A federal judge in Maryland, Stephanie Gallagher, who was appointed by President Trump, has invalidated two Education Department directives aimed at wiping out diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in American schools. Gallagher ruled that the department went beyond its legal power and breached required procedures when it threatened schools and universities with funding cuts and sanctions for maintaining DEI efforts.
Memos Threatened Schools with Loss of Funding Over DEI
The controversial guidelines stemmed from a pair of memos issued this year. The first, released in February, declared that any use of race in decisions related to admissions, hiring, financial aid, or student life violated civil rights laws. A second memo in April demanded that state education agencies formally certify they did not engage in DEI practices—failure to do so risked losing federal funds and facing prosecution.
Gallagher found these directives unacceptable because they bypassed the required rule-making process and threatened constitutional rights. She emphasized that while the department may express preference for certain policies, it must do so within legal and procedural boundaries.
Legal Challenges by Education and Sociology Groups Led the Charge
The decision came after lawsuits filed by the American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association. They argued that the Education Department’s memos broke the law by ignoring proper procedure and overstepping its authority. In April, several federal judges had already issued injunctions blocking enforcement of parts of the policy. Gallagher’s ruling now makes that block permanent for the moment.
Judge Gallagher was clear that her ruling didn’t pass judgment on the merits of DEI programs themselves whether they are good or bad. Instead, she focused strictly on how the guidelines were created and enforced. She ruled they did not follow the law, and therefore could not stand.
That distinction is important because it shifts the debate away from ideological content toward how government policymaking must respect legal checks and balances.
Education Department Pushes Back but Reaffirms Anti-Discrimination Commitment
The Education Department reacted with disappointment but stated its enforcement of Title VI protections remained intact. It emphasized that blocking the memos didn’t stop it from protecting students against discrimination. Meanwhile, advocates and educators hailed the ruling as a win for academic freedom and a rebuff to government overreach.
This decision sends a powerful message: government agencies must follow legal procedures even when they aim to reshape policy. For schools, it means they can continue DEI programming without fear of losing federal funds at least for now. More broadly, the ruling reinforces the importance of procedural fairness in policy making and protects educators’ freedom to teach and discuss sensitive topics.
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