On Thursday, January 23rd, the U.S. Department of Education began eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the agency, following directives from President Trump. These actions aim to dismantle what the administration deems harmful programs and refocus the department on improving educational outcomes instead of promoting divisive ideologies.
The department has removed or archived hundreds of documents, reports, and training materials linked to DEI, reflecting the administration’s push to end policies perceived as discriminatory or wasteful. This aligns with President Trump’s broader objective to reduce unnecessary government spending and end discrimination based on race.
Key actions include the dissolution of the Department’s Diversity & Inclusion Council and the Employee Engagement Diversity Equity Inclusion Accessibility Council (EEDIAC) within the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Both councils were previously established under President Obama’s administration. As part of an Executive Order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” the new directive cancels the policies that guided these councils and withdraws their related initiatives.
Additionally, the Department has canceled over $2.6 million in DEI-related training and service contracts and withdrawn its previous Equity Action Plan. As part of these changes, staff members involved in overseeing DEI programs have been placed on paid administrative leave pending further review.
They are also working to remove over 200 web pages from its official site, which contain resources and materials that encourage schools and institutions to adopt DEI-driven policies. They will continue its review to ensure that no divisive or race-based programs remain in place.
The Department stated that the actions taken begin a broader effort to eliminate divisive DEI initiatives and ensure that the agency promotes a fair and inclusive educational environment. They will continue reviewing DEI programs and take further steps to address programs that may advance a divisive agenda.
