PENNSYLVANIA — While the Trump administration has stepped up its push for schools to abandon “DEI” principles, state governments—including in Pennsylvania—have pushed back.

Wallenpaupack Area School District Superintendent Keith Gunuskey, speaking with the board of education on Monday, April 14, said the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) sent out a letter to school districts across the country, asking them to sign a “DEI waiver.”

DEI—an umbrella term for programs and policies promoting “diversity, equity and inclusion”—has been an early target of the Trump administration across the federal government and across American society more generally.

Gunuskey said that Wallenpaupack received guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), which told the district it did not need to respond to the federal request.

“The state of Pennsylvania, [the] Pennsylvania Department of Education, has decided to send one letter to the federal government stating that… we all attest to Title VI—which is an anti-discrimination, non-discrimination clause and policy—so individual districts do not have to sign that waiver,” Gunuskey said.

The USDE letter, which went out on April 3, required state and local education agencies to certify their compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in areas that receive federal funding, according to the USDE.

“When state education commissioners accept federal funds, they agree to abide by federal anti-discrimination requirements,” USDE Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor wrote in a press release announcing the letter. “Unfortunately, we have seen too many schools flaunt or outright violate these obligations, including by using DEI programs to discriminate against one group of Americans to favor another based on identity characteristics in clear violation of Title VI.”

PDE sent its response to the USDE on April 9, and as well sent corresponding guidance to school districts across the commonwealth. While its response “reaffirms PDE’s commitment to fully complying with its obligations under the nation’s civil rights laws, and likewise affirms that all of your agencies share that commitment,” the PDE told school districts the USDE overstepped its authority with its request, according to the PDE’s memo.

“To the extent USDE’s request sought certifications from [state and local school agencies] going beyond the legal obligation to comply with Title VI, PDE views such a request as an attempt to change the terms and conditions of federal award without formal administrative process,” which USDE does not have the authority to do, PDE wrote.

“While the letter from USDE referenced ‘certain DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) practices’ and ‘illegal DEI,’ it did not identify those practices or define ‘illegal DEI,’ and there are no federal or state laws generally prohibiting efforts relating to diversity, equity or inclusion,” wrote PDE.

“As a result, PDE has fully complied with its legal obligations, as have all of your agencies, and no further action is required at this time,” it told school districts.

PDE shared a statement with the River Reporter that read in part, “At PDE, we are focused on supporting Pennsylvania schools and ensuring that all Pennsylvania learners have the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed. Regardless of changes taking place at the federal level, the Shapiro administration will continue to do everything in our power to support Pennsylvania learners, educators and schools.”

Gunuskey has previously told the River Reporter that Wallenpaupack will heed PDE guidance for how to respond to federal directives. Additionally, “Our policy is—and this is something that I don’t think could ever change, regardless of what executive order would state—is that we want all of our kids to feel welcome,” he said.