Arizona State Board of Education moves to strip diversity, equity language

AZ Board of Education votes to begin removing DEI language

The Arizona State Board of Education voted to begin the process of removing language related to diversity, equity and inclusion, commonly known as DEI, from state standards. FOX 10's Ellen McNamara has the details.

PHOENIX - The Arizona State Board of Education voted to begin the process of removing language related to diversity, equity and inclusion, commonly known as DEI, from state standards.

What we know:

The vote comes amid pressure from State Superintendent Tom Horne to comply with federal guidance and avoid losing nearly $866 million in federal funding for schools.

The push to remove DEI language from state schools is spearheaded by Horne, who argues the language promotes ideology over core academics and places funding at risk due to a recent Executive Order from President Trump that seeks to eliminate DEI programs from all federally funded entities.

The language in question includes phrases that instruct teachers to be responsive to students’ cultural backgrounds. Horne specifically says he wants to remove the word "equitable," arguing that while it once meant "fair," it now, in his view, implies "equal results by race" rather than individual merit.

What they're saying:

Dozens of educators and parents spoke at the school board meeting Monday morning, showcasing the deep divide over the role of cultural sensitivity in the classroom.

During public comment, one woman said: "I don't believe that the original authors of Arizona's teaching standards ever intended the DEI terms to mean what they've come to mean in recent years. In our standards, equity simply meant giving every student fair access to learning, seating a child where they can hear, providing large print, or pre-teaching vocabulary for English learners. But nationally, these same terms were reinterpreted in ways the authors never foresaw. And in some cases, this led to lower academic expectations or disruptions that families did not support."

Another speaker referenced historical knowledge, stating: "Many of us are familiar with Winston Churchill's quote: those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. ... We're asking you to help our children learn from them. We are asking you to help the children of our state not to repeat them."

Opponents say that removing the language is an attack on historical accuracy and support for the diverse needs of all students.

The process to finalize these changes, which could reshape how teachers are trained in Arizona, will involve stakeholder committees and is expected to take several months.