On Jan. 22, only days after the start of his second term, President Trump announced he would remove diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives from organizations, companies and schools across the country. The goal is to “forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based,” as Trump said in his inauguration speech.
As a result, K-12 schools and universities across the country are rolling back DEI protections. Some public universities, like Ohio State University, announced that they will remove DEI offices and programming. Other universities, like University of Pennsylvania, have erased all mentions of DEI and affirmative action protocols from their website. Recently, the University of California system announced hiring freezes amid threats of state and national budget cuts. They have also eliminated “diversity statements,” a practice required for all faculty job candidates.
Verde asked four Palo Alto High School students about their thoughts on DEI rollbacks and how it may affect their future.
