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The NAACP is taking legal action against the Department of Education over its efforts to cut funding to schools that use DEI programs.
On Tuesday (April 15), the NAACP filed a complaint in Washington, D.C., accusing the Trump administration of targeting schools that offer "truthful, inclusive curricula," policies that give Black Americans equal access to selective education opportunities, and efforts to foster a sense of belonging and address racism, per NBC News.
The civil rights group also alleged that the Trump administration's efforts “advance a misinterpretation” of federal civil rights laws and Supreme Court precedent that undermine equal protection rights and protections.
Tuesday's lawsuit comes after the Education Department sent out a "Dear Colleague" letter on February 14, warning that schools could risk losing federal funding if they continue to consider race as a factor in areas including admissions, hiring and promotion, pay, financial aid, scholarships and prizes, housing and graduation ceremonies.
On April 3, the department demanded that schools sign certifications of compliance with federal law, which the administration said included the end of DEI programs.
The NAACP said some schools have already lost funding, while others have canceled programs in response to the Trump administration's threats. In Waterloo, Iowa, the school district withdrew first-grade students from the University of Northern Iowa’s annual African American Read-In, which was attended by nearly 3,500 students across over 70 schools.
“Children of color consistently attend segregated, chronically underfunded schools where they receive less educational opportunities and more discipline,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement. “Denying these truths doesn’t make them disappear — it deepens the harm.”
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