School districts and colleges across the country are facing new guidance from the Trump administration's Department of Education to cut diversity, equity and inclusion programs or risk losing federal funding.
Schools were told on Feb.14 that they had two weeks to comply with this request in the form of a "Dear Colleague" letter from the department's Office of Civil Rights claiming that a 2023 Supreme Court decision outlawing the use of affirmative action in admissions applied beyond the scope of admissions— into hiring, scholarships and other parts of campus life.
Some legal experts are pushing back on this interpretation— and some national education leaders, like the President of the American Council on Education, Ted Mitchell, are cautioning leaders not to engage in "anticipatory compliance."
But many colleges and K-12 districts are already undergoing major review of existing DEI policies in response to the letter. The Akron Public Schools superintendent has proposed repealing several racial-equity related policies, and Kent State University's president told its student body that changes will come in compliance with federal policy.
Ohio schools are also facing challenges to DEI programs in a higher education bill called Senate Bill 1, which passed the Ohio Senate earlier this month and now moves to the House.
Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we're joined by Washington Post national education writer Laura Meckler to talk about some of these moves on DEI.
Later, we'll learn about the origins of Black History Month.
55 years ago, as major anti-Vietnam war and Black power movements were sweeping the country, Black students on college campuses were inspired to take more direct action to quell racism and promote equality.
Kent State University's Black United Students organization helped lead the way to establishing Black History Month, years before the holiday received a nationwide designation.
Then, host Jenny Hamel talks to Richard Rothstein, author of "The Color of Law" about his sequel written with his daughter, Leah Rothstein, called, "Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law." In this book, the authors explore the impacts of racial segregation and discriminatory practices that exist at varying levels of government.
