The Education Department is changing its tune on the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in education.

In February 2025, the Trump administration dismantled DEI-related programs, initiatives, and roles at the federal level, the Los Angeles Times reports. 

The same month, the Department of Education sent a letter to schools, discouraging them from considering race in college admissions, hiring processes, scholarship programs, and “all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life.” The letter claimed that upholding DEI efforts resulted in discrimination against white and Asian American students. 

According to The Hill, K-12 schools were also notified that upholding DEI would result in a loss of federal funding, and were asked to sign a certification to show they would be compliant with the order.

Inside Higher Ed reports that, soon after, groups of education unions, a national association, and a public school district challenged the Trump administration’s actions in a lawsuit, stating that the Department of Education’s order violated the First Amendment. The American Federation of Teachers led the lawsuit, per The Hill.

In August 2025, federal judge Stephanie Gallagher struck down the guidance, saying the administration’s stance “ran afoul” of federal procedural requirements and that “the regulation of speech cannot be done casually,” according to The Hill.

Shortly after, the Trump Administration moved to appeal the decision.

Education Department Drops Appeal

The Education Department has now dropped its appeal of the federal court ruling, according to a Jan. 21 filing with the United States Court of Appeals.

“Today’s dismissal confirms what the data shows: government attorneys are having an increasingly difficult time defending the lawlessness of the president and his cabinet,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, in a press release. “And, when people show up and resist, they win.”

Democracy Forward represented the slew of educators and organizations that filed the lawsuit, notes the press release. Perryman called the news a “welcome relief” and a victory for public education.