Alaska’s public schools could be more emboldened to push diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) dogma on children in the coming months, especially in areas like Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, where the school boards lean decidedly left.
This past January, the U.S. Department of Education voluntarily agreed to drop its appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals, thereby leaving intact an August 2025 U.S. District Court decision that negated the Trump administration’s nationwide effort to root out DEI and pull federal funds from institutions that continued to promote the controversial ideology.
Conservatives have long argued that DEI policies in schools undermine education by favoring certain racial/gender groups in admissions, scholarships and programing, while systematically disadvantaging white/male students based on identity rather than merit. DEI critics note that this philosophy is rooted in critical race theory and results in lower academic standards, diluted curriculum and an emphasis on controversial notions about so-called systemic racism, white privilege and unconscious bias. DEI is also often tied to the promotion of LGBTQ gender theories.
Due to the recent court decision, public schools are no longer required to universally comply with the Trump administration’s interpretation of civil rights law and DEI when it comes to receiving federal funding.
This ends a year-long legal battle and represents a victory for leftist educators, unions, LGBTQ groups and school districts that desire to embed curriculum, policy, student services and overall school operations with DEI philosophy.
BACKGROUND
Initially, conservatives celebrated when President Trump issued his January 2025 executive order aimed at ending “radical indoctrination” in K-12 education. That was followed by a February 14, 2025, “Dear Colleague” letter from Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor. Citing the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, the letter interpreted Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to deem many DEI initiatives as unlawful racial discrimination. It warned that schools using race-based preferences in operations, curriculum, hiring, or student services risked enforcement actions and loss of federal funding.
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The Trump administration’s policy was then challenged by teacher unions and school districts who claimed the changes infringed on their right to promote controversial beliefs regarding race, equity, diversity and inclusion, views that typically cast white Americans as fundamentally racist and culturally insensitive.
Last summer, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher ruled for the plaintiffs, thereby vacating the Trump administration’s Dear Colleague Letter. The judge claimed the guidance created fear among millions of educators that promoting their beliefs among students could result in punishment.
Initially, the Education Department appealed to the Fourth Circuit but dropped the challenge on January 21, 2026.
ONGOING BATTLE
While local school districts are not compelled to reboot DEI initiatives, the left-leaning Alaska Association of School Boards (AASB) is advising them to consider doing so.
In a recent newsletter to educators around Alaska, the AASB published a column by Anchorage attorney Clint Campion, which suggested that Alaska school boards across the state revisit their DEI policies in light of the recent ruling against the Trump administration.
The battle, however, is not over. Despite the legal setback, the Trump administration has not wholly abandoned its fight against DEI and is pursuing alternative strategies through targeted enforcement and policy changes. This includes more narrowly focused investigations by individual federal agencies to identify and investigate DEI-related policies that may violate civil rights laws. This reflects a shift from sweeping mandates to more piecemeal strategies that rely on existing civil rights law and agency discretion, especially when it comes to investigations and funding decisions.
On the local level, parental rights groups and organizations like Moms For Liberty, which oppose DEI, may see a need for increased vigilance in monitoring actions taken by school boards and district administrators across Alaska.
