(The Center Square) – The Trump administration’s Department of Education is working on eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) from its website and workforce.
The agency said Thursday that staff leading DEI initiatives have been placed on administrative leave, and over 200 web pages with DEI resources that “promote or endorse harmful ideological programs” have been deleted. It also killed over $2.5 million of DEI contracts, it says.
The department said the actions aligned with President Donald Trump’s “ongoing commitment to end illegal discrimination and wasteful spending across the federal government.”
Trump signed an executive order Monday that rescinded former President Joe Biden’s actions on requiring the executive branch to promote equity.
“The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government, in areas ranging from airline safety to the military,” the Trump executive order reads.
“This was a concerted effort stemming from President Biden’s first day in office, when he issued Executive Order 13985, ‘Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,’” Trump’s executive action reads.
“Pursuant to Executive Order 13985 and follow-on orders, nearly every Federal agency and entity submitted ‘Equity Action Plans’ to detail the ways that they have furthered DEIs infiltration of the Federal Government,” the order signed Monday reads.
“The public release of these plans demonstrated immense public waste and shameful discrimination. That ends today,” it continued. “Americans deserve a government committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect, and to expending precious taxpayer resources only on making America great.”
Per Trump’s order, the Department says it dissolved its Diversity and Inclusion Council and the Employee Engagement Diversity Equity Inclusion Accessibility Council housed in its Office of Civil rights immediately.
It also canceled $2.6 million in contracts for DEI training and services and nixed the agency’s Equity Action Plan, according to a Thursday news release. It also said there could be more changes to come.
“Pursuant to [Office of Personnel Management] guidance, the Department will continue its comprehensive review of all agency programs and services to identify additional initiatives and working groups that may be advancing a divisive DEI agenda, including programs using coded or imprecise language to disguise their activity,” the Department’s release said. “Careful review of all public sites and media channels for DEI language and resources will also continue.”
• This story first published at Chalkboard News which, like The Center Square, is published by the Franklin News Foundation