By Michael Bielawski
Vermont state policies and White House executive orders present potential showdowns concerning social justice, climate policies, and more. One area where there may be much conflict is the state’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs.
On Jan 20, the Trump Administration issued the Executive Order titled “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing”.
It states, “The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government, in areas ranging from airline safety to the military.”
Up to 10 cents per public education dollar could be potentially disrupted. WCAX in November reported that Vermont “disburses about $100 million of federal grant programs annually, representing about 10 percent of districts’ funding.”
The Associated Press reports that it’s the DEI aspects of federal spending that the administration is looking to roll back. The report says, “Trump has said DEI amounts to discrimination. To get colleges to shutter diversity programs, he said during the campaign he would “advance a measure to have them fined up to the entire amount of their endowment.”
In some cases around the country, schools are changing the name of their DEI programs in an apparent effort to avoid federal attention. The AP report states that Boston’s Northeastern University for example “renamed a program for underrepresented students, emphasizing ‘belonging’ for all.”
State says white students privileged
The Vermont State government formally endorses the notion that “equity” for all students should be a targeted policy.
The Agency of Education’s website states “The Agency of Education, along with educators across Vermont, is determined to eliminate the inequity that persists between Vermont’s affluent white students, and student groups that have historically demonstrated achievement gaps within our state’s school systems.”
There’s a list of organizations that specialize in promoting DEI culture and values in schools. For example, it lists the Education Justice Coalition of Vermont which can teach public schools about microaggressions, racial justice, adultism, intergenerational trauma, and more.
“Vendors on this list demonstrated that their work addresses educational equity, diversity, and justice,” the site states.
According to VPac.org, the Vermont School Boards Association, Vermont Superintendents Association, and Vermont Principals Association have all adopted a shared definition of equity.
The definition includes, “Equity involves acknowledging and disrupting inequitable practices, acknowledging biases, employing practices that reflect the reality that all students will learn, and creating inclusive multicultural school environments for adults and children.”
A billion in wasted money?
In addition to the order, the administration’s DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] has been similarly focusing on public funds used for what they deem inappropriate expenditures.
“As of Wednesday, DOGE had recorded the cancellation of 85 “DEIA” contracts from 25 federal agencies. By Friday afternoon, that number had grown to 104 contracts totaling $1,000,060,792,” reported FOX News on Jan 31.
Equity for towns
True North Reports reported in 2022 that Vermont paid $220,000 to “advance IDEAL Vermont DEI activity in municipalities”. It continued, “Ideal Vermont, Gov. Phil Scott said, will work to advance those metrics at the city and municipality level in the state in an effort to remove structural barriers and increase meaningful inclusion and representation.”
This state-funded DEI training according to Xusana Davis, the program’s executive director, has “14 members from 83 invitations sent out to cities and municipalities in the state, who will all receive training and other resources.”
The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle