The Future of DEI in Education
What’s at Stake
As of this writing, the President of the United States has openly called for the elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in American schools. His administration has threatened to:
Abolish the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE),
Issue executive orders to stop DEI programming,
Cut off federal education funding for districts that do not comply.
These are not quiet policy shifts. They are loud, coordinated attempts to dismantle decades of work in equity, access, and inclusion.
And yet, DEI is still standing.
1. The Limits of Federal Power Over Public Education
Public education in the United States is governed primarily by states, not the federal government. The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reserves education authority to the states. This means:
The President cannot unilaterally eliminate DEI from public schools.
Federal funding, roughly $150 billion annually, is allocated through congressional legislation, not executive order.
Local school boards and state education departments retain control over curriculum, hiring, and equity policies.
Yes, executive orders can attempt to reshape federal agency priorities. But they cannot override state law or dissolve existing school district policy without a long, complex process involving multiple layers of government and legal challenge.
2. States Are Pushing Back
Several states, led by both Democratic and Republican governors, have signaled strong resistance to federal overreach on this issue. State legislatures and education commissioners in places like California, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Colorado have reaffirmed their commitment to DEI practices, policies, and funding.
Some states are even preparing legal strategies to:
Protect their share of federal funds despite any new political stipulations,
Defend their DEI statutes in court,
Reinforce the autonomy of local school districts.
The message is clear: DEI is not going away quietly, and it’s not going away at all in many states.
3. What Educators Need to Know Right Now
Educators are in a precarious moment. The noise from national headlines can be deeply unsettling. But policy change takes time, and real authority still lies close to home.
Here’s what matters:
If your state law supports DEI, your district policies will likely remain intact, for now.
If your school board has adopted DEI policy, your superintendent is professionally obligated to uphold it.
If you are confused or concerned, seek local guidance: your state department of education, school board, or legal counsel.
The best thing educators can do is stay informed, focused, and rooted in their mission.
Public education exists to serve all students. That mission is older, deeper, and more enduring than any one administration.
4. Why This Issue Matters
The stakes are high. The future of DEI is not just about funding or compliance. It’s about the kind of schools we believe in. It’s about the kind of country we want to live in. DEI isn’t a trend. It is the culmination of a long moral and professional arc that bends toward fairness, inclusion, and educational excellence for all.
Educators have always led with courage and clarity in times of uncertainty. This moment calls for both.
As a former Superintendent of Schools weaving served in California, Connecticut and Arizona, I realize that the following is likely to be a point of view not likely to be embraced by the majority of educators.
I think one area that causes DEI to be attacked by the far right is the word “equity”. If “excellence, inclusion and diversity” were the tag line, I believe that the meaning wouldn’t change except what can be perceived as “quotas” — i.e., discrimination in the minds of the far right— would be replaced with excellence— a word an an idea that both the left and the right could come together and support. Combined with inclusion and diversity in my opinion will achieve the same goals as DEI, minus the red flag raised by the word “equity”.