Overview

• U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty ruled that the Trump administration’s directive targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs likely violates the First Amendment.
• The preliminary injunction prevents the administration from withholding Title I funds from schools employing National Education Association (NEA) members, but does not extend nationwide.
• The Department of Education’s directive, issued in February, threatened to cut federal funding for schools continuing DEI practices, citing alleged civil rights violations.
• McCafferty criticized the directive for being unconstitutionally vague and for failing to define what constitutes a DEI program, creating legal uncertainty for schools.
• Legal challenges to the directive remain active in Maryland and D.C., while schools outside the injunction’s scope face pressure to certify compliance or risk funding cuts.