Federal judge strikes down Education Department rule stripping DEI grants– www.thecollegefix.com

Department failed to explain why it reversed course on teacher training grants

A federal judge blocked a U.S. Department of Education rule stripping grants from teacher prep programs that teach DEI.

In February 2025, the department pulled “over $600 million in grants to institutions and nonprofits that were using taxpayer funds to train teachers and education agencies on divisive ideologies,” according to a news release.

“Training materials included inappropriate and unnecessary topics such as Critical Race Theory; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); social justice activism; ‘anti-racism’; and instruction on white privilege and white supremacy,” the release states.

Calling the directive “arbitrary and capricious,” District Judge Angel Kelley ruled that officials failed to adequately explain why they were reversing course on grants that historically encouraged DEI programs, according to The Hill. 

“Rather than confining the Directive to actions that are traditionally understood to constitute discrimination, the record instead reflects that Defendants terminated grants with topics such as ‘acknowledging … racism’ and ‘anti-racism’—activities expressly undertaken to oppose discrimination,” Kelley wrote.

The judge added that the department bypassed mandatory public notice and comment periods, and ignored how heavily states, teachers, students, and principals depend on the funding, according to WPRI.