Education Dept. Axed $15 Million In Federal Grants Used For DEI At Three Universities

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives took another hit — according to a new report released Friday by The Washington Free Beacon — when the U.S. Department of Education terminated $15 million in federal grants that had been used to fund DEI programs.

According to The Free Beacon’s report, the three schools in question were California State University Los Angeles, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota — and the money was part of the more than $1 billion spent by President Joe Biden’s administration on school-related DEI programs.

“Ostensibly meant for teacher training and development, the grants were in fact used to support courses and workshops on DEI concepts, including ‘white privilege,’ ‘systemic racism,’ and ‘linguistic supremacy,'” reporter Aaron Sibarium said in a thread on X detailing the story.

At the University of St. Thomas, a "cultural assessment" quiz asked teachers whether they "understand how white privilege and racism affect me and others," according to grant applications reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon.

— Aaron Sibarium (@aaronsibarium) February 8, 2025

“At the University of St. Thomas, a ‘cultural assessment’ quiz asked teachers whether they ‘understand how white privilege and racism affect me and others,’ according to grant applications reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon,” Sibarium continued.

Other expenditures included creating an Equity and Social Justice Center at California State University, and programs at Virginia Commonwealth University that taught attendees about “decolonizing the curriculum” and “becoming an antiracist educator.”

As was noted in Siberium’s report, Trump has taken a special interest in rooting out DEI practices within the education system, saying in an earlier executive order, “Institutions of higher education have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion.’ Hardworking Americans who deserve a shot at the American Dream should not be stigmatized, demeaned, or shut out of opportunities because of their race or sex.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also hit the ground running, promising to put an end to DEI programs in the U.S. military and return to the “Warrior Ethos.”

“Restoring the warrior ethos will continue to attract young men and women who are now choosing to serve because they want to embrace such ethos,” Hegseth said.

Restoring the warrior ethos will continue to attract young men and women who are now choosing to serve because they want to embrace such ethos. pic.twitter.com/yIbi2g4zjd

— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) February 8, 2025