The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to all federally funded K-12 schools and universities across the nation on Friday, Feb. 14, instructing them to ban Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the next two weeks.
The Dear Colleague letter, signed by the Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Craig Trainor, ordered educational institutions to end the consideration of race and stereotypes in their admission, hiring, scholarship, and other decisions. The letter also stated that not following the instructions within the next two weeks, by Feb. 28, would put institutions at risk of investigation and losing federal funding, according to a press release by the U.S. Department of Education.
The withdrawal of federal funding from schools has the potential to harm programs such as free or reduced-price lunch programs, Title IV, and special education programs, which rely on federal funds to operate.
“I speculate that disbanding DEI programs intended to support a wide range of members would make the targeted populations feel isolated, disrespected, and even threatened. This is contradictory to the inclusive environment we are trying to create, where everyone can thrive and feel emotionally and physically safe,” said Gregg Patner, an administrative vice principal at Carlmont High School.
Banning DEI in educational institutions comes as President Trump’s latest move aligned with his goal of cutting back on DEI initiatives across the country. Since assuming office, Trump has signed a number of executive orders to remove programs established by the Biden Administration and previous presidents, including the repeal of Justice40 and now the removal of DEI initiatives in schools.
Many high schools and state colleges are expected to be impacted by the DEI policy change, which is required to take effect by Feb. 28 in order to avoid losing federal funding. The University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) and Carlmont High School are two of the educational institutions that pride themselves on their diverse programs and may see impacts on the student body if the changes are implemented.
“At Carlmont, we honor clubs of a variety of interests and affiliations. We have several focus groups that allow for affinity groups to meet and connect with people of like mindedness and background. We have a heritage fair every year to honor the variety of cultures on campus,” Patner said.
Carlmont students who benefit from DEI programs, including free lunch and special education programs, also suspect that the removal of these policies would harm them and many other students.
“I get school lunch every day mainly because it makes things easier for my parents since they don’t have to pack me lunch every morning. I also think the free lunch program makes it so that low-income students don’t have to worry about food while they’re at school, and it helps them focus better,” said Uma Rai, a sophomore at Carlmont High School. “Removing DEI programs and federal funding from in schools would definitely have a negative effect since so many students get school lunch.” 
UCSC, a land-grant and research university, will also likely see some changes if the Department of Education’s order takes effect.
“UC Santa Cruz is a very inclusive campus, and there are resources for almost every possible group of students that could be here. There are all sorts of different minority and ethnic groups, plenty of trans and LGBTQIA+ spaces, and a Disability Resource Center, where I work,” said Samantha Dechaine, a freshman undergraduate student at UCSC and an exam assistant supervisor at the university’s Disability Resource Center.
“The feminist studies degree was just removed from our school, which was a historic degree because Maya Angelou created it at UCSC when she was here. If more DEI programs and courses like that were removed, it would be devastating for students, because those kinds of studies are so important and integral to our society,” Dechaine said.
Many of President Trump’s anti-DEI executive orders may be dismantling federal anti-discrimination policies created throughout history, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, a non-partisan non-profit organization that is not government-funded.
However, according to the White House, Trump’s goal in rolling back DEI initiatives is to end discrimination and encourage merit-based opportunities instead, particularly by stopping wrongful discrimination against white and Asian students by educational institutions. The Dear Colleague letter cited how race impacted college and financial aid decisions for certain students, though the Supreme Court banned affirmative action and race-based admissions in 2023.
Despite concerns about what eliminating DEI policies within schools and universities might mean for federally funded programs, such as those targeted towards low-income and special needs students who rely heavily on free or reduced lunch programs and special education, it is unlikely that federal funding will be cut at all.
According to NPR, a federal judge blocked many of President Trump’s executive orders targeting DEI due to them being an overreach of presidential power, suggesting that the actions detailed in the letter may not take effect and that schools will continue to receive federal funding regardless of the status of their DEI initiatives.
“No matter what’s going to come next, we’re all very hopeful that together, students and teachers and faculty will be able to push forward and continue learning and growing together,” Dechaine said.
