As part of an ongoing effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to erode policies related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in public education, K-12 schools that receive federal funding have been mandated to sign compliance forms that certify the schools are not engaging in “illegal DEI practices” or face funding cuts.
State education departments have been issued a deadline of Thursday, April 24, to certify compliance; however, the New Hampshire Department of Education had imposed a shorter deadline of Thursday, April 17, according to reporting from New Hampshire Public Radio.
Vague language surrounding the DEI ban, and concerns about how uncertainty can cause a chilling effect on curriculum and free speech, have inspired five New Hampshire school districts, (Somersworth, Dover, Oyster River, Hanover and Portsmouth), as well as a district in Norwich, Vt. to join a lawsuit brought against the United States Department of Education by the National Education Association and the American Civil Liberties Union.
If DEI wasn’t on your political radar before it became a point of fixation for conservative politicians and commentators during the 2024 Presidential Election, try replacing the term with “wokeism” or “critical race theory.”
Over the past few years, vaguely defined buzzwords have been a staple of right-wing messaging strategies and policy priorities. While DEI initiatives seek to foster inclusive and welcoming frameworks in educational and professional spaces, the term itself can mean different things to different people.
Many conservative-leaning individuals view DEI as a free ride, where identity politics yield an unfair advantage in career and educational opportunities. Following the fatal collision of an American Eagle Bombardier CRJ700 and a United States Army Blackhawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., on January 29, Trump was quick to baselessly claim that “DEI hires” were responsible for perceived human errors leading up to the crash.
DEI can mean whatever you want it to mean, as long as it somehow manages to demonize progressive approaches to addressing the equity gaps that attempt to minimize the burdens faced by marginalized communities.
The New Hampshire schools pushing back against the Trump administration’s certification forms are recognizing the broadness of the term, as understood by its antagonists. While many schools have asserted that they are already acting in compliance with anti-discrimination laws, the vagueness of the concerns laid out in the Department of Education order is likely to serve as a blank check to vilify and penalize any actions taken with the intent to support marginalized students.
The chilling effect is likely to take the form of scaring New Hampshire schools into walking on eggshells at the expense of students and families, in order to avoid falling into the crosshairs of an administration that seems to be willing to use federal funding as a carrot and stick to impose a cultural agenda on our educational system.
Ryan Pacheco can be contacted at
rpacheco@kscequinox.com
