Investigated for ‘promoting DEI by a prominent Washington DC law school’

In a recent move against diversity equity and inclusion, an attorney demanded that the DEI policies of a prominent law school be immediately ended, warning that the justice department would not hire any students or affiliates affiliated with a university that practices DEI.

Ed Martin, the District of Columbia Attorney, sent a letter to the Dean of Georgetown Law School in which he stated that he would be investigating the institution’s teaching and promotion of DEI.

Martin, according to the Washington Post wrote: “At present, no applicants for our summer internship program or employment in our offices who are students or affiliated with law schools or universities that continue to teach DEI and use it will be considered.”

Martin asked William Treanor a constitutional scholar two questions: “First, has DEI been completely eliminated from your school’s curriculum and instruction? If DEI is ever found in your teaching or courses, will you remove it as soon as possible?

Legal commentators said that the letter violated the US Constitution’s first amendment on fundamental rights.

Since taking office on 20 January, all federal bodies have a href=”https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/trump-dei-closure/”>s/a>a href=”https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/trump-dei_closure/”>s/a>a. Since taking office on 20 January, all federal agencies have even the dismissal those who work on DEI programmes.

Air Force General Charles “CQ” Brown, America’s second-highest-ranking black general and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was dismissed with immediate effect late last month. Admiral Lisa Franchetti was the first woman in the history of a military service to be appointed as the head of the US Navy. Other generals who were perceived to be sympathetic to DEI schemes or to have benefited from them, such as other generals, were also dismissed.

In response to Trump’s demand, many large US companies have reduced or halted their DEI programs.

Georgetown’s spokesperson stated that its practices are constitutionally protected, and that it complies with all federal, state, and local regulations: “As an Catholic and Jesuit University, Georgetown was founded upon the principle that sustained and serious discourse between people of diverse faiths, cultures and beliefs promotes intellectual and ethical understanding.”

“Restricting speech that is legally protected would be against the first amendment. It would also go against the mission of the university and harm the educational experience which prepares students for a complex world.”

Georgetown, founded in 1789 in the capital and a private research institute with the largest law faculty in the country, has over 2,000 students.

The Office for Civil Rights of the US Education Department declared on 14 February that all educational policies and programmes based on race are discriminatory and illegal. The US Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights gave institutions two weeks to comply, or they could face an investigation and possibly lose federal funding. The letter sent out to colleges accused them “of smuggling racist stereotypes and explicit racial consciousness into everyday training and programming and discipline.”

Colleges began by revising their internal policies and removing words like race and DEI from names of programs. Commentators claim that college leaders are concerned about the loss of federal funds, which could lead to the closure of some institutions.

Campuses that were designed to foster better cultural understanding among diverse US citizens are also being closed. The process is still being slowed by legal challenges and confusion regarding the interpretation of the new regulations.

In 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled affirmative action programs in colleges that are based on race were in violation of the US Constitution. Many states, especially in the Midwest, then passed their own anti-DEI legislation.

Personnel Today has the latest HR job openings.

Browse Human Resources Jobs