TRACKING THE ORGANIZED ATTACKS ON RACIAL AND GENDER JUSTICE

On December 2nd, 2020, AAPF hosted an Under the Blacklight episode focused on the #TruthBeTold Campaign. AAPF Executive Director Kimberlé Crenshaw, Carol Anderson, Rachel Godsil, Laura Gomez, Charles Lawrence, Janai Nelson, and Lisa Rice examined the destructiveness of the Trump administration’s “Equity Gag Order,” the history of backlash against demands for equality, and the road to building a stronger social justice movement.

AAPF and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) held a joint press conference in October 2020 to announce the #TruthBeTold Campaign and to communicate the harms of Executive Order 13950. Featured speakers included Kimberlé Crenshaw (Executive Director, African AAPF); Janai Nelson (Associate Director-Counsel, LDF); Marc Morial (President and CEO, National Urban League); and Lisa Rice (President, National Fair Housing Alliance).

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​THE LATEST NEWS AND MEDIA COVERAGE

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Below are the latest updates from the ongoing attacks on racial equity, social justice frameworks, and critical studies across the US. If you have relevant news and tips, please send them to .

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Coverage of Organized Attacks on Racial and Gender Justice Concepts:

• New bill would limit diversity training in Iowa

(KCRG News, 4/30/2021)

• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Dismisses Systemic Racism: ‘It’s a Bunch of Horse Manure’ (Video)

(Yahoo News, 4/30/2021)

• Amendment targets '1619 Project' in Missouri education bill

(Fox 2 News, 4/30/2021)

• McConnell sends letter to Education secretary demanding removal of the 1619 Project from federal grant programs CNN Digital Expansion 2017 Ryan Nobles

(CNN, 4/30/2021)

• Idaho Lawmakers Think Critical Race Theory Can ‘Exacerbate and Inflame Divisions.’ So They Passed a Law Against It.

(The Chronicle of Higher Education, 4/29/2021)

• Louisiana Republicans Are Looking at Another 'Don’t Teach Our Kids the Bad Stuff' Bill

(Esquire, 4/29/2021)

• Idaho moves to ban critical race theory instruction in all public schools, including universities

(CNN, 4/28/2021)

• Bill to Ban Critical Race Theory from Texas Classrooms Passes House Committee

(The Texan, 4/28/2021)

• State Rep. Ray Garofalo’s Proposed Ban On Teaching Critical Race Theory Becomes a Lost Cause After He Comments on “the Good” of Slavery

(Bayou Brief, 4/28/2021)

• Iowa Senate Republicans approve limits on diversity trainings; Democrat fears bill targets 1619 Project

(Des Moines Register, 4/28/2021)

• La. lawmaker withdraws bill making it potentially illegal to teach about racism & sexism

(KNOE News (local news), 4/27/2021)

• Des Moines students protest divisive concepts ban and charter schools at Capitol

(Iowa Capital Dispatch, 4/26/2021)

• Ohio Board of Education accused of limiting comments about race curriculum

(The Enquirer, 4/25/2021)

• UPDATE: First Amendment assaults in the legislature to squelch talk of racism

(Arkansas Times, 4/22/2021)

• Bill Aims To Ban Teaching About Systemic Racism; Doctor Calls It 'Wolf In Sheep's Clothing'

(News from New Hampshire and NPR, 4/21/2021)

• NH business group comes out against legislation targeting 'divisive concepts'

(Wmur Manchester, 4/16/2021)

• Harford parents say schools are teaching ‘critical race theory,’ but officials stress ‘culturally responsive teaching’

(The Baltimore Sun, 4/15/2021)

• 8 States Debate Bills to Restrict How Teachers Discuss Racism, Sexism

(Education Week, 4/15/2021)

• Lawmakers Take Aim At Idaho Universities' Diversity Programs

(Boise State Public Radio x NPR, 4/7/2021)

• House Republicans Revive Bill To Ban Mandatory Gender, Sexual Diversity Training Or Counseling 

(Public Radio Tulsa, 4/1/2021)

• Bill would prohibit teaching 'divisive concepts' on race in RI

(The Providence Journal, 4/1/2021)

• Rhode Island Republicans propose ban on critical race theory

(Yahoo, 4/1/2021)

• Now Tom Cotton wants to ban "critical race theory" from U.S. military

(Salon, 3/25/2021)

• Ethics and Diversity Course on Hold

(Inside Higher Ed, 3/18/2021)

• DeSantis knocks critical race theory in civics curricula

(Associated Press, 3/17/2021)

• Lt. Gov. Robinson takes on classroom indoctrination with new task force

(The North State Journal, 3/17/2021)

• A final vote, after many rewrites, for California's controversial ethnic studies curriculum

(Edsource, 3/17/2021)

• Iowa: No More ‘Divisive Concepts’ in Iowa?

