Federal Judge Overturns Trump-Era Restrictions on Diversity Programs in Education

A federal judge ruled on Thursday to invalidate two actions from the Trump administration designed to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across educational institutions. U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher, based in Maryland, determined that the Education Department acted unlawfully by threatening to withdraw federal funding from schools maintaining DEI programs. This guidance has been suspended since April when multiple federal judges blocked various elements of the Education Department's anti-DEI stance. The ruling emerged following a motion for summary judgment by the American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association, who filed a lawsuit in February challenging the government’s directives. These actions aimed to eliminate "race-based decision-making" under threat of severe penalties, citing concerns over perceived discrimination against white and Asian American students. Judge Gallagher emphasized that her ruling did not comment on the merits of the policies but highlighted the harmful impact on educators’ rights. The Education Department has yet to respond to the decision.