Judge Suspends California Community Colleges Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Rules

A federal judge suspended the enforcement of the California Community Colleges’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) rules on Tuesday, according to court documents.

The DEI rules evaluated if employees had “demonstrated, or progress toward, proficiency in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility,” according to a May memo from California Community Colleges leaders. U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher D. Baker of the Eastern District of California suspended the enforcement of the rules, saying they might be “contrary” to the First Amendment, according to the injunction.

“Although Defendants’ aim of promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in California’s system of community colleges undoubtedly is important and Defendants are entitled to encourage their employees to embrace these tenets, Plaintiff has shown a likelihood of success on the merits that the regulatory scheme Defendants have put in place to advance these interests is contrary to the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of speech in the academic arena,” the injunction reads.