The U.S. Department of Education has issued a bold new directive requiring schools to remove race-based considerations from admissions, hiring, and other programs. This move has sparked immediate backlash from civil rights groups, education leaders, and advocates.
In a letter to federally funded schools, the Department mandated that they stop using racial preferences in everything from admissions and hiring to scholarships and disciplinary actions. Schools that don’t comply within 14 days could risk losing federal funding.
Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor praised the directive, calling it “a victory for justice, civil rights laws, and the Constitution.” He explained that the Trump administration’s goal is to end racial preferences and stereotypes in education.
This directive builds on last year’s Supreme Court ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, but its impact goes beyond just college admissions. It affects schools at all levels, including elementary, middle, and high schools. It also targets Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, which the Department claims have led to “widespread censorship” and a “repressive viewpoint monoculture” on campuses.
Specifically, the Department has banned race-based factors in admissions, hiring, promotions, compensation, scholarships, and disciplinary decisions. Now, schools are required to assess students based on merit, accomplishment, and character.
The directive’s sweeping nature has raised concerns among education experts, particularly because schools have just 14 days to comply. Many administrators argue that overhauling systems like hiring processes, student programs, and admissions policies can’t be done properly in such a short time.
Critics also argue that the Department is overstepping its authority and misinterpreting the Supreme Court’s decision. While the Court ruled against race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, many legal experts believe the ruling was more limited than the Department’s directive suggests.
The Department also targets what it calls the “DEI regime” in schools, accusing these programs of encouraging censorship through things like “deplatforming speakers” with opposing views and using “bias response teams” to investigate dissenters.
Now, schools face the tough task of reviewing and possibly overhauling a range of policies to make sure they’re in compliance. This includes everything from recruitment strategies and scholarship rules to funding for student organizations and faculty hiring practices.
The Department has set up a complaint system through its Office for Civil Rights for individuals who believe a school is violating the new guidelines. However, education advocates worry that the rush to implement these changes could lead to decisions that unintentionally harm educational equity and access.
As schools try to figure out how to make these changes quickly, it’s still unclear what the long-term effects on educational equity and diversity will be. The Department hasn’t fully explained how it will enforce the directive or evaluate compliance, leaving many institutions in a tough spot as they try to balance these new requirements with their educational missions.
