In a major move, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has slashed a whopping $370 million in taxpayer dollars that were being spent on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the Department of Education.
This massive cut was made possible by the newly formed department led by Elon Musk, which aims to purge unnecessary spending by the federal government.
What’s Behind the Cuts?
DOGE revealed on X that they terminated 70 DEI training grants within the department, totaling $373 million.
One of these grants was funding training for teachers to “engage in ongoing learning and self-reflection to confront their own biases and racism, and develop asset-based anti-racist mindsets.”
This move is seen as a significant step towards reducing wasteful spending and promoting efficiency in government.
A Pattern of Cost-Cutting
This is not the first time DOGE has made headlines for cutting costs. Over the past several weeks, the department has announced the canceling of various streams of funding to DEI in education, including $9.7 million for UC Berkeley to develop “a cohort of Cambodian youth with enterprise driven skills.”
The latest spending sweep comes just days after DOGE announced the termination of another 89 DOE contracts totaling $881 million, which included more than $100 million in DEI grants.
Cracking Down on DEI Practices
The Education Department has been cracking down on DEI practices in education, ordering all 50 state education departments to remove DEI policies within 14 days or risk losing federal funding.
This move is seen as a major win for students and taxpayers alike.
As Heather Higgins, CEO of Independent Women’s Voice, wrote on X, “Hurrah” to the latest DOGE cuts.
A Clear Message
The letter from the Education Department sent a clear message: “The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent.”
This move is a significant step towards promoting equality and fairness in education.
What’s Next?
With DOGE continuing to make waves in the government, it will be interesting to see what other cost-cutting measures they implement.
One thing is clear: taxpayers are winning big with these latest cuts. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.