A group of 12 students sued the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) over changes that have been made to curriculum and book removals in its schools.
The lawsuit accuses the DODEA of eliminating curriculum that deals with subjects such as slavery, Native American history, and LGBTQ issues, taking books off shelves and canceling events the government says are promoting “gender ideology” or “divisive equity ideology.”
The changes come after President Trump signed several executive orders aimed at the military, transgender people, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Military schools are under the direct control of the administration, which allows for implementation of these changes at a much quicker rate.
“Learning is a sacred and foundational right that is now being limited for students in DoDEA schools. The implementation of these [executive orders], without any due process or parental or professional input, is a violation of our children’s right to access information that prevents them from learning about their own histories, bodies, and identities,” said Natalie Tolley, a plaintiff on behalf of her three children in the department’s schools.
“I have three daughters, and they, like all children, deserve access to books that both mirror their own life experiences and that act as windows that expose them to greater diversity. The administration has now made that verboten in DoDEA schools,” she added.
The 12 students, ranging from pre-K to 11th grade, represent six families stationed in Virginia, Kentucky, Italy and Japan.
The suit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Virginia and the ACLU of Kentucky in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
A DODEA spokesperson told The Hill that the department does not comment on ongoing litigation.
