Assignment B

DEI, Executive orders and the Dept of Education

In this Ted Talk video from October of 2024, workplace inclusion expert, Yvonne Hutchinson talks about Where DEI Falls Short. In her talk she says " This is what DEI could be " we tackle misinformation, unpack our assumptions and talk about how to treat each other with compassion and respect". 

 As a school nurse I am responsible for providing equitable healthcare to all students. There are state laws, district policies and professional standards that I must follow. We as school nurses are ethically obligated to provide safe, respectful and non-discriminatory care to all students. I found this assignment challenging to do through a nonpartisan lens. I do believe we need to equalize opportunities and "At the end of the day, a successful diversity, equity and inclusion program strives to ensure that no one feels excluded or treated unfairly" (Trumps EO on DEI explained, p.1)

In my naivety on this subject I had to do a deep dive to actually see what this means to our schools and how it impacts our students. I am not intentionally ignoring all that DEI is I am looking at it soley through a lens of education. I tried to focus on two educational laws which cannot be changed; Title IX and the Individuals with Disability Education Act.  

Talking point #1: What don't the Executive Orders do? (DEIA 2/12/25)

Executive orders cannot change or repeal statues passed by congress. "Equal opportunity and anti-discrimination obligations are enshrined in the constitution and federal civil rights laws. The EOs do not and cannot change that. The presidents role is to implement laws; he cannot rewrite them". Two educaiton laws that cannot be changed are Title IX and the Individuals with Disiblitly Education Act.  

Students are still protected under title IX and IDEA.  Title IX  education civil rights, signed into law in 1972, in simple terms bans sex discrimination and/or sexual harassment in any school that receives federal funding regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity. 

IDEA - Individuals with Disibilites Education Act , 1975, requires public schools to provide a free and appropriate public education to those students with special needs. The school districts are still required to provide Individual education plans (IEPs), 504 plans and students still have the right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education.

Talking point #2:  What can the Executive Orders do? 

"Issue guidance that may seek to limit what state and local educational agencies and institutions of higher education can do to ensure equal access to education". (top of p.2)

Under the EOs changes to Title IX demand the definition of sex be defined as male or female. These EOs can directly affect those students who do not identify as a strictly male or female. This lack of respecting gender identity may make those individuals feel discriminated against and invisible. 

IDEA is a tougher one to change however the idea of dismantling of the department of education and placing the responsibility to the Department of Health and Human Services may come with additional challenges in that this department does not specialize in the education of any student. It may also affect the funding that special education departments need. 

Talking point #3: US Dept of Ed takes Action to Eliminate DEI (press release Jan 2025) 

 It seems as if the president possibly misunderstands what DEI is and how it may be able to make the United States of America better but in a great sweeping motion the Department of Education was tasked with all programs were cancelled. it seems to be it would have been a better ideal to take a minute, created a committee to fine tune the programs instead of cancel and fire employees. 

Connection to previous readings: Trump stated in his EO's that he wants to “forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based" (Jan 2025).  Of course this completely contradicts the reading by Armstrong and Wildman in which they say we need to approach the world with color insight. "Color insight provides an appropriate antidote to colorblindness, one that remedies the omission of context in racial discourse " (Armstrong and Wildman, 2013, p.65).

Argument: The authors of these readings think that these orders are harmful to America and that our country is best when it reflects a full range of talent. They believe that "ultimately these EOs will weaken our economy, endanger our national security and threaten our multi-racial democracy" (DEIA 2/12/25 p. 2).  We will never get ahead if we cannot appreciate the struggles and systemic difference some cultures have gone through without the use of imposing laws and orders on the American people.  We can all think of examples in which we have seen or been involved in an un-equitable environment.  Do the Executive orders harm institutions from treating everyone fairly buy pushing an agenda or should we just let organizations figure it out themselves based on anti discrimination laws.