Massachusetts says it will continue DEI in schools: "A strength, not a flaw."
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has reached out to the Trump administration and said the state will continue to adhere to diversity, equity and inclusion in its schools, despite threats to cut federal funding.
"Consistent with longstanding federal law, Massachusetts will continue to promote diversity in our schools because we know it improves outcomes for all of our kids, and we have more work to do," Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler said in a letter sent to the U.S. Department of Education.
DEI in Massachusetts
In the letter, Tutwiler highlighted the accomplishments of Massachusetts schools, saying the state has the best K-12 schools in the country. He said that DEI is why Massachusetts schools are so strong, calling diversity "a strength, not a flaw."
"It is a reason for our success, not a barrier to it," Tutwiler said in the letter.
Tutwiler said Massachusetts is already in compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Supreme Court cases that interpret it.
Trump administration DEI crackdown
The U.S. Department of Education warned state education commissioners last week that federal funding for their K-12 schools may be at risk unless they confirm they're complying with "antidiscrimination obligations," including getting rid of DEI programs. The Trump administration has been cracking down on DEI since taking office, calling the practice discriminatory.
"Federal financial assistance is a privilege, not a right," Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a statement. "When state education commissioners accept federal funds, they agree to abide by federal antidiscrimination requirements."
Several other states, including New York, have already said they will not comply with the order. Like Massachusetts, New York's education department said they are already in compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Federal funds are already on the chopping block as the Trump administration plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, leaving educators in Massachusetts concerned. Programs at risk include support for special education and low-income students and Pell Grants.
