District cites legal advice, fear of losing funds
The Haldane school board voted unanimously on Tuesday (April 22) to suspend its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy in hopes of safeguarding $450,000 in federal funding threatened by the Trump administration’s opposition to DEI programs.
The district’s resolution suspended the policy “pending clarification of the conflict between the respective positions of the state and federal governments regarding Title VI [of the Civil Rights Act of 1964] and DEI.”
The five-member board also approved a resolution certifying compliance with Title VI, which prohibits racial discrimination in federally funded programs. The Trump administration had set a Thursday (April 24) deadline for local school districts to eliminate “illegal DEI practices” or potentially lose funding.
However, on Thursday, a federal judge in New Hampshire temporarily blocked the administration’s guidance forbidding DEI efforts in K-12 public schools. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the National Education Association and the American Civil Liberties Union, which accused the Republican administration of violating teachers’ due process and First Amendment rights. On Friday, attorneys general from 18 states, including New York, sought a federal court order stopping the Department of Education from implementing the April 3 certification demand, calling it illegal and unconstitutional.
In February, the U.S. Education Department told schools and colleges they needed to end any practice that differentiates people based on their race or they would risk losing their federal funding. Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights, issued a “Dear Colleague” letter arguing that a Supreme Court decision in 2023 banning race-based college admissions extended to DEI policies in public schools.
“DEI programs, for example, frequently preference certain racial groups and teach students that certain racial groups bear unique moral burdens that others do not,” Trainor wrote. “Such programs stigmatize students who belong to particular racial groups based on crude racial stereotypes. Consequently, they deny students the ability to participate fully in the life of a school.”
Earlier this month, the department ordered states to gather signatures from local districts certifying compliance with civil rights laws, including rejection of what the federal government calls “illegal DEI practices.”
The directive did not carry the force of law but threatened to use civil rights enforcement to rid schools of DEI practices. Schools were warned that continuing such practices “in violation of federal law” could lead to U.S. Justice Department litigation and termination of federal grants and contracts.
At least 15 states, including New York, said they would not comply with the federal order. “We understand that the current administration seeks to censor anything it deems ‘diversity, equity & inclusion,’” wrote Daniel Morton-Bentley, a lawyer for the New York Education Department. “But there are no federal or state laws prohibiting the principles of DEI.” He added also that the federal government had “yet to define what practices it believes violate Title VI.”
At Haldane, interim Superintendent Carl Albano called the federal dollars, which are used to educate students with disabilities, provide student lunches and fund other initiatives, “a significant amount of money” that “could be at risk if you keep these policies in place.” He said that Haldane’s legal counsel had advised suspending the DEI policy, at least temporarily.
The district adopted its DEI policy in December 2022 in “recognition of the inherent value of diversity and acknowledgement that educational excellence requires a commitment to equity in the opportunities provided to students and the resulting outcomes.”
The policy noted that Haldane’s mission is to prepare its students to succeed in “an ever-changing global society,” a goal that requires incorporating a DEI lens “into every facet of its work.”
The policy provides guidelines for integrating DEI into family and community engagement, student support, discipline and training. Regarding curriculum, it asks educators to “incorporate diverse perspectives, materials and texts so that students are taught topics not just from one single perspective, but from multiple perspectives.”
Additionally, it directed the district to create a workforce “that is not only diverse and inclusive, but one that recognizes and values the differences among people.”
Dear Haldane Community
On Saturday (April 26), the Haldane school board issued this statement:
On Tuesday (April 22), the Board faced a difficult decision. Just a few hours before our Board meeting, our legal counsel recommended that we temporarily suspend the district’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy. They advised us to take this step by April 24 so that we could certify district compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Doing so would protect the district from potentially losing $450,000 in federal funding that primarily covers special education services and free and reduced price lunch.
Given the speed with which the federal government is canceling funding for projects and activities, we were genuinely concerned that they would withhold this funding from Haldane. The loss of the funds would have a meaningful impact on programs and services for our students.
Although we had been tracking the U.S. Department of Education’s demand that states and districts certify compliance, we learned of legal counsel’s concern about the specific wording of our district’s DEI policy at the last minute. We believed the most prudent response was to suspend our policy – not abolish it.
This brief pause gives us time to consider the potential short- and long-term implications on our students if the federal government were to withhold funds. It also gives the Board an opportunity to explore minor language revisions that would not alter the spirit of the policy. The Board plans to complete the policy review in time for the issue to be acted upon at our May 6 meeting. This business meeting is open to the public and we welcome you to attend.
We understand that community members have questions and concerns about this decision, and we will continue to be transparent as we move forward. We remain committed to the well-being and success of all students and staff, and to the aims of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy, which are codified in NY State law by the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) and the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA). This was a strategic decision rooted in our responsibility to protect educational programming for all students.
On Tuesday, Board Member Sean McNall said that, because the policy “codified a cultural commitment that was already in place,” suspending it as a precaution “doesn’t really in any way impact how we’re operating.”
