BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a 19-state lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s threat to withhold federal funding over school diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
The lawsuit (PDF), filed last Monday, aims to prevent the Department of Education (ED) from enforcing its new interpretation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. The ED’s interpretation, announced on April 3, 2025, equates efforts promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion with unlawful discrimination.
The ED’s decision jeopardizes hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding that Maryland relies upon for essential education programs. These programs include support for low-income students, special education services, teacher recruitment and training, English language learning programs, and assistance for vulnerable children.
According to the coalition of attorneys general, the ED’s directive forces state and local education agencies to choose between forfeiting federal funds or dismantling programs they deem lawful. This ultimatum, they argue, violates the Spending Clause, the Appropriations Clause, the separation of powers, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
“With these blatantly unlawful actions, the Trump Administration is playing politics with children’s futures, threatening to defund schools just because they promote policies that ensure equal education for all students,” said Attorney General Brown in a statement.
Despite the ED’s threats, Maryland has refused to abandon its commitment to Title VI’s core principles. Maryland has consistently certified its compliance with Title VI and its implementing regulations, but it informed the ED that it would not assent to its additional, unlawful demands. In its lawsuit, the coalition seeks to enjoin the ED from withholding funding based on its misinterpretation of the law.
The coalition of attorneys general includes those from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai‛i, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Washington.
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
Photo via Attorney General Anthony Brown on X
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