Horne Announces New Federal Path To Remove DEI From Public Schools

The U.S. Department of Education has released new guidance that has the effect of ensuring Diversity, Equity and Diversion (DEI) elements are removed from public schools, according to Arizona schools chief Tom Horne.

Horne stated, “The new guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Education states that ‘No public school, teacher, or school official should ever coerce or press a student to engage in speech or affirm a viewpoint that would violate the student’s sincere religious beliefs.’ Numerous DEI precepts violate widespread religious beliefs, such as urging students to change genders, age-inappropriate sexual lessons, and other elements that may demean a student’s religious beliefs.”

The federal document issued February 5^th, is guidance on Constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in public elementary and secondary schools.  It says that to receive federal funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, a district or charter school must certify that none of its policies prevent, or otherwise deny, participation in Constitutionally protected prayer in public schools. Schools that fail to comply with the guidance risk the loss of federal education dollars.

Horne added, “My department already requires schools to answer questions pertaining to Critical Race Theory, DEI, and other matters. Those answers are posted on our public reporting of school grades, at azed.gov to help parents choose schools for their children. We will add this question to our list and report answers not only on our website, but also, as required, to the federal government. Those with unsatisfactory answers to this question will then be deprived of federal funds.”

Under the guidance, schools may not suppress religious expression but also may not coerce it. A United States Supreme Court decision (Mahmoud v. Taylor) upheld the complaints of families of diverse religious faiths to mandatory public elementary school curriculum endorsing gay unions and transgender identities, where the family’s religious teachings were contrary to those lessons.

The guidance requires annual reporting to be submitted by state departments of education to the federal government beginning in November of this year.