Feb 18, 2025 Story by: Publisher
The U.S. Department of Education has issued a broad directive requiring educational institutions to remove race-based considerations from admissions, hiring, and various programs, prompting swift opposition from civil rights groups, education leaders, and advocacy organizations.
In a Dear Colleague Letter addressed to schools receiving federal funding, the Department instructed institutions to discontinue the use of race-based preferences in areas such as admissions, hiring, scholarships, and disciplinary policies. Schools that fail to comply within 14 days face the risk of losing federal funding.
“With this guidance, the Trump Administration is directing schools to end the use of racial preferences and race stereotypes in their programs and activities,” stated Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor, describing the decision as “a victory for justice, civil rights laws, and the Constitution.”
This directive builds upon last year’s Supreme Court ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and extends its impact beyond college admissions to include elementary, middle, and high schools. Additionally, it targets diversity programs, which the Department claims have led to “widespread censorship” and a “repressive viewpoint monoculture” on campuses.
Background:
Petitioner Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) sued Harvard College over its admissions process, alleging that the process violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against Asian American applicants in favor of white applicants. Harvard admits that it uses race as one of many factors in its admissions process but argues that its process adheres to the requirements for race-based admissions outlined in the Supreme Court’s decision in Grutter v. Bollinger.
After a 15-day bench trial, the district court issued a detailed opinion in favor of Harvard. SFFA appealed, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed.
The case was originally consolidated for oral argument with a similar case challenging the admissions policies at the University of North Carolina under the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, but the Court severed the cases.
The question presented is whether the admissions systems used by Harvard College and UNC are lawful under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
Under the new mandate, race-based considerations are banned in admissions, hiring and promotions, compensation, scholarships, and disciplinary measures. The directive emphasizes that students should now be assessed “according to merit, accomplishment, and character.”
The extensive nature of the order has sparked significant concerns among education experts regarding its timeline and reach. The 14-day deadline for compliance has drawn criticism from school administrators, who argue that overhauling systems related to administration, hiring, and student programs requires more time and thorough planning.
Source: Diverse Education/Oyez
