TUCSON, Ariz. — Tucson Unified School District's governing board voted unanimously to sign a letter the federal Department of Education sent to schools and districts across the nation.
By signing that letter, districts and schools receiving federal funding agree to follow the Trump administration's guidelines on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in their schools.
TUSD board members Natalie Luna Rose and Sadie Shaw said the district's policies on DEI and sex or race-based discrimination already fall under the administration's policies.
The letter from the Department of Education asked schools and districts on the other end to agree that, in exchange for federal funding, they'll pledge not to discriminate based on race, sex or nationality.
It specifically cites Students For Fair Admissions v. Harvard, a Supreme Court case that reversed affirmative action, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, adding that included "the use of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (“DEI”) programs to advantage one’s race over another."
A district in Arizona is already starting to feel the heat.
Kyrene School District in Tempe, AZ is facing a the loss of $1.5 million in federal funding after the board voted to approve the first reading of a new staff Social Emotional Wellness policy that mentioned diversity, equity and inclusion.
Arizona Superintendent Tom Horne's office called out the district in a press release April 11.
"This is not an empty threat, and districts and charter schools need to treat it seriously,” Horne said in the release.
Kyrene district officials responded that it was only a proposal that the board had voted on, adding the issue would be brought up again in a public meeting.
TUSD has a larger sum on the table. Board members said the district is expecting around $72 million in federal funding in the coming year.
That's funding the district is relying on as they try to close a gap in their budget for the 2025-26 school year.
