Remaining Steadfast in our Purpose: The Ethical & Moral Basis for Sustaining DEIA in Education

Increasingly intensifying political attacks continue to pressure districts, colleges, and state agencies to abandon diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives. Yet decades of scholarship—from The Century Foundation’s research briefs to recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) meta-analyses—confirm that racially, socio-economically, and neurologically diverse learning communities raise academic achievement and spur innovation and increase civic cohesion. Beyond demonstrated academic benefits, DEIA’s focus on understanding and mitigating the impact of oppression and marginalization in schools is an integral extension of the ongoing movement for civil rights in the United States. Educators therefore have an ethical duty to defend academic freedom and civil rights while broadening opportunity and access. This brief outlines why remaining steadfast in the current political moment is morally sound, educationally necessary, pragmatic, and supported constitutionally. The following contains a short problem overview, policy alternatives, and CRSL’s policy recommendations containing concrete steps that institutions and individuals can adopt now for remaining steadfast in your purpose in support of DEIA.

Whether you teach third grade math or chair a university department, the reason you likely entered the profession was to expand minds, foster critical inquiry, and enable every learner to thrive. DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) is simply the operationalization of that core purpose. As the National DEI Defense Coalition reminds us, “truth-seeking and justice-seeking are inseparable in education.” Retreating from DEIA erodes that mission, undercuts constitutional guarantees of free expression, and in the long run, jeopardizes U.S. economic competitiveness in a pluralistic world.

Educators have always been the frontline stewards of both knowledge and democracy. The empirical benefits of diverse learning communities and culturally responsive and sustaining education, coupled with the moral imperative to honor every student’s dignity, require unwavering commitment to DEIA. By embedding equity into core practices and policies—rather than tacking it on as a political accessory—institutions can ensure they protect free speech, enrich scholarship, and prepare their graduates for a multicultural, interconnected society. No matter your educational organization, now is the time to reflect deeply on the reasons that led you to your current work, and the underlying purpose of your own role in education. Know that educators have always been at the forefront of protecting the ability to teach the truth about history, science, and humanity. While being open to adapting to the real risks and dangers of this political moment, policymakers, educational leaders, and educators should champion, not curtail, this foundational work.