Texas House Approves Ban on DEI Policies in Schools

On May 29, 2025, the Texas House voted on a bill attempting to prohibit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies in public K–12 schools, an extreme shift in the educational policies of Texas. Previously passed in the Texas Senate, the bill is now close to being made into a law. If signed, it would take effect on September 1, 2025.

The law will prevent schools from basing staff recruitment on race, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Schools will not be able to carry out training sessions on DEI unless compelled by federal policy. Parental approval is provided by the bill for student involvement in school clubs as well as for parents to make complaints if they feel that the rules are being broken.

The bill's supporters argue that it aligns with a 2021 law that restricts instruction of critical race theory and aims to exclude political ideologies from the classroom. The bill is also proposed as a method to enable parents to gain control over what their children learn and to provide neutrality in what they learn. Critics did warn, however, of potential harm to the marginalized students, including LGBTQ+ students, who will lose access to safe and inclusive spaces if the DEI programs are cut.

Democratic lawmakers' proposed amendments to soften the blow of the bill were rebuffed. These included provisions for continued education on subjects such as slavery and exemptions for teachers with personal moral reservations about the legislation. The sole amendment adopted, submitted by Rep. Jeff Leach, provides employees who are fired for breaking the law with the right to appeal their termination. It also makes it clear that hiring candidates from specific ethnic groups out of a desire to maintain diversity is not an affront to the prohibition.

Initially, the bill asked for reductions in funding to marauding schools, but this was omitted from the final bill. Instead, it creates a process for the resolution of complaints against parents. If a school does not address a complaint, it may be referred to the Texas Education Commissioner for a formal hearing.

The bill is one of a broader wave of efforts across many states to rethink or reverse DEI-policy in educational institutions. It comes on the heels of a series of such efforts at leading organizations and schools, including the recent closure of MIT's DEI department.

The law, when enacted, will dramatically shift the way that Texas' public schools approach staffing, student involvement, and training for education with respect to diversity and inclusion. The long-term effects are yet to be seen, especially in regards to student health and school administration.

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Transcribed from the original news by Yahoo News through KnowESG, written by Jithin Joshey Kulatharayil, Senior Content Writer at KnowESG.