The Education Department has released a document with additional guidance for schools trying to implement an earlier "Dear Colleague" letter. That letter, released last month, directed educational institutions to halt a wide range of racially discriminatory behavior.
While the original letter mostly directed schools to follow civil rights law and Supreme Court precedent, a passage restricting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs caused concern among some First Amendment experts. The letter stated that such programs frequently "teach students that certain racial groups bear unique moral burdens that others do not" and thus "deny students the ability to participate fully in the life of a school."
"The way 'teach' is going to be interpreted, is going to be very important when looking at this 'Dear Colleague' letter," Robert Shibley, special counsel for campus advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), told Reason last month. "I do think there's legitimate concerns to be had there. And I think it's important that the department clarify that sooner rather than later."
