VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: New York public schools will not comply with Trump’s DEI order
Ryan Bridges: President Trump has been aiming to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, also known as DEI, in schools across the country. Our Richard Maj has the latest on how New York state is responding.
Richard Maj: That’s right Ryan, just last Thursday, President Trump ordered K through 12 schools nationwide to certify within the next 10 days that they are following federal civil rights laws as well as ending DEI programs, and just the next day, New York sent their response. New York state says they will not comply with President Trump’s DEI order. Schools that don’t follow the order risk losing funding, which some parents here in Syracuse say are important.
Franchesca Clemente: When people hear DEI, they think it’s about Black and brown folks, but it is so much more inclusive and expansive and I think that continues to get lost in the dialogue.
Maj: The letter, sent by the state, covers all public schools in New York, including those right here in the Syracuse City School District. For some parents, their issue is that there’s a lack of understanding for what DEI programs truly are and what they fund. But for other parents their issues with the order lie much deeper and much more personal than just the principle.
Lori Arnot: My daughter is a Type 1 diabetic, and we need some extra help and if we didn’t have that, her education would be in peril.
Maj: Both Clemente and Arnot are proud of the state for standing up for DEI programs. Clemente says diversity, equity and inclusion programs are just that…
Clemente: It’s making sure we are diverse in how we support the people that we partner with. We are making sure that we are inclusive about the things that they need and addressing and helping them in ways that make sense for them.
Maj: The letter from the state department of education says there are no federal or state laws prohibiting the principles of DEI. Reporting live in Syracuse, Richard Maj, NCC News.
Bridges: Richard, thank you. New York state is refusing to follow the federal order, and now school districts have just days to decide exactly how they will respond.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — New York state said they will not comply with President Donald Trump’s new policy to end Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs and funding.
Last Thursday, President Trump sent an order to K-12 schools across the country ordering them to certify that they were following federal civil rights laws and ending DEI programs. If they did not comply, they would not receive federal funding. Just the next day, the New York State Department of Education wrote a letter to President Trump which said they would not comply with the order.
In the letter, Daniel Morton-Bentley, counsel and deputy commissioner of the state Department of Education, said state officials do not believe the federal agency has the authority to make such demands.
Some parents in Central New York are proud of the stance taken by the state. Lori Arnot believes people need to come together and protect everyone in the community, especially kids.
“I’m really grateful that the State of New York is standing up for our kids’ rights in schools,” she said.
Franchesca Clemente found multiple issues with President Trump’s order. One key part is that she believes some people do not understand the purpose of DEI programs.
“When people hear DEI, they think it’s about Black and brown folks, but it is so much more inclusive and expansive,” she said. “And I think that continues to get lost in the dialogue.”
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion is just that,” Clemente said. “It’s making sure we are diverse in how we support the people that we partner with. We are making sure that we are inclusive about the things that they need and addressing and helping them in ways that make sense for them.”