Effizzie Magazine US Correspondent
Gloria Nosa
New York state officials have pushed back against the Trump administration’s directive to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in public schools, declaring they will not comply.
As reported by CNN, Daniel Morton-Bentley, counsel and deputy commissioner for the New York State Department of Education, expressed the state’s position in a letter to the U.S. Department of Education, dated Friday. He asserted that the federal agency lacks the legal authority to enforce such demands.
“We understand the current administration aims to censor anything it identifies as ‘diversity, equity & inclusion,’” Morton-Bentley wrote. “However, neither federal nor state laws prohibit DEI principles.”
He also emphasized that the state is “unaware” of any legal basis for the federal department to impose its interpretation of court rulings on states or to withhold funding without due administrative procedure.
The U.S. Department of Education has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Last Thursday, the Trump administration issued a directive requiring K-12 schools across the nation to certify, within ten days, that they are in full compliance with federal civil rights laws and have eliminated any DEI practices deemed discriminatory. Compliance is now being tied to the continuation of federal funding, which accounts for approximately 6% of New York’s public school funding.
“Federal financial assistance is a privilege, not a right,” stated Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights. He argued that some schools are using DEI programs in a way that favors certain groups over others, violating civil rights obligations.
The certification letter required school officials to acknowledge that federal funds are contingent on legal compliance and included several pages of legal interpretation authored by the administration.
A key concern is the potential impact on Title I funding, which channels billions of dollars annually to support low-income schools.
Morton-Bentley noted that New York has already affirmed its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—most recently in January—and rejected the need for any additional certification. He argued that the administration’s interpretation of the law is flawed.
“You already have our assurances that New York is compliant with Title VI,” he wrote. “No further certification will be provided.”
He also criticized the administration’s stance as a sudden departure from previous policies, referencing 2020 remarks by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who supported diversity and inclusion as essential for strong organizational performance. He said no rationale has been provided for this policy reversal.
Critics of the move say it contradicts Trump’s promises to return control of education to states and local school districts.
This dispute mirrors another conflict, where New York refused to comply with a Trump administration order to shut down a Manhattan congestion pricing plan aimed at funding mass transit improvements.
