Maryland joins a coalition of 19 attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over threats to withhold federal funding from K-12 schools.
State and local agencies were told on April 3 that they must accept the administration's new interpretation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, in relation to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, or risk loss of federal education funds.
The guidance included adhering to Title VI requirements and prohibiting "programs to advantage one's race over another" and the "use of illegal DEI practices."
Scripps News Group reported on Thursday that a federal judge blocked the new guidance from the Department of Education that aimed at limiting DEI programs in K-12 public schools.
RELATED: Federal judge blocks Department of Education's guidance on DEI amid split response among states
Per the report, U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty wrote, "The Letter does not even define what a 'DEI program' is."
In the lawsuit, Attorney General Anthony Brown, along with the other AGs, seek to bar the Department of Education from withholding any funding.
“With these blatantly unlawful actions, the Trump Administration is playing politics with children’s futures, threatening to defund schools just because they promote policies that ensure equal education for all students,” said Attorney General Brown. “Maryland will not stand by while President Trump tries to bully our State with vague, contradictory demands that would hurt our most vulnerable students and violate the law we've followed for decades.”
According to AG's Office, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) provides Maryland with hundreds of millions of dollars in support each year for a variety of needs related to children and education, adding that to receive the funds, Maryland consistently and regularly certified its compliance with Title VI and its regulations.
Maryland gave the ED written certifications to make it clear that its local partners have fully complied with Title VI and its regulations.
The state also informed the ED that it would not assent to its additional "unlawful demands."
The coalition of AGs accuse the ED of violating the Spending Clause, the Appropriations Clause, the separation of powers, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
