Louisiana K-12 superintendent urges schools to embrace Trump DEI guidance

by Piper Hutchinson, Louisiana Illuminator
February 19, 2025

Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley is urging Louisiana K-12 schools to comply with guidance from President Donald Trump’s administration as it threatens to revoke federal funding from campuses that use race-conscious practices in admissions, programming, training, hiring, scholarships and other aspects of student life. 

The new federal guidelines came in the form of a non-legally binding “dear colleagues” letter Acting Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education for Civil Rights Craig Trainor sent to schools last week. The letter advised K-12 schools, colleges and universities to comply by Feb. 28 or risk losing federal funding. 

It’s the latest example of the Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) measures. 

Brumley, a conservative Republican, endorsed the administration’s guidance in a letter he sent to Louisiana K-12 system leaders Wednesday. Read the full letter below. 

“The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) agrees with [federal] guidance and belief that ‘[d]iscrimination [under any banner] on the basis of race, color, or national origin is illegal and morally reprehensible,’” Brumley wrote. “Furthermore, LDOE commends Governor Landry for his proactive Executive Order as well as his unwavering support of LDOE’s work to stop inherently divisive concepts, like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), from infiltrating Louisiana’s K-12 public education system.” 

Gov. Jeff Landry, who is ideologically aligned with Brumley and Trump, issued an executive order last year prohibiting the teaching of critical race theory in K-12 schools. Critical race theory (CRT) is an advanced academic concept that holds that race is socially constructed, and it examines how legal structures are used to oppress people of color. Most classes that take the theory into consideration are in graduate programs at the university level. There is no evidence these courses are being taught to children and teenagers in Louisiana. 

The Trump administration’s letter is predicated on a very broad interpretation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard in 2023, which prohibited the use of affirmative action in admissions. While that decision was limited to admissions, conservatives have favored a sweeping interpretation that applies the prohibition to other aspects of student life. 

In his letter, Brumley advises schools to review programs, initiatives, awards and other items to ensure compliance with Trainor’s guidance. 

Several Louisiana K-12 public schools engage in diversity, inclusion and equity practices, according to a report the Louisiana Department of Education submitted to the Legislature. However, separate reports from Louisiana’s four higher education systems showed minimal spending on DEI. 

LSU ahead of the curve 

The Trump administration’s interpretation of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard has already been adopted by the LSU Board of Supervisors. In October, it passed a resolution calling for the dismantling of all DEI practices. 

The resolution requires LSU to conduct a comprehensive review of all of its “programs and bureaucracies” in which classifications are maintained based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, political views or national origin. Any programs found to confer “any preferential treatment in violation of the rule of law outlined by the supreme court in SFA v. Harvard” will be eliminated, according to the resolution. 

The board is expected to take action on this review at its meeting Friday, LSU President William Tate told state legislators at a House Education Committee meeting last week. 

Janene Tate, spokeswoman for the Southern University System, the nation’s only system of historically Black colleges and universities, said in a statement the system is confident its current practices are “constitutional and legal.” 

Other colleges and universities contacted for this report are taking a slower approach. 

“I have seen a lot of expressions of angst… regarding the letter, but it really doesn’t apply to any of the efforts we have underway at Louisiana Tech,” university President Jim Henderson said “It does not affect us.” 

“That doesn’t mean there won’t be further guidance that won’t be more restrictive, but it’s not in the four corners of that dear colleagues letter,” Henderson said. 

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette “is analyzing the potential impact” of the federal guidance, spokesman Eric Maron said in a statement, adding it’s premature to comment on any specific required changes.

Southeastern Louisiana University is reviewing the letter and awaiting legal guidance, spokesman Mike Rivault said in a statement. 

Rick Gallot, president of the University of Louisiana System, did not respond to multiple calls requesting comment for this report. 

Chandler LeBeouf, spokesman for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, said its schools “will remain adaptable to the evolving higher education landscape while ensuring that all Louisianans have the opportunity to pursue education and training in a learning environment that leads to meaningful careers.” 

Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.

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