On April 8th, 2025, the Virginia Beach School Board decided to eliminate the school system’s Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, or at least change its name, to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order to suspend DEI policies in public schools. The resolution was approved in a 6-3 vote, primarily motivated by the continuation of federal funding and the obligation to abide by the executive order.
Although VBCPS is not the first district to suspend DEI policies, many students reported being surprised by the decision, given the late notice and the vote’s absence on the meeting agenda. On Monday, April 7th, board members were notified of the vote that would occur the next day, although two members would be absent from the meeting.
“Without public input or detailed explanations, the decision appears to be unplanned,” said junior Emma Bernal. “Though I understand that the school system has eliminated DEI policies to prevent the loss of $74 million in funding, it is still concerning and raises questions about the process and transparency involved.”
As a result of the decision, the district’s Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will be renamed to the Department of Opportunity and Achievement. The former DEI department spearheaded events and programs aimed at promoting inclusion, such as the African American Male Summit at Green Run High School and the TIDE (Togetherness through Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity) Coalition Conference at Kempsville High School; these two events are under review by the school board for meeting federal actions and requirements.
“The TIDE Conference is such an amazing opportunity to connect with other students, teachers and city officials one on one,” said senior Gabriela Boseman, a student who had the opportunity to attend and speak at the conference this past fall. “There is a huge disconnect between students and the school board, and DEI creates an opportunity for each ‘department’ to see different issues from different perspectives. I think reworking [DEI] to be more effective should be the path instead of removing it completely.”
While it is not exactly clear what activities and extracurriculars will be eliminated, some students believe that the decision will impact history curricula and literature selection in particular. Junior Ana Wright, for instance, worries that the absence of inclusive texts will inaccurately reflect district-wide diversity.
“Everyone should have the chance to discuss potentially controversial topics and learn about culture and history in an authentic way,” said Wright. “Representation in schools is already scarce, [so] removing the programs that help maintain what is left would be detrimental, especially for minority students whose voices often go unheard.”
On the other hand, others believe that the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives will greatly benefit the school system both financially and ethically. According to the district’s adopted budget for the 2024-25 school year, approximately $585,000 is allocated to the DEI department, a three percent increase from the 2023-24 school year.
“Elimination of DEI will improve the school system financially because instead of spending money on clubs and groups, they can spend the extra money on maintenance works, events, and educational field trips,” said freshman Megan Moore.
Additionally, many students agree with President Trump and his belief that hiring should be based on merit and not off of appearance or ethnicity. Trump takes a firm stance on “DEI hires,” explaining that “individual dignity, hard work, and excellence” are the only factors that should be considered when evaluating job candidates.
“Job hirings should be based on work ethic,” said freshman Emma Check. “If people do not meet the requirements and are not as qualified as other candidates, then employers should not turn the higher-quality candidates away just because they want diverse workers.”
Some suspect that the celebrations of historical observances will be prohibited, such as February assemblies and guest speakers to commemorate Black History Month; however, this is not the case. According to NPR, the Trump Administration believes in recognizing “historical observances like Black History Month, ‘so long as [schools] do not engage in racial exclusion or discrimination,’” highlighting a common misconception.
“There are definitely misconceptions about DEI,” said Moore. “A common misunderstanding is the fact that DEI does not affect hiring standards. I honestly do not mind the elimination of DEI. I am happy that it will not be a deciding factor in the hiring of staff; however, I did enjoy seeing some of the interesting projects.”
The school board held its next meeting on April 22nd, 2025, where hundreds of parents, teachers, and students publicly commented on the suspension of DEI. Input has been mixed: the majority of meeting speakers were against the decision, while the majority of users on social media are advocates of the decision.
Caption: A small sample of social media comments from supporters of the suspension. There are adversaries in the comments as well, but the majority of people say that the school board’s decision is “great news.” The public continued to weigh in on the decision at the school board meeting on April 22nd. (Screenshot by: L. Check)
“DEI works,” said Kempsville senior Miles Dillahunt, a supporter of DEI who spoke at the school board meeting. “If I didn’t have the teachers that fought for me to have my headphone accommodation, I wouldn’t have been able to get the good grades that got me into college.”
On May 6, 2025, the school board disapproved the motion that would pause the suspension of DEI policies in a 5-5 vote. The debate continues to persist as to whether the suspension’s effects will be positive or negative, but in the meantime, feel free to share your opinions regarding the school board’s decision in the comments.
