➤ President Donald Trump’s government has taken strong steps to remove “DEI” from government programs. The move reverses years of government efforts to make sure that people from minorities have equal opportunities.
US President Donald Trump’s government has taken strong steps to remove “DEI” from government programs. The move reverses years of government efforts to make sure that people from minorities have equal opportunities.
DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Together, these words describe an effort to treat people fairly and include people from different minority groups. Minority groups could include people from different backgrounds, people of color, people who aren’t male, disabled people, or others.
For most of the history of the US, important jobs were held by white males. In recent decades, the country has changed to allow women, people of color, and others to also get an education, hold jobs, and important positions. But minorities have often struggled to be included and to be treated fairly. DEI programs represent an effort to try to solve some of these problems.
Mr. Trump and many Republicans believe DEI programs are unfair to people who are not minorities. In recent years, Republicans have made greater efforts to get rid of DEI programs.
(Source: The White House [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)
On his first day in office, Mr. Trump signed an order telling US government agencies to get rid of all DEI programs and any workplace rules related to DEI. The next day, he signed an order that brought an end to “affirmative action”, a program that required government agencies to make sure minorities had an equal chance of being hired by the government.
The orders have had a powerful effect. In almost no time, these efforts by the government, which had been going on for decades, were stopped. Government agencies got rid of DEI programs and training materials, and removed anything related to DEI from their websites. Government workers who were part of DEI programs were fired or put on leave.
The changes are huge, but could be especially difficult in areas like health and science. Mr. Trump’s orders could limit research into areas affecting minorities. It could also affect health programs aimed at supporting the different medical needs of different groups.
Mr. Trump’s government is not stopping with the US government changes. It has encouraged private companies to drop their DEI programs, and suggested that companies that do not could get in legal trouble. Many large companies have already dropped their DEI programs. The government has made similar threats to public schools around the country.
Many Republicans are happy about Mr. Trump’s attack on DEI. But many others have concerns about the larger effects of dropping DEI. They suggest that it could result in more people being passed over for jobs or other opportunities. Some people fear that the move could send a message that it’s okay to treat people unfairly.