The Trump administration has been on a rampage against institutions that support diversity, equity, and inclusion, and in particular has told the states that they aren’t allowed to tolerate transgender athletes. So they’re threatening to sue us, and California, and Maine, any state that similarly refuses to cave in to bigotry. Minnesota says “no.”
Minnesota quickly went on the radar of newly sworn in U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi after state leaders vowed to buck President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports.
Bondi warned Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison that the Department of Justice is prepared to sue states that do not comply with Trump’s order. But Ellison indicated he will not back down, arguing that compliance would violate state’s human rights protections.
This isn’t just bigotry, it’s also political payback. Our treacherous Minnesota Republicans seen an opportunity to tear down Democrats.
Minnesota Republicans appear to see an opening with Bondi heading the Justice Department for a broader legal push against Democrats in the state.
“We write to inform you of years of rampant unchecked fraud occurring in our state due to failed leadership by Governor Tim Walz, his agencies, and legislative Democrats. We also ask for your assistance to investigate the growing fraud in our state,” state House Republicans wrote in a letter to Bondi earlier this month.
Our state office of higher education has sent us a memo. They aren’t accepting this, either.
Minnesota Higher Education Leaders:
You have likely heard about a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL), distributed by the U.S. Department of Education (ED)
on February 14, 2025, that communicated a change in the agency’s interpretation of federal laws prohibiting
discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE), along
with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), and the Office of Attorney General Keith Ellison, is
assessing the legal and practical implications of this directive.
Like many of you, we have concerns about the letter’s timing, clarity, and potential impact on Minnesota
colleges, academic research, and students. The DCL asserts that diversity, equity, and inclusion, and similar
efforts, are at odds with longstanding civil rights law. It also announces that ED will begin assessing programs
and activities no later than February 28, 2025, with an intent to withhold federal resources from those deemed
not in compliance to this new interpretation of civil rights law.
While the DCL is just that – a letter, which does not carry the full force and effect of law – it has created
untenable uncertainty. With that in mind, I’m sharing more information for consideration as you assess what the
ambiguity and confusion brought on by the DCL means for your campus:
• The DCL by itself is not a civil rights enforcement action, and in its own footnotes, acknowledges that it
“does not have the force and effect of law and does not bind the public or create new legal standards”
(DCL, page 1, footnote 3).
• Federal civil rights enforcement is governed by federal regulations that require ED to take specific steps
before freezing or stopping funding.
• Minnesota state law, including the Minnesota Human Rights Act, prohibits discrimination or preferential
treatment in public education on the basis of race, religion, disability, national origin, gender identity
and other identities.
OHE will continue to seek clarity and keep you informed, and as always, we will do so with a focus on upholding
your academic freedom, your ability to determine curriculum and course offerings, your right to advance
research initiatives, and our shared mission to support every student’s pursuit and completion of a higher
education credential.
Thank you for your partnership,
Dennis Olson
Commissioner, Minnesota Office of Higher Education
But the Republicans have an alternate plan. The US Department of Education has put up a snitch sheet, a page called “End DEI“, where you, yes, YOU, can report all the schools that fail to burn witches torment trans kids.
Schools should be focused on learning.
The U.S. Department of Education is committed to ensuring all students have access to meaningful learning free of divisive ideologies and indoctrination. This submission form is an outlet for students, parents, teachers, and the broader community to report illegal discriminatory practices at institutions of learning. The Department of Education will utilize community submissions to identify potential areas for investigation.
Your email:
School or school district:
School or school district ZIP Code:
Please describe in as much detail as possible the discriminatory practice taking place:
It’s very 1984. Not discriminating has become an illegal discriminatory practice
.
But please do report the University of Minnesota Morris — I’m sure people already are. This place supports our LGBTQ students and faculty…also our people who are members of other minorities. I wouldn’t have it any other way. The anti-DEI bigots are attacking, but we will fight back.
People should be reporting the pledge of allegiance which is very much indoctrination.
the hypocrisy is off the charts re. their whole previous ‘lets the states decide’ small government lie.
At least we can rest content that Jerry Coyne is happy.
Make sure to report Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
Just in case.
Report all your local private xian schools and bible colleges as well.
Just in case.
If you are in a Red district or state, report your senators and representatives.
These snitch websites always find whatever it is, everywhere.
This GOP program to discriminate and persecute Trans people has a name.
We used to call them witch hunts.
This is exactly what this is, a witch hunt for a small group of 0.5% of the population that is harmless, solely because they are small and don’t have a lot of legal protections.
It is something we often repeat from the Dark Ages.
The targets change but it is always the same procedure.
McCarthy. “I have a list of 205 communists in the state department.” All of which are imaginary.
Modern day witches can be Jews, feminists, climate scientists, commies, gays, vaccine researchers, atheists, etc.. and this year, it is Trans people.
The best way to deal with these “reporting” websites is to choke them with false claims.
Funny how they said they wanted to return Education to the states….. and then they turn around and demand that THEY get to dictate what the states are allowed to do!
Since Trump has already put out an executive order making all Americans legally women, any school which acknowledges anyone as male is in violation of this order, and should be reported. Except all-girls schools with exclusively female staff, I guess. Still, people should really be reporting all of these woke schools that are allowing women to pretend to be men.
@4 raven has a great idea! ‘Make sure to report Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
Just in case. Report all your local private xian schools and bible colleges as well.
Just in case. If you are in a Red district or state, report your senators and representatives.’
And, these rtwingnut xtian terrorists, like the Felon muskrat and tRUMP and their magat hordes, want to destroy education and replace it with their own bullshit indoctrination of students.
These miscreants rant about ‘failed leadership by Governor Tim Walz’. WTF! Tim Walz is not perfect, but he is so very good compared to these imbecilic rtwingnut xtian terrorists!
OFF topic but Important: crossposted from the Infinite Thread
About 45 min ago, we were watching the ‘live feed’ zelenskyy Vs tRUMP. The magat was talking over zelenskyy TELLING him what he should do, being an evil thug, playing his tiny accordion (a ‘tell’ that he is lying his ass off). It made us physically and emotionally ill.We had to turn it off. It has taken us a while to calm down and not have a stroke or heart attack from this CRAP.
This just proves how far down the death spiral we are!
I suggest filling out the snitch form and nominating the White House and the Rethuglican congress as the offenders.
Schools to report:
Liberty University
Bob Jones University
etc.
@ 6 microraptor
Why would you even need false claims? Homophobia, transphobia, racism and misogyny are all “divisive ideologies and indoctrination” that prevent minorities and women focusing on learning. And they’re everywhere.