The New York State Education Department (NYSED) announced it will continue to push diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in public schools—despite direct instructions from the Trump administration to cease such programs.
The Trump administration’s Department of Education recently issued a warning to school districts nationwide, giving them just 10 days to certify compliance with federal civil rights laws, which now include a prohibition on race-based and ideological DEI practices. Schools that fail to comply could risk losing federal funding.
But in a letter released Friday, Daniel Morton-Bentley, NYSED’s deputy commissioner and legal counsel, rejected the directive, claiming there are “no federal or State laws prohibiting the principles of DEI.”
“The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has certified, on multiple occasions, that it does and will comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its implementing regulations,” the letter said. “It did so recently in connection with its Every Student Succeeds Act Plan, which the United States Department of Education (USDOE) approved on January 8, 2025. The certification remains in effect, as do other certifications and assurances regarding Title VI previously provided to USDOE.”
Despite the Trump administration’s broader efforts to restore neutrality and merit-based education in schools, New York appears committed to preserving its DEI agenda, even at the potential cost of federal funding. The state argues that such initiatives are lawful and fall within its rights—though critics say they promote political ideology at the expense of academic standards and classroom unity.
The Biden-era push for DEI had already drawn backlash from parents and educators across the country who argue it injects divisive identity politics into K–12 education. The Trump administration’s recent crackdown seeks to reverse that trend by reinforcing the Constitution’s guarantee of equal treatment under the law—without preference or prejudice based on race or gender.
So far, New York is standing firm. Whether federal pressure will force a course correction remains to be seen, but the clash signals a larger national battle over who controls the values taught in America’s schools—and whether ideology should have a place in the classroom.
