges have determined them to be unconstitutionally vague and violate free speech rights. The very idea that these orders hold so much power over schools, funding, initiates , redefine anti- discrimination laws and support for DEI programs to name a few offers a sad, uncertain and complex environment for schools in the future.  It is time to take a stand and fight for DEI and the commitment to our students in a continued commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment.