New York Schools Answer DEI Ultimatum With a 'No'

State education officials in New York have rejected the Trump administration's demand that they end certain diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public schools or risk losing federal funding. A letter sent Friday to the federal Department of Education in response to the ultimatum says that the administration has not specified what practices it maintains violate civil rights protections, adding, "there are no federal or state laws prohibiting the principles of DEI." The response was far more direct and unyielding than those of other educational institutions, including universities, to the administration's threats, the New York Times reports.

Federal funding accounts for about 6% of New York's K-12 school budgets, per the Hill. For New York City Public Schools in fiscal 2025, that translates to about $2.2 billion. The letter says state officials are unaware of any authority the federal agency has to insist that states agree with its interpretation of court decisions or to cut off federal funding without a formal process, per the AP. It also points out that there's been no explanation for the federal government's shift on DEI programs, quoting Trump's first-term education secretary from 2020. Betsy DeVos had said diversity and inclusion were "cornerstones of high organizational performance," the letter says. (More New York state stories.)