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Michigan Board of Education president urges districts to seek legal guidance on federal DEI directives
Summary
Pamela Pugh, president of the Michigan Board of Education, told the Flint board that federal executive orders targeting diversity, equity and inclusion are being litigated and districts should seek legal counsel before making policy changes; the state board urged local action to protect immigrant students.
Pamela Pugh, president of the Michigan Board of Education, told the Flint Board of Education that recent federal executive actions and Department of Education guidance about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have created confusion for districts and urged school boards and superintendents to seek timely legal counsel before changing local policy.
“An executive order does not supersede the Constitution, state or federal law,” Pugh said. She told the board that many recent directives have been challenged in court and that legal restraining orders and litigation often follow such orders. Pugh said the Department of Education had circulated guidance asking for certain DEI practices to be reviewed and that districts should “pause” and consult legal counsel before making changes.
Pugh also emphasized protections for immigrant students, citing the state‑level guidance that the district can rely on to ensure access to education and to respond if immigration enforcement appears at schools. She recommended that districts consider passing resolutions to express the board’s legal position and to mobilize community support for inclusive policies.
Flint Superintendent Michael Jones said the district has been preparing principals and staff with guidance about how to respond to immigration enforcement actions and that the district would continue to protect students while following the law. Several trustees asked for copies of the state guidance and legal memos Pugh referenced; Pugh said she would make those materials available and that Michigan’s superintendent of public instruction and the attorney general had been engaged in legal responses.
Ending: Pugh urged boards to use legal counsel and community mobilization rather than immediate unilateral policy changes. Flint leaders said they will continue training and consult legal counsel as guidance evolves.
