Photo: Alyssa Keown ~ USA TODAY NETWORK
MICHIGAN, March 4, 2025 ~ The Trump administration wants Michigan schools to remove DEI programs and initiatives, but there is a problem with that: school officials are not sure what the government defines as “DEI.“
In a letter delivered on Feb. 14, a letter was sent to Michigan school officials that said they would lose federal funding if they did not follow how the Trump administration read a 2023 Supreme Court ruling on civil rights laws, something the Michigan Department of Education is cautious to do. However, Isabel Lohman, reporter at Bridge Michigan, told WJR that Michigan K-12 schools and colleges are confused on what classifies as a DEI policy.
“There’s probably examples where schools are doing efforts to elevate the experiences of students with disabilities, like an inclusion week or something like that. On its face, superintendents would say that’s trying to create a welcoming environment for all, but it’s possible that depending on how the federal government interprets that it could get challenged,” Lohman said.
PODCAST:
March 4, 2025 ~ Federal directives threaten funding for K-12 schools and colleges that do not comply with federal guidelines on DEI programs. Isabel Lohman, reporter at Bridge Michigan, joins Guy Gordon, Lloyd Jackson, and Jamie Edmonds to talk about a recent document that was sent out to provide additional clarity on these vague terms schools are being asked to follow.
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