New Executive Order Targets DEI
What is DEI/DEIA?
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives aim to promote equitable access to opportunities and resources in education and the workforce, regardless of background. While supporters see DEIA as a way to address systemic inequalities, critics argue it fosters division and prioritizes identity over merit.
What has the new administration done:
Donald Trump has been a very vocal critic of DEIA. Upon taking office Monday, January 20th, he has taken several steps to end federal DEIA initiatives.
In a recent White House fact sheet, Trump called the practices actively discriminatory and wasteful.
Trump rescinded over 72 executive orders from the Biden Administration, including dozens focused on DEIA practices, and released an executive order banning all DEI offices and practices in the federal government.
Wednesday, all DEIA employees were placed on paid administrative leave, with agencies required to submit plans for their permanent dismissal by January 31st.
It’s unclear the number of employees that will be impacted. Some departments don’t have any staff solely focused on these initiatives or rely on contractors, while others, like Health and Human Services (HHS), have entire offices dedicated to equity programs, including ones that impact the general public such as equitable maternal health and healthcare training for diverse populations.
A Potential Impact on Education and the Private Sector:
The executive order’s impact on education is currently unclear, but mandates investigations into DEI “discrimination” at institutions with over $1 billion in endowments and lists of federal DEI grant recipients, including universities. This executive order and other promises by Trump and Political Critics leave many unsure of the future of DEI for schools and universities.
This executive order has come a year and a half since the Supreme Court overturned affirmative action.
In response to this and growing criticism, many businesses have already announced that they were eliminating or rolling back their DEI programs.
On January 10th 2025, both Amazon and Meta sent internal memos that they would be eliminating several DEI programs.
Student Reaction:
We interviewed Junior Cammie Pope about her reaction to the recent order. Pope is a Special Education and Early Childhood major with a minor in Spanish who works as a student teacher. She stated she is worried that the decision will impact students, especially ESOL students, who “require the support and encouragement that DEI programs provide, and taking them away can bring a large disadvantage academically to those who are a part of these groups”. She also expressed concern about companies ending DEIA programs, and how it may discourage minority students from pursuing certain programs in college.
When asked about what long term impacts she thinks that this order may have, Pope expressed hope that it could be reversed in the future. Without DEI programs, she is worried that children “won’t learn the importance of diversity when their minds are still young and growing”. In her words of advice for students who may be impacted by this order she encourages them to “keep fighting for what you believe in” and to stay persistent.
What is your reaction? We’ve included a google form below to collect student and staff responses to the recent policies: https://forms.gle/tc5byo2231oJ1Srr6
LINKS FOR RESOURCES INCLUDED
FACT SHEET
EXECUTIVE ORDERS
EXECUTIVE ORDER BANNING DEI OFFICES
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION OVERTURN
Supreme Court reverses affirmative action, gutting race-conscious admissions : NPR
OTHER SOURCES