U.S. Education Department Sued By NAACP Over DEI School Funding Cuts

The NAACP filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday, accusing it of illegally attempting to cut funding to schools using diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and undermining Black students' access to equal education. In the complaint filed in Washington, D.C., the NAACP condemned the Trump administration's actions, saying they target "truthful, inclusive curricula" and programs designed to foster belonging and address racism. The group argued that the administration's policies "advance a misinterpretation" of civil rights laws and Supreme Court rulings, violating equal protection and free speech rights under the Constitution.

The lawsuit follows a February 14 "Dear Colleague" letter the Department sent to federally funded schools, warning that race could not be considered in admissions, hiring, pay, financial aid, scholarships, housing, or graduation ceremonies. By April 3, the Department demanded schools certify compliance, including eliminating DEI programs, claiming these steps were required under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and a 2023 Supreme Court decision that banned race-conscious admissions. Although a New Hampshire court temporarily halted enforcement of the letter until April 24, the NAACP said some schools had already canceled programs or lost funding.

One example cited was the Waterloo, Iowa, school district, which pulled first-grade students from the University of Northern Iowa's African American Read-In, an event attended by nearly 3,500 students across 73 schools. NAACP President Derrick Johnson blasted the administration's actions, stating, "Children of color consistently attend segregated, chronically underfunded schools where they receive less educational opportunities and more discipline. Denying these truths doesn't make them disappear — it deepens the harm." Johnson also accused the White House of "effectively sanctioning" the very discrimination U.S. civil rights laws were meant to eradicate.

The Department of Education has yet to respond to the lawsuit, which is titled NAACP v. U.S. Department of Education et al., filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, case number 25-01120.

Link: NBCNews