Education Department removing 'disparate impact' discrimination rule
FILE-A Department of Education sign is displayed outside of their federal student aid office on June 3, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
The Department of Education is removing "disparate impact" regulations which ban policies and practices with discriminatory impacts that are unexpected.
Reuters obtained a statement from 60 civil rights and education groups who said they denounced the change, explaining that the regulations being removed were critical to protect students from systemic discrimination based on race, color and national origin.
Education Department addresses "disparate impact" discrimination rule
What they're saying:
According to Reuters, the Education Department said on July 23 that disparate impact rules prevented schools from reigning in minority students who were disruptive and led educational institutions "to consider race and engage in racial balancing."
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The other side:
Rights groups opposing the move told Reuters that the regulations were meant to protect against measures like school closure and discipline policies that often appear neutral but harm or set back Black, Native American, Hispanic, Asian American and Pacific Islander students.
In 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order opposing disparate impact regulations and asked government agencies not to enforce them.
Reuters reported that this latest action by the Department of Education is part of a broader move by Trump against diversity initiatives, which he alleges are anti-merit and discriminatory against groups like white people and men.
Furthermore, civil rights supporters have criticized Trump's actions, claiming they are rolling back social progress, while removing practices designed to help underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, women and the LGBT community.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by Reuters, which cites comments from civil rights groups and the Department of Education. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.