Without Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, we as a country are moving backwards
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion [DEI] initiatives promote fairness and equal opportunities for all Americans. Under DEI policies, companies evaluate all candidates equally [regardless of race, sexual orientation, disabilities or other factors] during the hiring process and provide adequate training based on an individual’s needs, such as language-based training. However, under the Trump Administration, DEI-supporting corporations and institutions are under threat. We believe that the abandonment of these initiatives sends a clear and dangerous message to Americans– that the pretense of “unfairness” justifies an all-around removal of inclusivity and opportunity within America.
On Jan. 20, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to end “illegal and immoral discrimination programs,” terminating all DEI actions, initiatives, programs, grants and contracts. According to the White House official website, the Trump Administration’s justification in scaling back these policies comes from the belief that America is built on meritocracy, where achievement is solely based on one’s ability. In calling these policies “illegal,” Trump reaffirms this notion and sets a dangerous precedent by prioritizing radical political ideology over equity and inclusion. By framing DEI initiatives as discriminatory, the order not only misrepresents the goals of these programs, but also sends a chilling message to these communities that their struggles for recognition, fairness and safety in America are secondary to partisan agendas, or worse– nonexistent. This effectively erases the historical struggles of excluded groups and perpetuates hate, which we firmly believe is unjust.
The Trump administration believes that removing DEI will eliminate unfair advantages in the hiring process due to the notion that if someone is worthy of a job, then their qualification will demonstrate this rather than their circumstances, and thus, in theory, every individual will have an equal opportunity. However, due to the systematic disadvantages that minorities relentlessly face, if the DEI programs and policies that aim to help them are thus removed, then they will never be able to receive the opportunities to meet those qualifications. We, as a nation of diverse individuals, have made incredible progress towards a future of equality, but by eliminating opportunities for anyone and everyone affected by DEI, the only direction we can go is backwards.
Our school district has openly stated its devotion to DEI initiatives, which we believe has strengthened our school through the culture, opportunities and support we see on campus. According to the CVUSD homepage, 11 percent of students in our district receive special education services, 12.3 percent receive English Learner services, and 22 percent are socioeconomically disadvantaged. By acknowledging all groups of students, our district helps every student access the same opportunities as their peers, tearing down barriers that stand in their way. This makes our school site an environment with greater opportunities for all students to learn, regardless of the challenges they may face. The absence of these opportunities, such as English Language Development [ELD] and special needs programs, will create an educational divide. Individual potential and talent is not influenced by race, gender, sexual orientation or class division. Therefore, these barriers should not prevent equally deserving students from reaching their goals and having an opportunity to succeed.
The end of DEI will affect students as inclusive units in classes face the risk of being cut, thus leaving students uneducated on these topics. This will result in fostering a new age of white exceptionalism due to a lack of perspective from diverse individuals and communities. Considering different perspectives in historical issues and reading about characters from a variety of backgrounds is vital because it allows students to examine issues from all angles and empathize with people’s unique experiences.
By taking away initiatives like DEI, we are actively removing the pillars of what created our country. The Declaration of Independence states firmly that “all men are created equal.” Not one, but four amendments have been added to our constitution regarding equality. What kind of nation would we be if we reversed every step that we have taken in the past towards being the country that we have claimed to be. The United States of America has always pushed the beauty of the “American Dream”, but that dream only becomes real when every single citizen has the right and the opportunity to achieve it. DEI does not, nor has it ever, taken away opportunities from the majority, it has only created an equal playing field for both the majority and minority. It has only made us stronger, more diverse, more innovative, and most importantly more equal.