“Part of me can’t believe that we’re questioning the goodness of a policy that’s promoting diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Board Member Michelle Kupper. “I have been assured that there will be no change to curriculum, no change to treatment of students. I think there will come a time where we might want to get input from the public and I would welcome that.”
In Beacon, federal funding makes up about 2 percent, or $1.7 million, of the district’s proposed $87.7 million 2025-26 budget. It funds four elementary reading teachers as well as instructional supplies.
Superintendent Matt Landahl said the district has no “illegal” DEI programs, and that clubs at Beacon High School such as the Black Student Union or Students for Gender Equality are open to all, as are any clubs at the district’s six schools. The district’s “core belief” that diversity is a strength “guides our thinking with everything that we do, and we’re going to stay true to our beliefs and keep moving forward,” he said.
The Garrison district includes diversity, equity and inclusion as one of the goals in its six-pronged “vision of a graduate.” The school board has a DEI committee but Superintendent Greg Stowell said the district “is and will continue to be in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
Stowell said the district “is a welcoming and affirming environment for all and has structures in place to ensure that every student, regardless of background or circumstance, receives the support they need to achieve equity in access, opportunity and outcomes.”
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
I am deeply horrified to learn that the Haldane school district has elected to abandon its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policy. This decision is not only disheartening but stands in stark contrast to the values many of us hold dear. New York State has made clear its refusal to capitulate to the illegal and unethical pressures being exerted by this administration, and I urge Haldane to follow suit.
Although I do not have children enrolled in the district, I pay school taxes and believe that entitles me to a say in how the money is spent. (Was there a public hearing?) And, with the recent vote to increase the school tax by nearly 7 percent over three years, I and many others expect that money to be used in a way that uplifts and protects all students.
The decision to compromise our students’ futures and community values is profoundly disappointing. I implore the board to reconsider this action and stand on the right side of history by reaffirming our commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable and supportive environment for every student and faculty member.
Preemptive compliance. Especially in light of the recent stay, this was an unnecessary and deeply disheartening misstep by the board and the outgoing superintendent.
I have come to know and, more importantly, trust members of the Haldane school board, which is the only thing that kept my rage in check when I first read this headline. Do I believe most Haldane teachers and students will significantly change their approach to learning because the school’s official DEI policy has been suspended? No. But…? By enacting a DEI policy that recognized equitable opportunity and diverse perspectives as foundational to educational excellence, the district branded this initiative as critical in ensuring the future success of our students. What does that say about suspending it so quickly now, especially when the state of New York (I was proud to learn) is refusing to comply with this transparently tyrannical edict? Why ignore the support and leadership of state leaders, who have decided prudently to await proper judicial or legislative direction? New York basically gave our school district a path out, saying, “We have your back, let’s stand together,” and Haldane answered instead by bowing down to obey the tyrant in advance. Whether the board intends it, and whether the Haldane approach to education changes, by suspending this policy, the message they send to educators and students is: We as a community no longer support marginalized people and experiences. Followers of the fascism guiding our political future will take that as permission to advance their fundamentalist ideas and policies in our school and community. Even well-meaning, sensible teachers and students, trying to find safety and sanity in this exhausting and… Read more »
It’s a sad message our school board is sending to our students and community. Shame on you!
I have great respect for the members of the Haldane school board and empathize with the difficult position they have been placed in. I am confident their decision was made with the best interests of our children at heart. I know they did not come to this conclusion lightly, especially given that our community deeply values equality, diversity and inclusion.
As we take time to process the impact of this decision, I encourage everyone to direct their frustration and concern toward the broader issues at the Capitol rather than at this dedicated group of volunteer neighbors who were tasked with considering the financial realities affecting our students. I also trust the board when they assure us that this decision will not alter the way people are valued, hired or treated at Haldane.
If 60 years of affirmative action weren’t effective, what makes people think that the racist policies of DEI would work? The white-privileged “progressives” will always be in the minority.
I am confused. What are the guidelines for the DEI policy that the school has, or had? It seems that they were all for it in the past and got money from the feds. Now that the funds are being pulled off the table, they are not so much for it. So what’s it going to be, guys? What’s your stand now? I guess the right amount of money changes character and beliefs.
A few days after the Haldane School Board suspended its DEI policy, the board sent a letter to the community acknowledging that its decision was rushed. So why did they do it? Maybe because, in the words of Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, “We are all afraid.”
The Haldane board feared losing federal funding if they didn’t acquiesce to Trump’s contempt for diversity, equity and inclusion programs. As a former school board member in Garrison, I respect the Haldane board members and the hard choices they must make in the face of Trump’s singular achievement: a pervasive climate of fear. By firing several hundred thousand federal workers, snatching people off the street and sending them to gulags, defying court decisions, stealing powers that belong to Congress and so much more, Trump has made millions of us, including Haldane’s school board, very afraid. So, what to do? I hear that the best way to deal with fear is to stand up to it. That’s a good reason for the board to take heart from the many districts that have chosen not to succumb and to reinstate the DEI policy at its public meeting on May 6.
