Decision Represents First Final Judgement on “Dear Colleague Letter” and Certification Requirements Amid Several Cases
Baltimore – A U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland has made a sweeping ruling in favor of a coalition of nationwide associations of educators and a public school district, declaring that the Trump-Vance administration’s attempt to require school districts throughout the nation to censor lessons, abandon student support programs, and certify their compliance with the administration’s unlawful interpretation of civil rights is unconstitutional. The case is American Federation of Teachers et al v. U.S. Department of Education et al and the coalition is represented by Democracy Forward.
The case was filed by the American Federation of Teachers, AFT-Maryland, the American Sociological Association, and Eugene School District 4J, challenging a “Dear Colleague Letter,” published by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights on February 14, 2025, which threatened that federal funding would be withheld from education institutions that teach students critical history, sociology, and other lessons that may reference race, provide support to students in the form of diversity, equity, or inclusion programming, or attempt to foster inclusive school environments for students of all backgrounds, among other efforts. The Department of Education followed this letter with a requirement that every state and school district sign a Certification, under threat of termination of funding and criminal penalty, that they would adhere to the administration’s unlawful interpretation of civil rights.
“Today’s final judgment by a federal court affirms what we and the plaintiffs in this case have long known: the Trump-Vance administration’s crusade against civil rights, equity, and inclusion is unlawful and threatens all Americans. This is an invaluable decision that will have a sweeping and positive impact on public schools, teachers, and students. Threatening teachers and sowing chaos in schools throughout America is part of the administration’s war on education, and today the people won,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “While the fight to protect public education is far from over, today’s ruling is an important victory. Democracy Forward is honored to work with educators, sociologists, and public school districts that would have been directly affected by these destructive policies to fight back and protect public education. The courage and bravery of our plaintiffs has made a difference in the lives of millions of students.”
“Today, the court confirmed the importance of our job as educators to foster opportunity, dignity, and engagement. We create safe and welcoming classrooms where students are cared for and accepted. We teach the skills and knowledge they need to navigate a diverse and complex world. And we value critical thinking, which requires us to present history in an open and honest way,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “The court agreed that this vague and clearly unconstitutional requirement is a grave attack on students, our profession, honest history, and knowledge itself. It would hamper efforts to extend access to education, and dash the promise of equal opportunity for all, a central tenet of the United States since its founding.”
“From the beginning, we have been clear that this directive from Trump’s Department of Education is an unlawful overreach that threatens the education of all Maryland’s students,” said AFT Maryland President Kenya Campbell. “Today’s ruling makes it clear that, regardless of President Trump’s wishes and endless attacks, our public education system will continue to meet the diverse needs of every student – from teaching true history to providing critical resources. From K-12 schools in our most vulnerable communities to our higher education institutions, this is a resounding victory for the public education our educators stand up for everyday.”
“The American Sociological Association (ASA) is delighted with this ruling,” said ASA President Adia Harvey Wingfield. “It affirms that we sociologists can still do the challenging yet rewarding work of asking and answering hard questions–about race, inequality, society, and more. Furthermore, today’s decision confirms that teachers across the nation can continue to support students, enrich academic institutions, and maybe most importantly, do the essential work of providing a nuanced, thoughtful education. ASA will always stand with and for sociologists, but we are also proud to stand up for students, for free speech, and for all Americans’ right to an education unblemished by censorship, scare tactics, and threats.”
“Eugene School District 4J is thrilled that the Court’s ruling protects the right of all students to have fair and equal access to public education,” said school board member Jenny Jonak. “Our district works hard to ensure that every student feels included through thoughtful curriculum and programs. Teachers and schools must be able to provide inclusive, comprehensive education without fear of losing critical federal funding. We should never be forced to choose between supporting our students and securing the resources they need and deserve.”
Today’s ruling vacates the letter and the certification, holding that both are unconstitutional, unlawful, and the process the administration pursued to create the requirements did not comply with the Administrative Procedures Act (APA).
“Plaintiff’s have shown that neither challenged agency action have promulgated in accordance with the procedural requirements of the APA, and that both actions run afoul of important constitutional rights,” reads the ruling from Judge Stephanie A Gallagher.
The Democracy Forward legal team includes Maddy Gitomer, Brooke Menschel, Kali Schellenberg, Andrew Bookbinder, and Victoria Nugent.
Today’s ruling can be found here and the full amended complaint can be found here.
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Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.