On January 20, 2025, the day of the presidential inauguration, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14151. The first of many executive orders regarding minority groups, it reads, “The Biden administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI), into…the Federal Government”.
This order allows the Attorney General and Director of the Office of Personnel Management to “coordinate the termination of…illegal DEI…mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government”.
Then, in April 2025, the Trump administration issued the Title VI Certification Letter. This required all educational institutions receiving federal funds to comply with Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (an act passed to give people of color equal rights in America). Trump justifies his decisions by arguing DEI procedures give advantage “to…one’s race over another”.
These actions caused three separate lawsuits against the administration, which temporarily barred the letter’s enforcement. This means funding cannot currently be cut if schools continue their DEI initiatives.
Despite the lawsuits, the Trump Administration has recently expressed discontent with Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology’s admissions process–as they switched from a meritocratic evaluation to a holistic one to achieve racial balancing.
Regarding the school’s admissions procedure, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said, “We will further investigate this complaint to ensure that all students are assessed fairly, according to merit and accomplishment,” therefore demonstrating the administration’s continued pursuit against DEI programs.
The president’s campaign against these initiatives could potentially affect the high school as well, as Wellesley places an
emphasis on DEI measures.
One of the core values of the District is “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging”. The school has its own DEI office, with various initiatives like Women of Color Circle, Race Matters, and ALANA (an affinity group for African, Latinx, Asian, and Native Americans). Wellesley also participates in the METCO program (Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity), allowing students from Boston to attend public schools in other communities in order to expand educational opportunities, increase diversity, and reduce racial isolation. There are around 150 METCO students currently enrolled in the Wellesley district.
Many students are worried about the future of DEI at the high school and have yet to receive an official response.
“Right now, I feel like I still have that equal opportunity, but…one little blurb on the news…[could make] my life…change the next day,” said Laylah Powell ’27.
Janelle Albert ’27 said, “It’s very sad, because people are fearful. What’s gonna happen to people of color, and people who have to rely on [DEI programs] to be in a place of security and financial safety?”
The only messages sent out by the school district were two regarding ICE raids and federal immigration policies in January and June 2025.
In the January letter, Superintendent Dr. David Lussier said, “Wellesley Public Schools is unwavering in its commitment to fostering a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for [everyone] regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or immigration status.”
The letter went on to clarify that Wellesley does not ask for immigration records, does not coordinate with federal agencies regarding immigration matters, and does not share students’ personal information with the federal government without the permission of families.
The June message provided a link to the state Attorney General’s released “Know Your Rights” guide related to “immigration enforcement activities in our area”.
Powell wants the high school to do more.
“I know people don’t want to talk about politics as much, but…it’s getting to the point where it’s affecting everyone, and you just can’t ignore what’s happening,” said Powell. She said the high school should communicate with students “to give a little insight…just to let people know ‘we’re not ignoring it,’ [instead of] making it seem like [they] don’t know what’s going on. Because it’s happening, and you have to face it.”
The Bradford took steps to investigate which of the high school’s DEI programs could be affected by federal measures and what changes would be implemented. However, when conducting interviews with community members, The Bradford encountered a challenge: many interviewees were not only cautious but also highly selective about their responses.
Some requested not to be recorded, asked to have “off the record conversations”, or left questions unanswered. Questions that were unresponded include: “Do you see any other challenges for Wellesley’s DEI efforts moving forward?”, “Have teachers or staff expressed concerns about their ability to discuss DEI topics in class?”, and “How will you help students still feel included in Wellesley, especially when they see how DEI is changing throughout the country?”
There has already been backlash against DEI at universities. Harvard University recently rejected a list of demands the administration sent, many regarding DEI, resulting in the government freezing more than two billion dollars in research grants.
Data from the FY26 Wellesley Public Schools Budget shows state grant funding given to Wellesley Public Schools per year. Screenshot from FY26 Voted Budget Document.
The Bradford found that at the high school specifically, many programs–including METCO and the Teacher Diversification Pilot Program–receive state, rather than federal funding. Therefore, according to Wellesley School Committee Chair Linda Chow, the high school is not anticipating any changes to curriculum, policies, or initiatives, as the Massachusetts government has made its stance supporting DEI clear.
“We value equal opportunity and access for all students, a freedom and essential right that should be protected nationally,” said Massachusetts Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Lauren Jones in a press release.
Additionally, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) recently sent a letter in response to the federal government’s demand for “compliance with anti-discrimination obligations in order to continue receiving federal financial assistance.”
In the letter, they stated that “Massachusetts will continue to promote diversity in our schools.” They also said, “It is essential that schools should continue their support for marginalized students…to reinforce that they belong in their school communities.”
The School Committee also recently passed the Civil Rights Grievance Procedure, stating Wellesley is “committed to maintaining school environments free of discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation…or any other category protected by state or federal law.”
These actions at the state and town levels demonstrate Massachusetts’s–and in turn Wellesley’s–commitment to maintaining DEI policies. However, funding still may be a challenge, as the high school does receive free lunch grants, multiple IDEA grants (for students with disabilities), the Early Childhood Special Education Grant, and grants for learning programs for non-native English speakers, all from the federal government. If the Title VI Certification Letter is passed and the district continues supporting DEI initiatives, this funding could be revoked.
Specifically, in the FY26 budget plan, the Title III, Part A: English Language Acquisition grant provides resources to ensure that “English Learners (ELs) and immigrant children attain English proficiency and develop high levels of academic achievement in English.” Funds are used to pay for teachers, Parent English learner programs, and tutoring outside of regular school hours.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) makes sure students with disabilities receive “a free and appropriate public education…to meet their individual needs.” Its funding goes towards teaching assistants and special education paraprofessionals for students on individual education programs (IEPs).
Data from the FY26 Wellesley Public Schools Budget shows federal funding given to Wellesley Public Schools Per Year. The previous three years have each exceeded a budget of over 1.5 million dollars. Screenshot from FY26 Voted Budget Document.
These are just a few of the ways federal funding benefits the District. Outside of the high school, it also helps fund special education at the elementary schools.
According to Chow, if funding were to be suddenly cut, Wellesley has a stabilization fund it could turn to. However, this reserve has around two million dollars in it, and the federal grants received by the town in 2024 alone totalled $2,567,423.
Chow also said that the School Committee is relying on “cautious optimism” that funding will be stable during the coming school year.
Dr. Jamie Chisum, principal of the high school, explains how their power is limited, however.
“At times, I don’t have any authority at all. And in terms of…these larger executive orders, I have no control. If somebody comes and says, ‘you can do this, you can’t do that’, I don’t have a lot of choices,” he said.
The high school must abide by both state and federal laws. Therefore, if the Trump administration passes laws prohibiting DEI, they must obey.
However, students are still seeking a clear stance from the high school about their current steps regarding DEI considering new federal changes.
“I think they need to speak up about it because I don’t know any of [the high school’s] plans…and [DEI changes] will probably affect me or my community,” said Vibha Thirumale ’26.
“I just want Wellesley to be a place that’s bold enough to stand up against these other things…[and say] this is something we need to do for our school community: make sure all our students…and all our staff members have a place that is welcoming, open and diverse,” said Albert.