The federal decision to quash DEI, and in practice to never say the whole name, “diversity, equity and inclusion,” is a thinly veiled attempt to promote one ethnic group over others by re-introducing institutionalized suppression of those others.
That is the policy of those holding the majority of seats, including the presidency, in the federal government; it is only policy because they claim to have a popular mandate and because they do not face sufficient organized opposition. They presume too much. We should not allow this, and we should oppose them and replace them with sane, public-spirited politicians at our earliest opportunity.
Our school board and superintendent should be questioned about their motives in accommodating racist government overreach and encouraged to fight for their constituents — children — tomorrow’s leaders.
The bottom line is that the Haldane school board members chose to be cowards rather than stand up for doing the right thing and upholding their values. They should be ashamed of themselves for this action.
I attended Haldane for 13 years and didn’t see a single teacher, admin, coach, nurse, office staff person or Board of Education member who wasn’t white. Not one. That is white hegemony at its pinnacle. Not a single person of color hired by the school for 13 years to hold any position of authority in the eyes of a child. DEI is specifically implemented to prevent such a scenario. I and all of my classmates lived through the reason such a policy is necessary. It was insidiously disturbing back then, and it is blatantly disturbing now to read that the Haldane BOE just suspended their two-year-old policy even though New York State has their back on this. I feel betrayed and ashamed that people I know on the board, some of them former neighbors and friends, have taken this step despite the unmistakable message it sends to every single human being, especially people of color, who attends/attended or works/worked at Haldane: if Trump says jump, we say how high. BOE members, please immediately reinstate this policy at your May 6 meeting. Thank you for your consideration.
It is the PTA’s mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
The National PTA mission statement highlights diversity as one of their core values stating: “We acknowledge the potential of everyone without regard, including but not limited to: age, culture, economic status, educational background, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, legal status, marital status, mental ability, national origin, organizational position, parental status, physical ability, political philosophy, race, religion, sexual orientation and work experience.”
The Haldane PTA affirms this statement and is diligently working with our Board of Education in an effort to reinstate Policy No. 3430 as soon as possible. If you’re not yet a member of the Haldane PTA, we encourage you to join to further amplify our voices. If you want to offer help or need any support at this time, please reach out to [email protected]. We’re here for you and with you.
Coelius is the Haldane PTA president.
Step by step, we will be pulled into compliance with an increasingly fascist regime. Now that the policy is changed, the curriculum and individuals’ rights in the school are easily eroded. [via Facebook]
Yay. Working for it and getting it because you earned it is the most rewarding feeling ever. Fact. [via Facebook]
You may be confusing DEI with affirmative action. Diversity, equity and inclusion policies are to create environments where all people can thrive regardless of their race, gender, sexuality or social class. It’s not about people “earning” things. It’s about creating hospitable environments for all. [via Facebook]
DEI is affirmative action by another name. Equality of opportunity did not satisfy the goal, so it became equity of outcomes. Everyone is a winner. Most egregious of all is the elimination of gifted classes. More recently it was the attempt by the LBG and trans radicals to penetrate the educational system, which led to plummeting literacy and math scores. We need a unifying curriculum and ideology, not one based on group identity and grievance but on individual effort and merit. [via Facebook]
LGBTQ initiatives caused plummeting literacy and math scores? I haven’t heard that one before. [via Facebook]
DEI has nothing at all to do with merit. It means disabled people, people of color, gay students, etc., are valued in a world where they so obviously are not. If you had a child with developmental disabilities, taking away DEI does nothing more than say, “You don’t matter — no more special accommodations for you, so step up your efforts.”
Schools are doing this because they’re being held hostage, and it’s breaking my heart because kids with disabilities are back to being seen as “other.” This isn’t about effort. This is about pushing the people you don’t like out of the way to make room for the people you do.
One board member is quoted as saying, “I have been assured that there will be no change in curriculum.” Assured by whom? It can’t be state officials, because they refused to comply. [via Facebook]
Keep in mind that Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and George Washington were radical ideologues in 1776. There is nothing more American than radical progress, and nothing less American than the attempt to stifle it. [via Facebook]
What a shame the board didn’t stand up for its students. [via Instagram]
Do the least-diverse places find it easiest to drop their DEI efforts? [via Instagram]
Do the right thing and DEI is not an issue. Haldane always did that when we were there. [via Facebook]
Diversity makes us strong; equity makes us fair. Inclusion makes school a welcoming place for everyone. [via Facebook]
This reminds me of the famous poem: Then they came for my funding / And there was no one left / To speak out for me. [via Instagram]
Haldane should follow Harvard’s example. [via Facebook]
To think Haldane needs DEI is disappointing and disrespectful. Haldane has always had the best interest of students and employees at hand. Using the government to force DEI policies or remove DEI policies is ridiculous. It only creates animosity and divisions. Haldane almost always gets it right. For those who accuse the board of knuckling, it’s just your turn, because I am sure the other side accused them of knuckling when they were forced to adopt DEI. [via Facebook]