Judge strikes down Trump administration guidance against diversity programmes at schools, colleges

washington: a federal judge on thursday struck down two trump administration actions aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (dei) programmes at the nation's schools and universities.us district judge stephanie gallagher in maryland ruled that the education department violated the law when it threatened to cut federal funding from educational institutions that continued with dei initiatives. the guidance has been on hold since april, when three federal judges blocked various portions of the education department's anti-dei measures.the ruling followed a motion for summary judgment from the american federation of teachers and the american sociological association, which challenged the government's actions in a february lawsuit.the case centred on two education department memos ordering schools and universities to end all race-based decision-making or face penalties up to a total loss of federal funding. the trump administration framed the measures as ending discrimination against white and asian american students.gallagher ordered the department to scrap the guidance, saying it violated procedural requirements. she noted she took no view on whether the policies were “good or bad, prudent or foolish, fair or unfair.” gallagher, a trump appointee, rejected the government's argument that the memos merely reminded schools that discrimination is illegal.democracy forward, a legal advocacy firm representing the plaintiffs, hailed the decision as “an important victory over the administration's attack on dei.”the conflict began with a february memo declaring any consideration of race in admissions, financial aid, hiring, or other academic aspects would violate federal civil rights law. a second memo in april asked state agencies to certify they were not using “illegal dei practices,” warning violators risked losing federal money and prosecution.