Judge Blocks Trump’s Effort to Remove DEI in K-12 Public Schools

A federal judge on Thursday blocked actions by President Trump’s Department of Education that aimed to force public universities and K-12 schools to get rid of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.

Federal Judge Landya McCafferty issued a preliminary injunction against a “Dear Colleague” letter that told universities they could be at risk of civil rights investigations if they have DEI programs on campus, a certification requirement for K-12 schools that DEI programs were eliminated and actions against schools reported through the Education Department’s “DEI portal.”

“Today’s ruling allows educators and schools to continue to be guided by what’s best for students, not by the threat of illegal restrictions and punishment,” said Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association.

“The fact is that Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and [Education Secretary] Linda McMahon are using politically motivated attacks and harmful and vague directives to stifle speech and erase critical lessons to attack public education, as they work to dismantle public schools,” she added.

The lawsuit was brought on by the National Education Association, its New Hampshire affiliate and the Center for Black Educator Development.

“[A] preliminary injunction would merely maintain the status quo prior to the 2025 Letter’s enactment — a status quo which, as recently as 2023, the Department believed was both lawful and worthy of encouragement,” McCafferty said in her ruling.

“Moreover, the court has already determined that plaintiffs are likely to be successful in arguing that the 2025 Letter is unconstitutional,” she added.

Trump has long railed against DEI, but this specific fight began Feb. 14, when the Department of Education threatened civil rights investigations against universities that had DEI programs, although the language was unclear on what was considered DEI under the directive.

Following the “Dear Colleague” letter, state education officials and K-12 school leaders were told they needed to sign a form certifying there were no DEI programs at their schools. Many Democratic states outright refused to sign the document, which was due Thursday.

During this time, the department also opened a “DEI portal” where parents and community members could report suspicious activities to the federal government.

The Education Department will almost certainly appeal the decision.