Why We Must Stay the Course: “Judge blocks Trump guidance that threatened DEI programs in schools”

Even though the legal reaction-correction times tend to lag far behind the shock and intimidation gushing out of Washington, logic, law, and even a minimally sufficient amount of hope and faith in humanity give reason to believe that the pretexts will be dismantled, the bigotry will be revealed for what it is, and the essential work and worth of inclusivity will prevail. 

Please let this article provide you with sufficient encouragement not to abandon your obligation to unabashedly attend to diversity, equity, and inclusion dynamics in your communities.

Referring to Trump’s edicts discussed in the article, please remember that “illegal DEI efforts” are being promulgated by the current administration, not by responsible and hard-working DEI practitioners. Please remember that certifying that there are no DEI practices in schools would be tantamount to saying that there are no safety measures in school.

Lunacy is lunacy even when it is lethal. The right response is not to engage with it on its own terms - as have too many of the nation’s most powerful educational institutions and corporations. Engagement, settling, making deals… with moral depravity is complicity with moral depravity. 

Don’t look for ways to rename your DEI work. Don’t close offices and departments that are beacons and sources of safety and recognition for those you serve. Don’t let nobody turn you around and away from your mission, your aspiration, your obligation. Plant your feet, stand your ground, even if all around you others are ducking, dodging, shucking, jiving, and embarrassing themselves with their efforts to supplicate bullies and bigots.

I can’t guarantee the win. Few things are guaranteed in life. Among them is that if you don’t stand up to oppression, you become part of the problem.

Peace, and all it requires.

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Here’s the text of the linked article:

Judge blocks Trump guidance that threatened DEI programs in schools

by Lexi Lonas Cochran - 08/14/25 5:58 PM ET

U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher in a Thursday ruling permanently blocked two memos issued by the Trump administration that threatened schools with funding cuts for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.  

Earlier in the year, the Trump administration issued a “Dear Colleague” letter for universities threatening to take funding if they don’t end “illegal” DEI efforts. Soon after, K-12 districts got a memo to certify they have no DEI practices in their schools.  

The American Federation of Teachers, Democracy Forward and others sued over both of the memos, arguing the administration did not go through the proper procedures and violated the rights of schools. 

“Plaintiffs have shown that neither challenged agency action was promulgated in accordance with the procedural requirements of the APA, and that both actions run afoul of important constitutional rights,” wrote Gallagher, who was appointed by President Trump.  

The Hill has reached out to the Education Department for comment.

“Today’s final judgment by a federal court affirms what we and the plaintiffs in this case have long known: the Trump-Vance administration’s crusade against civil rights, equity, and inclusion is unlawful and threatens all Americans. This is an invaluable decision that will have a sweeping and positive impact on public schools, teachers, and students. Threatening teachers and sowing chaos in schools throughout America is part of the administration’s war on education, and today the people won,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward.   

In the “Dear Colleague” letter, the Trump administration argued universities were trying to circumvent the 2023 Supreme Court ruling regarding affirmative action, which the federal government says applied to not only admissions, but also scholarships and other programs. 

“The Department will no longer tolerate the overt and covert racial discrimination that has become widespread in this Nation’s educational institutions. The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent,” the letter said.