“We believe that bringing people of different backgrounds and perspectives to the table — including women, People of Color and the LGBTQ+ community — is a strength, especially in education. We are committed to working closely with our incredible schools, colleges and universities to support all of our students,” Healey said in the statement.
State Attorney General Andrea Campbell said in the statement that schools can ensure diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
“Despite the Trump Administration’s continued attempts to create confusion and anxiety, the law has not changed, and schools must continue their work to make sure that every student, regardless of background, can access educational opportunities in the Commonwealth,” Campbell said.
Since taking office, Trump has moved with shocking speed to reshape America’s education system. Decrying “Marxist” teaching in higher education, he’s moved to cut off funding for universities that don’t align with his vision, causing some colleges to go as far as scour references to diversity, equity, and inclusion from websites.
Trump also has threatened to withhold federal funding from K-12 schools that taught what he called “critical race theory,” and permitted “radical gender ideology.”
Trump has also moved to dismantle the US Department of Education. Meanwhile, the agency released a Feb. 14 “Dear Colleague” letter, signed by Craig Trainor, the department’s acting assistant secretary for civil rights, that said DEI programs teach students “certain racial groups bear unique moral burdens” that others do not, which ”stigmatize students who belong to particular racial groups based on crude racial stereotypes.”
Massachusetts officials Thursday said their guidance for local schools and universities reaffirmed that the recent federal actions do not prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in admissions and access to higher education or other educational settings.
“Schools and higher education institutions should continue to take affirmative steps, within the law, to create and maintain a positive school climate where all students feel safe, supported, respected and ready to learn. This includes reviewing current practices to ensure they comply with all applicable anti-discrimination, anti-bullying and civil rights laws,” the statement said.
The guidance said the Department of Education letter misconstrues Supreme Court precedent, wrongly implies it might be unlawful for schools to consider the impact of policies and practices on diversity, and creates a misimpression of the impact of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programming.
“To be clear, nothing in the letter changes existing law and well-established legal principles that encourage — and even require — schools to promote educational opportunity for students of all backgrounds,” according to the guidance document.
Among the officials who signed the statement were Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Senate President Karen Spilka, House Speaker Ronald Mariano, and Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler.
“This country has long fought for all students to have equal access to a public education. The federal government is attempting to take us back decades, exacerbating real inequities that still exist today,” Tutwiler said in the statement. “ Today’s joint guidance reaffirms that Massachusetts will continue to acknowledge and address historical and persistent gaps in student access and achievement, including Black and Brown students, students with disabilities, low-income students, LGBTQ+ students and other marginalized student populations.”
Teacher union leaders also backed the statement, including Jessica Tang, president of the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts and Max Page, the president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
“Our laws are clear and enable us to support all students and colleagues and to respect their views and dignity. Public schools, colleges and universities have a responsibility to ensure every student and staff member feels safe and supported,” Page said.
John Hilliard can be reached at john.hilliard@globe.com.
