US judge strikes down Education Department's anti — DEI grant policy

By Nate Raymond BOSTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) — A federal judge on Thursday struck down a policy that was adopted early in US President Donald Trump's administration that required the US Department of Education to terminate millions of dollars in grants funding diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. US District Judge Angel Kelley in Boston ruled in favor of eight Democratic-led states that had continued to challenge the Education Department policy even after the US Supreme Court in April 2025 allowed the administration to proceed with terminating the teacher training grants. The judge said the policy provided no discernible criteria for what programs would be considered "DEI" and disfavored for funding. The department also failed to consider how canceling the grants would impact those who relied upon the funding, she said. "The Directive does not acknowledge the fact that thousands of teachers, as well as teachers in teacher-training pipelines, would be affected, upending the careers of much-needed educators," Kelley wrote. The Education Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The states sued after the Education Department in February 2025 announced it w