Decatur school officials unanimously vote to bring back DEI policies
FILE PHOTO. City Schools of Decatur Board of Education
DECATUR, Ga. - The City Schools of Decatur school officials have voted to reinstate several diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies that were previously amended or rescinded in response to executive orders issued under President Donald Trump.
What we know:
The special-called meeting was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at the Wilson Center on Electric Avenue. The vote was unanimous.
The policies address equal employment opportunities, educational access, and gender equity in sports.
Dig deeper:
In February, the Education Department told schools and colleges they needed to end any practice that differentiates people based on their race. Earlier in April , it ordered states to gather signatures from local school systems certifying compliance with civil rights laws, including the rejection of what the federal government calls "illegal DEI practices."
Three federal courts in New Hampshire, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., issued preliminary injunctions last week that blocked the Trump administration's directions to restrict the policies.
In her ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty said the April letter does not make clear what the department believes a DEI program entails or when it believes such programs cross the line into violating civil rights law.
"The Letter does not even define what a ‘DEI program’ is," McCafferty wrote.
Decatur's board had tweaked or pulled the policies earlier this month in response to the directive issued by the White House and worries about losing federal funding.
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What's next:
District leaders say they are reviewing their DEI framework to ensure it aligns with current federal guidelines and their commitment to providing an inclusive environment for all students and staff.