On May 21, 2025, Legal Defense Fund Director of Policy Demetria McCain submitted written testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Education and Workforce Committee Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development hearing, “Restoring Excellence: The Case Against DEI.”
In her testimony, McCain explains that Black students face unfair barriers to opportunity in higher education and underscores the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts to remedy these hurdles. She further explains that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts are not only essential for achieving excellence, but are also necessary to comply with anti-discrimination and civil rights laws designed to guarantee equal opportunity.
“The success of our multiracial democracy depends upon creating pathways to opportunity that are open to all. It has long been the case that talent and potential are distributed equally in this country, but opportunities are not. As a nation, we cannot afford to forfeit the benefits of the talents and gifts of every person in our country. It is a laudable goal for our institutions of higher education to seek excellence. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs help colleges and universities achieve these goals,” McCain writes. “These programs help colleges and universities better identify talented students and faculty and comply with civil rights laws, ensure all qualified students and faculty thrive on campuses, and help students grow and develop into adults who have a better understanding of the world.”
LDF has long been at the forefront of efforts to ensure equal opportunity in education, including in its seminal litigation in Brown v. Board. LDF and its other partners continue to defend against the Trump Administration’s attacks on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and programs that improve student outcomes, including through pending litigation that has temporarily blocked enforcement and LDF’s Equal Protection Initiative.
Access the full testimony here.
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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.