(Inside Higher Ed, 3/13/021)

• West Virginia GOP introduces bill seeking to prohibit 'divisive acts' in schools, workforce

(The Hill, 2/22/2021)

• State board of education passes controversial K-12 social studies standards

(The North State Journal, 2/102021)

• Georgia Educators Outraged After State Lawmaker Asked If They're Teaching About White Privilege

(Newsweek, 1/29/2021)

• Las Vegas charter school sued for curriculum covering race, identity

(Nevada Current, 1/21/2021)

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The Revocation of Executive Order 13950:

• Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government

(The White House, January 20, 2021)

• OMB Memorandum on Revocation of Executive Order 13950

• President Joe Biden rescinds Donald Trump ban on diversity training about systemic racism

(USA Today, January 20, 2021)

• Biden Order Rescinds Diversity Training Restrictions, Requires Review of Agency Equity

(Government Executive, January 20, 2021)

• Biden revokes Trump order banning some diversity training

(ABC News, January 21, 2021)

• Biden revokes Trump ban on some diversity training addressing white privilege, systemic racism

(Chicago Tribune, January 21, 2021)

• President Biden Revokes Trump Administration’s Workplace Diversity Training Restrictions

(National Law Review, February 3, 2021)

• Trump’s controversial diversity training order is dead – or is it? Colleges are still feeling its effects.

(USA Today, February 6, 2021) 

• Biden Reverses Trump Executive Order Banning Diversity Training

(UCLA Law, March 17, 2021)

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MEDIA COVERAGE ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON COMBATTING RACE AND SEX STEREOTYPES:

Below is a collection of articles curated by the African American Policy Forum from a vast array of media platforms and networks covering Trump’s Executive Order and its impact across industries, fields, and communities in the United States. Coverage begins with the announcement of the crackdown on Critical Race Theory, anti-racism and anti-bias trainings, and diversity, equity, and inclusion programming.

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Further Reading on the Executive Order 13950:

• The White House Memo on Training in the Federal Government

• Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping

• Executive Order on Combatting Race and Sex Stereotyping: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Lawsuit Coverage:

• NAACP Legal Defense Fund, National Urban League, National Fair Housing Alliance File Suit Against Trump Administration; African American Policy Forum Launches #TruthBeTold Campaign, Oct. 29, 2020

  • Read the full complaint here.

• Lambda Legal Sues Trump Administration over Executive Order Banning Diversity Training, Nov. 3, 2020

  • Read the full complaint here.

News Coverage on the Equity Gag Order:

• Trump Orders Crackdown on Federal Antiracism Training, Calling It ‘Anti American’

(Associated Press, The Guardian, 9/4/2020)

• More Than Ever, Trump Casts Himself as the Defender of White America

(Peter Baker, The New York Times, 9/6/2020, updated 9/10/2020)

• "Trump's White House says critical race theory is anti-American. Here's the truth."

(Laura E. Gomez, NBC News Opinion, 9/11/2020)

• No Gag Rule Here: White House Declares Ban on Federal Racial Equity Trainings

(Chris Cannito, Nonprofit Quarterly, 9/14/2020)

• White House cancels CDC’s ‘critical race theory’ training after Trump ban

(Steve Nelson, The New York Post, 9/15/2020)

• EPA postpones speaker series on racism after White House order

(Alex Guillén, Politico, 09/15/2020)

• What Is Critical Race Theory and Why Is Trump Afraid of It?

(Cheryl Harris, The Nation, 9/17/2020)

• Trump calls for 'patriotic education,' says anti-racism teachings are 'child abuse'

(Shannon Pettypiece, NBC News, 9/17/2020)

• Trump, Badly Needing to Reach Swing Voters, Pivots to … Esoteric White Intellectual Grievance Jargon?

(Ben Mathis-Lilley, SLATE News, 9/18/2020)

• Trump’s administration attempting to ban the Critical Race Theory is intolerant and unjust

(Erwin Chemerinsky, The Sacramento Bee, 9/18/2020)  

• Why President Trump is targeting the 1619 Project

(Julian E. Zelizer, CNN,9/21/2020)

• Critical race theory, and Trump’s war on it, explained

(Fabiola Cineas, VOX, 9/24/2020)

• "Donald Trump Says Critical Race Theory is 'Like a Cancer'"

(Jeffery Martin, Newsweek, 9/24/2020)

• "President Trump Has Attacked Critical Race Theory. Here's What to Know About the Intellectual Movement”

(Cady Lang, Time Magazine, 10/29/2020)

• "Trump's Ban on Diversity Training is Upsetting Corporate America"

(Derek Major, Black Enterprise, 10/1/2020)

• Trump calls critical race theory ‘un-American.’ Let’s review.

