Teachers Union Sues Education Department Over Anti-DEI Policy

The lawsuit said the Department of Education’s guidance violates free speech protections.

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten addresses a 'Let's Finish the Job for the People' rally near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Sept. 14, 2021. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association sued the U.S. Department of Education on Feb. 25 over a letter warning that schools could lose federal funding if they did not cease their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within 14 days.

In the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Maryland, the plaintiffs said the Education Department’s Feb. 14 letter violates the First Amendment and Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. They asked the judge to declare the policy unconstitutional and bar federal officials from enforcing the directive.