NATIONAL NEWS – Trump gives schools two weeks to ban DEI or risk defunding

Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer

The U.S. Department of Education has issued a warning to schools and universities that receive federal funding. The directive gives these institutions an ultimatum: eliminate diversity initiatives or risk losing federal funding. Schools from preschools to colleges have been instructed to stop using racial preferences in admissions, financial aid, and hiring practices.

This directive extends an executive order signed by Trump banning DEI programs in the federal government. Craig Trainor, the department’s acting assistant secretary for civil rights, stated in a letter that treating students differently based on race would violate the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling on affirmative action. If institutions fail to comply, they risk losing funding for essential programs, including Title IX, student loans, state development loans, free or reduced-cost lunch programs, and support for students with special needs.

Trump’s executive actions against DEI efforts have faced widespread criticism and multiple legal challenges. Organizations such as the American Association of University Professors and the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education have joined lawsuits arguing that these policies threaten academic freedom and restrict access to higher education.