CVHS defies federal anti-DEI efforts

With a new executive order restricting federally funded institutions from engaging in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices, CVHS and CVUSD’s committment to fostering an inclusive and equitable learning environment could be threatened.

President Donald Trump’s order, “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling,” aims to restore a “Patriotic Education” that provides “an…ennobling characterization of America’s founding and foundational principles” while cutting funding from institutions supporting the promotion of “discriminatory equity ideology.” It prohibits programs suggesting systemic racism and privilege are core issues in American society.

On April 3, the United States Department of Education (ED) issued an order requiring states to collect certificates from their school districts to confirm all DEI efforts have ended on campus. Yet, on April 11, California’s Department of Education announced that it would not be complying with the certification process for its 937 school districts, citing the legality of DEI practices.

Regardless, the ED promises enforcement action after 24 days. Fearing the financial impact, many universities have eliminated DEI programs and advertisements. At CVHS, 12.5% of the annual budget comes from federal funds. However, the school continues to uphold DEI programs and values.

One such program is the new Ethnic Studies course, a requirement for all freshmen per California’s mandate that public high schools teach about the histories and contributions of marginalized communities.

“While this course does address tough topics, such as race as a social construct, privilege, and oppression, it does not teach students to blame anyone for the existence of race, privilege, and oppression in our society,” explained Ethnic Studies teacher Britney Brown. “One common misunderstanding I have experienced is that it teaches division and animosity among people of different races. In actuality, the class seeks to teach the exact opposite.”

For many, exposure to new topics and issues has been an eye-opening experience. “Ethnic studies is a good subject to learn because through it, I’ve just now been educated about oppression and other issues I wasn’t taught much about previously,” shared freshman Avani Jadhav. “The subject helped me understand and learn more about our different communities’ experiences.”

Afrocentric “English and History courses for juniors which are alternatives to American Literature 

and U.S. History requirements also face DEI classification. Both focus on providing a “comprehensive awareness and appreciation” African Americans’ role within American and global context.

Outside of academic offerings, CVUSD introduced the Building Leaders & Activists with Collective Knowledge (BLACK) program this year for African American students at CVHS, Canyon Middle School, and Castro Valley Elementary.

“The BLACK program and Afro offer extensive insight into parts of history that aren’t discussed in most history classes,” said senior Diego De La Rosa, past president of the Black Student Union. “By teaching us about perspectives, facts, concepts, and events, it helps students have a better grasp of history and how the world and America came to be how it is today.”

In addition, the Puente Program, offered as a class for participants over their four years, could also be threatened. Puente bridges the gap for underrepresented students, and integrates Latino and multicultural literature into curriculum, encouraging students to make connections between identitiy and society.

Yet, their continued presence amidst crackdowns by the Trump administration has prompted concerns among educators and students. While it is still too early to tell how specific programs will be impacted with funding threats, Brown and De La Rosa see the implications of potential DEI rollback. 

“If Ethnic Studies is considered a DEI program, this is concerning because it is evidence that the Department of Education is misconstruing the ultimate goal of Ethnic Studies curriculum, which is for all students to feel like their lived experiences are being represented in the curriculum they are learning in school,” expressed Brown.

“If these programs were taken away, they would deny a lot of students a richer education. It would be counterintuitive to do so because the whole point of school is to provide as great of an education to its students as possible,” added De La Rosa.

At this time, CVHS and CVUSD administration have not responded to multiple requests to comment on how school sites would maintain programs if the Trump administration revokes federal funds. Additionally, CVUSD has not publicly provided the certification request; however, Supt. Parvin Ahmadi released a commitment to serving students.

“Maintaining welcoming, inclusive, equitable safe spaces in our schools is not simply a motto, it is a commitment reflected in our actions grounded on humanity and justice,” wrote Ahmadi. 

Despite the potential challenges ahead for public K-12 schools, DEI programs and initiatives have created deep, impactful roots in the Trojan community, and school officials have announced no changes to comply with Trump’s order.