Department of Education rolls back DEI initiatives

• The Education Department called its existing DEI initiatives "harmful" and said getting rid of them is "the first step in reorienting the agency toward prioritizing meaningful learning ahead of divisive ideology in our schools."

Zoom in: The department said in a press release Thursday that it removed or archived hundreds of guidance documents, reports and training materials that include mentions of DEI.

• It also put employees charged with leading DEI initiatives on paid administrative leave and canceled ongoing DEI training and service contracts totaling over $2.6 million.
• More than 200 web pages from the department's website that housed DEI resources were identified for removal.
• Additionally, the department withdrew its Equity Action Plan and dismissed its Obama-era Diversity & Inclusion Council along with the Employee Engagement Diversity Equity Inclusion Accessibility Council within the Office for Civil Rights.

Our thought bubble: Without inclusion efforts, there's no mechanism to address inequities or educate people on the realities of systemic injustice, Axios' Delano Massey writes.

• Erasing DEI dismantles tools meant to reflect history accurately and foster understanding — leaving underserved communities without a voice or redress.

Go deeper: Trump rolls back bedrock civil rights measure in sweeping anti-DEI push