(Victor Ray, The Washington Post, 10/2/20)

• "All Federal Agencies Told to Suspend Diversity Training Programs"

(Paul Kiernan and Andrew Restuccia, The Wall Street Journal, 10/4/2020)

• "Colleges drop ‘diversity’ efforts after Trump bans critical race theory"=

(Mark Moore, The New York Post, 10/7/2020)

• Justice Dept. Suspends All Diversity and Inclusion Training for Staff

(Katie Benner, The New York Times, 10/9/2020)

• LGBTQ summit for fed’l workers cancelled to comply with Trump order

(Chris Johnson, Washington Blade, 10/10/2020)

• Trump's target on diversity and inclusion trainings already has organizations holding off on executing them

(Inyoung Choi, Business Insider, 10/10/2020)

• "Trump Attack on Diversity Training Has a Quick and Chilling Effect"

(Hailey Fuchs, The New York Times, 10/13/2020)

• Texas State University pauses diversity training after Trump executive order threatens federal funding

(Trinady Joslin, The Texas Tribune, 10/15/2020)

• Trump blasts 'critical race theory' but is America's most dangerous critical theorist

(Marik Von Rennenkampff, The Hill, 10/26/2020)

• EPA Cancels LGBTQ Pride And Resilience Event Due To Trump Crackdown

(Emily Peck and Alexander C. Kaufman, The Huffington Post, 10/27/2020)

• University of Memphis suspends diversity training in response to presidential executive order

(Arianna Poindexter, WMC Action News, 10/28/2020)

• Trump’s diversity training order faces lawsuit

(Alexandra Olson, The Washington Post, 10/29/2020)

• NAACP Legal Defense Fund, other civil rights groups sue over Trump order banning diversity training

(Marty Johnson, The Hill, 10/29/2020)

• LGBT advocacy groups sue over Trump diversity training order

(Rebecca Rainey, Politico, 11/03/2020)

• 18 state AGs call to end Trump's crackdown on diversity training

          (Natalie Alms, FCW, 11/05/2020)

• Op-ed: Biden needs to reverse Trump’s anti-diversity training order

          (Karen Brown, Chicago Tribune, 12/08/2020)

• Senators challenge Trump order banning some diversity training concepts

          (Pam Louwagie, Star Tribune, 12/22/2020)

• Donald Trump executive order banning diversity training blocked by federal judge

          (Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 12/23/2020)

• Federal District Court Issues Nationwide Temporary Ban on Executive Order 13950

          (Jessica C. Abrahams, Stacie L. Linguist, Kristin Jones Pierre, National Law Review, 12/29/2020)

• Donald Trump executive order banning diversity training suspended by Labor Department

          (Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 01/07/2021

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STATEMENTS FROM ORGANIZATIONS WHO OPPOSED TRUMP'S EQUITY GAG ORDER

Below is a list of statements or letters issued by organizations or associations regarding Executive Order 13950, organized with the most recent at the top.

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1. Attorneys General of Connecticut, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia, Executive Order 13950 Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, Oct. 30, 2020

2. American Library Association, Statement on Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, Oct. 29, 2020

3. The State University of New York, Message to SUNY Community about the Importance of Diversity Training, Oct. 22, 2020

4. National Council of Nonprofits, Joint Letter signed by 41 Nonprofit Organizations, Oct. 21, 2020

5. AIDs United, White House Bans Diversity Trainings About Race and Sex Bias, Oct. 19, 2020

6. Michael H. Schill - University of Oregon, Committed to equity and inclusion work despite federal executive order, Oct. 16, 2020

7. Joint Letter signed by 161 for-profit business and nonprofit organizations, including the National Council of Nonprofits and U.S. Chamber of Commerce, on behalf of their thousands of members, Private Sector Letter to the President in Opposition to the Executive Order on Race and Sex Stereotyping, Oct. 15, 2020

8. DiversityEdu, A Response to the Executive Order on Diversity Training, Oct. 15, 2020

9. American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and American Nurses Association, Letter to President Donald Trump on Executive Order 13950, Oct. 14, 2020

10. American Council of Engineering Companies, Federal Contractors Join in Opposition to Executive Order that Bars Certain Diversity and Inclusion Training, Oct. 14, 2020

11. Circa, Circa Supports HR Policy Association on Opposition of Executive Order 13950, Oct. 13, 2020

12. American Alliance of Museums, Statement in Response to the Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, Oct. 13, 2020

