U.S. Dept. of Education warns schools, universities to end racial preferences or risk losing federal funds

• “Students should be assessed according to merit, accomplishment, and character—not prejudged by the color of their skin,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor.

Mississippi educational leaders are among those digesting a letter sent by the U.S. Department of Education on Friday notifying them that they must cease using race preferences and stereotypes as a factor in their admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, sanctions, discipline, and beyond. 

“The Department will no longer tolerate the overt and covert racial discrimination that has become widespread in this Nation’s educational institutions. The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent,” the letter states. “All students are entitled to a school environment free from discrimination. The Department is committed to ensuring those principles are a reality.”

The letter was sent to those educational institutions receiving federal funds and applies to all preschool, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary educational institutions, as well as state educational agencies, that receive financial assistance.

The Department of Education said institutions that fail to comply may, consistent with applicable law, face investigation and loss of federal funding. The Department will begin assessing compliance beginning no later than 14 days from issuance of the letter. 

“With this guidance, the Trump Administration is directing schools to end the use of racial preferences and race stereotypes in their programs and activities—a victory for justice, civil rights laws, and the Constitution,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor in a statement. 

Trainor said that for decades, schools have been operating on the pretext that selecting students for “diversity” or similar euphemisms is not selecting them based on race.

“No longer. Students should be assessed according to merit, accomplishment, and character—not prejudged by the color of their skin. The Office for Civil Rights will enforce that commitment,” Trainor added.

The letter outlines that proponents of “discriminatory policies and practices” have attempted to further justify them “under the banner of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (‘DEI’), smuggling racial stereotypes and explicit race-consciousness into everyday training, programming, and discipline.”

“But under any banner, discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin is, has been, and will continue to be illegal,” the letter states emphatically.

According to the Education Data Initiative, Mississippi K-12 schools receive $1.33 billion, or $3,029 per pupil, from the federal government. Federal funding for public postsecondary institutions averages $3,767 per student.

Mississippi State University issued a statement on the letter Wednesday, saying they will be assessing their compliance in light of the new interpretations over the next few days.

“As we always do, we will include leadership from across our campus community throughout this process. While some changes and adjustments will be required, our people—our students, faculty and staff—will remain our top priority as we work together through any needed changes and adjustments required by these new federal directives,” the university stated.

Other education entities in Mississippi are undertaking similar reviews but have yet to comment on steps they are taking in light of the latest guidance from the U.S. Department of Education.

You can read the U.S. Department of Education letter below.