In the wake of new findings, a recent report reveals that the Department of Justice has directed substantial funding toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs within the past few years.
Fox News reported that the DOJ reportedly spent over $100 million between 2021 and 2024 on educational initiatives focusing on restorative justice, social-emotional learning, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, according to Parents Defending Education.
According to the report released by Parents Defending Education (PDE) on Thursday, the DOJ allocated $100,113,942 in grants to educational programs spanning 36 states.
This investment was made across more than 900 school districts with a focus on promoting various progressive ideas.
The report highlights that $45,207,178 of the total funding was used for projects concentrating on practices like restorative justice and social-emotional learning. This educational approach aims to address and transform traditional disciplinary measures in schools, according to PDE’s analysis.
The DOJ invested $32,084,529 in projects related to diversity, equity, and inclusion or targeted at enhancing outcomes for certain demographic groups. This discovery validated conservative concerns that the federal government is pushing leftist propaganda with taxpayer dollars.
Moreover, a notable amount of $19,881,347 was channeled toward the certification of consultants who are experts in critical theories, including race and gender theory, as well as queer theory. This aspect of the funding speaks to a broader intention to introduce and bolster these concepts in educational settings.
An additional sum of $10,296,100 was earmarked for hiring new personnel, including positions such as "restorative justice facilitators," further demonstrating a commitment to implementing these educational strategies at the operational level.
The Minnesota Department of Education received nearly $2 million to enhance anti-racism and anti-oppression practices, underscoring a regional investment in transformative educational approaches.
Meanwhile, nearly $1 million was allocated to New Jersey’s Ocean County. This funding was intended to address issues such as violence and to tackle everyday occurrences like teasing by associating them with broader themes of oppression and violence.
The DOJ's STOP School Violence Program, which aims to foster a safer school environment by shifting away from traditional disciplinary actions, was also mentioned in the report. This initiative emphasizes developing students' social and emotional skills as part of improving the school climate.
PDE commented that claims of improving the school environment often imply a pivot away from "exclusionary discipline" which removes disruptive students, and towards restorative methods. The latter, they argue, might consume class time as both offenders and victims engage in discussions to resolve issues.
The organization has raised concerns about this shift, suggesting that while intentions might focus on safety, such efforts prioritize ideological projects over direct safety measures for students.
PDE founder and president, Nicole Neily, expressed her views in a statement to Fox News Digital. She pointed out that despite an apparent focus on student safety by the current administration, these grants put ideology and specific initiatives ahead of the core safety of schoolchildren.
She emphasized the role of federal officials in choosing where taxpayer resources are spent, suggesting that more practical safety measures might be side-lined for educational ideology.
The organization's report also hinted at potential underestimations in the financial figures presented, attributing this possibility to data limitations. As such, PDE believes the actual spending on these programs could be even greater than reported.
This detailed report follows PDE’s previous findings that indicated the Department of Education itself has already allocated over $1 billion for DEI-related grants since 2021. It suggests a broader governmental trend of investing in progressive ideology programs centered around inclusion and equity.
