In a letter to the U.S. Department of Education on Monday, Vermont Education Secretary Zoie Saunders affirmed that Vermont schools do not discriminate based on race, rejecting the Trump administration's claim that diversity, equity and inclusion — or DEI — initiatives are racially discri minatory. The letter states that in Vermont, diversity, equity and inclusion practices — such as affinity groups, teaching about the history of racism, and school district DEI coordinators — "are supportive of all students, and aim to create and sustain positive, welcoming learning environments." Saunders' letter comes in response to a federal directive issued on April 3 that calls on states to affirm their compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars federally-funded activities or programs from discriminating based on race. The Trump  administration has said that DEI practices potentially advantage one race over another and therefore may be illegal. After receiving the directive a week and a half ago, Saunders initially asked superintendents to sign and return the form indicating compliance with Title VI after reviewing it with their lawyers. But after education leaders pushed back, Saunders reversed course and told them that the state would send a "single statewide letter" to the feds outlining its position. [content-1] While not outright defiant, Saunders' letter clearly indicates that Vermont is at odds with the U.S. Department of Education. It states that Vermont has already affirmed, through other federal applications "which we assume are still on file with the [Education Department]" that it does not discriminate based on race and other protected categories.  "We are disappointed that recent executive orders and [Education Department] guidance materials have attempted to cast 'DEI' efforts as 'veil[ed] racially discriminatory practices' that assign less value to certain students because of their race," Saunders writes. "That is not what takes place in Vermont classrooms, and does not accurately reflect the goals, practices, or benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts." With the missive, Vermont has positioned itself with Democrat-led states — including New York, Minnesota, Washington, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan and California — that have pushed back on the compliance form.  Saunders shared her letter in an email to superintendents Monday. "It is important to emphasize that unlawful and so-called 'illegal' DEI practices referenced in federal communications bear no resemblance to the inclusive, student-centered practices happening in Vermont schools," Saunders wrote in the email. "In Vermont, this work will continue to foster a… ...read more read less