1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

The Education Department's new "End DEl" portal for reporting diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in schools is dangerous. Soliciting complaints about efforts to promote an inclusive and equitable learning environment for all students undermines the important work our nations teachers are doing to teach our kids. Diversity initiatives help create school cultures that value and support students of all backgrounds. Equity programs are vital for making sure all students get the support they need to learn and succeed. Inclusion efforts foster a sense of belonging and respect for all students which keeps them in school. This portal seems intended to stoke division and create fear among teachers and school staff. Anonymous tips against teachers or principals is an offensive approach that smacks of witch-hunting. It’s forcing politics into the classroom and parent-teacher relationships. Rather than inviting scrutiny of practices designed to support underserved student groups, the Department should focus its resources on enforcing civil rights protections and advancing evidence-based policies to raise achievement and close persistent gaps. Targeting diversity efforts will only exacerbate inequities which hurts all of us. For the benefit of all students, and to demonstrate respect for the heroic people in the teaching profession, I urge you to shut the End DEI portal down. Our public education system should unite communities, not divide them against their own interests in providing student the opportunity to learn and thrive.