Education dept. warns schools: eliminate DEI programs or lose funding

Summary

U.S. Education Department threatens to withhold Title I funds from K-12 schools if they continue DEI programs that it views as discriminatory.

The agency insists that civil rights laws prohibit using race as a factor in education, requiring state officials to certify compliance within 10 days.

The warning affects schools reliant on over $18.38 billion in Title I funding, impacting nearly 90% of U.S. districts and low-income communities.

Critics, including the American Federation of Teachers, call the move political bullying, while some leaders support stricter federal oversight for fund usage.