Chicago – February 02, 2025
Dozens of U.S. Department of Education officials were placed on paid administrative leave Friday night due to President Donald Trump’s executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in the federal government.
The affected employees, including civil rights lawyers, IT specialists, and staff who assist students defrauded by colleges, were informed that the leave was not disciplinary but due to the president’s new policy, according to a memo shared with USA Today. Their email accounts were also suspended.
The union representing the workers, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), estimated that at least 55 staffers were affected, with the number likely to rise.
Many of these employees had participated in a diversity training program called “Diversity Change Agent,” which was designed to promote an inclusive workplace. The program had been running for several years, with internal emails showing that staff were encouraged to participate during Trump’s first term in office.
In response to the executive order, the Education Department has canceled millions of dollars in DEI-related contracts and removed over 200 webpages with resources for schools.
Information for LGBTQ students and resources for Hispanic and tribal colleges have also been taken down in recent weeks. The Department did not immediately comment on the situation.
