A federal judge has blocked part of the Trump administration’s plan to withhold federal education funds from public schools that promote DEI programs, citing free speech concerns. The ruling marks a legal roadblock to the larger effort to roll back discriminatory race-based initiatives in public education.
Key Facts:
- U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty in New Hampshire issued the ruling on Thursday.
- The decision halts the Trump administration’s attempt to cut Title I funding from schools with DEI initiatives.
- The judge said the Education Department’s policy likely violates the First Amendment as “viewpoint discrimination.”
- The ruling only applies to schools associated with the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, not nationwide.
- Lawsuits challenging the DEI funding cuts have been filed by groups like the NEA and the Center for Black Educator Development.
The Rest of The Story:
The Trump administration recently issued a memo warning that federal Title I funds could be withheld from public schools that continue to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Title I funds are crucial for schools serving low-income communities, making this policy a high-stakes issue.
Education and civil rights organizations swiftly filed legal challenges across the country.
In this case, the plaintiffs argued the funding threat was unconstitutional and targeted programs based on ideology.
Judge McCafferty agreed in part, issuing a limited ruling that prevents funding cuts for schools tied to the lawsuit but stops short of blocking the policy nationwide.
In her 82-page decision, McCafferty warned that the administration’s actions threatened “foundational principles” of free speech.
The court also criticized the administration’s failure to clearly define what counted as a DEI program under the ban.
BREAKING: Landya McCafferty, an Obama-appointed judge, just blocked the Trump administration from cutting funding to schools that promote DEI. pic.twitter.com/uicA6oSDLC
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 24, 2025
Commentary:
This ruling represents yet another example of activist judges inserting themselves to block the will of an elected administration.
What’s at stake here isn’t just funding—it’s the ability of a president to enforce a mandate to end discrimination and restore merit in education.
Instead, a federal judge is shielding programs that treat students differently based on race or identity.
Disguising race-based preferences as “inclusion” doesn’t change the fact that these DEI programs often discriminate against qualified individuals—especially White and Asian students.
The Trump administration’s policy aimed to stop this by pulling federal funds from schools that promote these ideologies.
Judge McCafferty’s claim that this is about “viewpoint discrimination” twists the First Amendment into a shield for race-based hiring and curriculum.
Free speech does not mean taxpayer dollars must support discriminatory programs.
There is no constitutional right to government funding—especially not for ideology-driven education.
Worse yet, the judge refused to apply her decision nationwide.
That leaves the door wide open for other schools to continue these divisive practices.
This fragmented approach creates confusion and makes enforcement of any meaningful policy nearly impossible.
The Trump administration has no choice but to appeal—and to keep fighting in other jurisdictions.
The courts must stop shielding discrimination under the false banner of diversity.
It’s time to end this race-based policymaking once and for all.
The Bottom Line:
A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s plan to cut federal funding from DEI-focused public schools, calling it a First Amendment violation.
But the ruling was narrow and doesn’t halt the policy nationwide.
This legal setback is just one front in a broader war over DEI and education policy.
The administration is likely to appeal—and push even harder to eliminate race-based programs that go against equal treatment under the law.
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