Today, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) and 44 other civil rights organizations and education advocacy groups sent letters to elementary and secondary State Education Agencies (SEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) urging them to continue to invest in programs that lawfully advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. The letter comes amid the Department of Education’s threats to equal access and opportunity in schools, including its recent request from April 3, 2025, directing SEAs to certify their compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.
In the letter, the civil rights organizations and education advocacy groups underscore the critical role of state and local education leaders in ensuring equal opportunity for students amid these current threats and clarify that the Department of Education’s inaccurate interpretations of federal civil rights law should not discourage lawful efforts by schools to foster diverse, equitable, and inclusive educational environments. The letter also emphasizes that the new Title VI certification form is attempting to stifle lawful efforts to reduce disparities in education that are often necessary to advance the true intent and goals of Title VI–including providing equal educational opportunities to all students.
“At this critical moment, elementary and secondary schools must stand strong by your values and continue to comply with your legal obligations,” the letter reads in part. “Embracing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility fosters academic excellence, innovation, and a thriving school culture where all students feel valued and empowered. Efforts that advance equal access to educational opportunities can also help schools comply with their Title VI obligations by remedying unfair barriers that too often leave Black students and other students of color behind. Investing in these efforts ensures that every student, regardless of background, can succeed and contribute meaningfully to society. Staying true to your commitment to creating equal educational opportunities strengthens this country and its democracy.”
Read the full letter.
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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil rights law organization. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.
