The rollback of DEI programs continues to intensify, with universities, public schools and even the U.S. Defense Department facing federal scrutiny and restrictions.
Despite this, New York continues to push back against federal demands to dismantle DEI across the country.
A Black studies curriculum has been launched at the Hugo Newman School in Harlem amid the rollback of critical race theory courses and other DEI programs in public schools.
This follows a pilot program which launched a Black studies curriculum in 120 schools during the 2023-2024 school year.
According to a press release by the Teachers College of Columbia University, the curriculum includes the study of traditional African cultures, the global migrations of African people throughout the African Diaspora, the continuum of the Black experience in the Americas from the 17th century to the present, African American history in New York State and Black history and heritage.
The program was a three-year project funded by the New York City Council and remained in development during a book ban documented by Poets, Essayists, Novelists America, including 874 unique book titles — 30% of which comprised characters of color or discussed racism.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and 14 other attorneys, including Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, also issued new guidelines for institutions of higher education and K-12 schools.
“Educational institutions should continue to foster diver-sity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility among their student bodies,” the collective put in writing.
While states like New York continue to implement new initiatives, many universities across the country have already rescinded diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
On March 11, Bill 227, titled “Eliminating ‘DEI’ from Public Education,” was passed, which prohibits the teaching of “divisive concepts” in North Carolina public schools.
At Arizona State University, researchers were told they had to halt any DEI-related work on projects that had been funded by the federal government.
“Right now, North Carolina’s classrooms are dealing with crumbling buildings, lead pipes, permanent substitutes instead of qualified teachers, and chronic underfunding that shortchanges our kids,” minority leader of the North Carolina Senate, Sydney Batch, shared with Fox affiliate Fox8 WGHP in a statement responding to the bill.
“But instead of fixing any of that, Republicans are focused on banning diversity, equity, and inclusion because they don’t like how it makes them feel.”
The Trump administration has also launched investigations into 52 universities in 41 states, accusing these institutions of using “racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities.”
Additionally, the federal government launched investigations into New York University due to its partnership with the organization called the PhD Project.
The PhD Project is a nonprofit organization that aims to help students obtain a doctorate by providing resources like network-ing opportunities and access to scholarships and grants.
The U.S. Education Department accused the program of “limiting eligibility based on the race of recipients.”
Schools are not the only target of DEI purges, however.
According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Defense Department flagged 26,000 images for removal due to DEI content.
One such instance included historic photos of the Tuskegee Airmen.
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