Department of Education Eliminates DEI Training Programs
The Department of Education (DOED) has announced the termination of $600 million in grant funding for programs that promote divisive ideologies in education. This measure is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to reduce wasteful spending and prioritize fundamental education skills like literacy.
The Targeted Programs
The grants that have been canceled were dedicated to teaching educators about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as concepts such as White privilege and White supremacy. According to the DOED, these programs included requirements for practitioners to take responsibility for systemic inequities and critically examine their own practices.
Additionally, funding was cut for programs that provided spaces for critical reflection on biases and transformative conversations about equity. Other impacted programs focused on developing historical and sociopolitical understandings of race to address racial marginalization and oppression in education.
Rationale for the Cuts
The DOED’s decision to terminate these grants is rooted in the belief that they promote divisive ideologies that undermine educational excellence. Critics argue that DEI programs can create unnecessary conflict and guilt among teachers and students.
According to the Department of Education, many of the grants also included teacher and staff recruiting strategies that were explicitly or implicitly based on race. This practice is seen as unfair and discriminatory, as it gives preferential treatment to certain individuals based on their racial background.
Supporters of the Decision
The cuts to DEI training programs have been welcomed by conservatives and advocates for traditional education. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, expressed her support on social media.
Conservative organizations such as Moms for Liberty have also praised the decision, stating that it redirects resources towards teaching fundamental skills like reading.
Opposition to the Cuts
Critics of the decision argue that DEI programs are essential for creating a more inclusive and equitable educational system. They maintain that these programs help educators to recognize and address systemic biases that can hinder student learning.
Some also express concern that the Trump administration’s focus on eliminating DEI programs is motivated by political ideology rather than educational best practices.
Part of a Larger Effort
The cancellation of DEI training grants is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reform the Department of Education. The administration has ordered all 50 state education departments to remove DEI policies within 14 days or risk losing federal funding.
President Trump has also signaled his intention to eventually abolish the Department of Education, leaving individual states to make decisions about their own education systems.
