Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are Critical and effective. Who will stand up for them?
FedSDC remains committed to ensuring the educational rights of historically marginalized students, youth, and children are unscathed by political threats and violence. We also want to ensure that all students have the right to learn without the interference of political ideology or unsubstantiated claims that undermine the value of an equitable education.
Introduction
On February 14, 2025 the U.S. Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) to schools and education institutions threatening significant action if they did not remove all diversity, equity, and inclusion programming and curriculum, as it was: 1) in violation of federal law; and 2) promoted discrimination.
The DCL is grounded in baseless allegations and inaccurate statements of law. Yet, the actions the letter coerces schools to engage in threaten to harm our nations students, youth, and children as well as destroy educational institutions writ large.
We are urging Education Superintendents, Commissioners, Administrators, Educators, and Board of Education Members not to voluntarily comply with the DCL letter or allow their schools to engage in actions that would summarily create inequitable educational opportunities for millions of students, youth, and children.
WHAT IS DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION!
Diversity, equity and inclusion are not, as the anti-DEI propaganda campaign asserts, some kind of “Marxist bogeyman.” These principles and concepts have been codified in federal law for more than 150 years.
Diversity, equity and inclusion have guided our society to an increase in the rights, freedoms, and participation by those who have been—and remain—denied full access to those rights, freedoms, and participation, at no detriment to other groups.
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Diversity x says that our institutions and our leadership should include faces that represent the full range of who we are.
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Equity x affirms that our society spent too long trying to keep certain groups down, and we ought to set that right.
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Inclusion x emerged in the late 1980s as part of efforts to integrate students with disabilities into the mainstream; it represents a principled decision to no longer keep some groups out, but to proactively ensure that all can fully participate in our freedoms, rights, and opportunities.