13. Association of Research Libraries, Statement on the US Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, Oct. 9, 2020

14. Tony Reardon National President of the National Treasury Employees Union, Confronting Racism is Our American Duty, Oct. 9, 2020

15. Alliance for Digital Innovation, with 10 other technology, software and advertising organizations representing thousands of government contractors, Joint Letter in Opposition, Oct. 8, 2020

16. American Council on Education, Joint Letter signed by 56 Organizations Representing Higher Education Institutions, Oct. 8, 2020

17. American Society of Neurology, ASN Opposes Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, Oct. 8, 2020

18. NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc (LDF), Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and National Women’s Law Center, Civil Rights Groups and Allies Condemn White House Move to Censor Race and Gender Equity Training, Oct. 7, 2020

19. STEM community (scientific, technical, engineering and math), Multi-Society Effort in Urging Trump Administration to Rescind Elimination of Federal DEI Training Programs, Oct. 7, 2020

20. Rev. Dennis Holtschneider, President of Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Trump's order interfering with diversity efforts: The wrong move at the wrong time, The Hill, Oct. 1, 2020

21. Clean Water Action, Joint Letter signed by 121 Conservation Organizations to Congressional Leaders, Oct. 1, 2020

22. American Association of Advertising Agencies, 4A’s Pushes Back On Trump’s Move To Suppress Diversity Training At Agencies, Oct. 1, 2020

23. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, PhRMA Statement on Presidential Executive Order Restricting Diversity Training, Oct. 1, 2020

24. TESOL International Association, Statement on Executive Order Banning Sensitivity Training Programs in the United States, Oct. 1, 2020

25. American Historical Association, Statement Urging Retraction of Executive Order Prohibiting the Inclusion of “Divisive Concepts” in Employee Training Sessions, Oct. 2020

26. Physician Assistant Education Association, PAEA Endorses AAMC Statement Regarding President’s Executive Order on ‘Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping,’ Sept. 30, 2020 

27. American Society for Engineering Education, Letter to OMB and Office of Science and Technology Policy, Sept. 30, 2020

28. American Psychological Association, APA Decries Administration Orders to Restrict Federal Diversity Training, Sept. 30, 2020

29. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, ACGME Issues Statement on the Executive Order on Race and Sex Stereotyping, Sept. 30, 2020

30. HR Policy Association, Statement by HR Policy Association on the Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, Sept. 30, 2020

31. American Association for Access Equity and Diversity, Statement Regarding Executive Order, Sept. 29, 2020

32. American Counseling Association, Responds to Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, Sept. 29, 2020  

33. University of Michigan President, Statement on Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, Sept. 26, 2020

34. American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ASBMB statement on Trump’s executive order banning racial sensitivity training, Sept. 25, 2020

35. American Dental Education Association, ADEA Statement in Support of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workplace Training, Sept. 25, 2020

36. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, AACAP Statement on President’s Executive Order - "Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping,” Sept. 25, 2020

37. Internet Association, Statement on The Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, Sept. 25, 2020

38. National Association of Social Workers, NASW Affronted by President Trump’s Sinister Executive Order on Racial and Sexual Stereotyping, Sept. 25, 2020

39. American Educational Research Association and National Academy of Education, Statement Joined by 16 organizations in Support of Anti-Racist Education, Sept. 24, 2020

40. National Skills Coalition, NSC Statement on President's Executive Order Banning Anti-Racism and Anti-Sexism Training, Sept. 24, 2020

41. Union of Concerned Scientists, White House Executive Order Silences Anti-Racism, Anti-Sexism Programs at Federal Agencies, Sept. 24, 2020

42. National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, NADOHE statement on DEI training, Sept. 24, 2020

43. Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, ASPPH Statement on Executive Order Halting Trainings on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, Sept. 24, 2020

44. Association of American Medical Colleges, AAMC Statement on Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, Sept. 24, 2020

45. University of New Mexico Division for Equity and Inclusion, Response from the Division for Equity and Inclusion to Executive Order on "Combating Race & Sex Stereotyping", Sept. 24, 2020

46. Information Technology Industry Council, New Executive Order is a Major Step Backward for Racial Equality, Sept. 23, 2020

47. Congressional Black Caucus, Tri-Caucus Chairs’ Statement on Trump Administration Prohibiting Federal Agencies from Conducting Anti-Racism Training, Sept. 8, 2020

48. American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, AACP Statement Related to Racism, Education and the Sept. 22 Executive Order, date unknown  

49. American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, AASWSW Strongly Opposes the September 22, 2020 Presidential Executive Order on Combatting Race and Sex Stereotyping, date unknown

50. National Coalition for Literacy, NCL Board Statement on Executive Order 13950, date unknown

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