President Donald Trump arrives at the White House after speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Concerns were aired Tuesday by Jamestown Community College Board of Trustees over a “Dear Colleague” letter dated Feb. 14 sent by The United States Department of Education.

Essentially, the Dept. of Education and the Trump Administration are giving the nation’s schools and universities two weeks to eliminate any “race-based” practices or risk losing their federal funding. According to the Associated Press, the letter orders schools and universities to stop any practice that treats people differently because of their race.

The deadline was Friday.

“These communications are stirring up some concern among employees and students,” said JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte. “We will do our best to calm fears, and help people understand what, if anything, we need to take in terms of action. But it’s clear as mud at the moment.”

JCC Counsel Dana Lundberg echoed DeMarte’s thoughts. Lundberg said the board did not have to take any action on Tuesday.

“We knew on the 14th, when it came out and it was there, and (to) evaluate and take any action that is required or recommended,” Lundberg said.

DeMarte added that JCC has to be in a position to take action quickly and know what that action is.

“Some of these impacts are very real,” DeMarte noted.

DeMarte also said JCC may have to pull down its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement off the college’s website.

“We need to be prepared to take that action. Some colleges have already done this,” DeMarte said.

JCC adopted its DEI statement in 2021.

The AP also said that in Maryland, the American Federation of Teachers union, and the American Sociological Association filed a federal lawsuit contending the Feb. 14 letter violates the First and Fifth Amendments. Forcing schools to teach only the views supported by the federal government amounts to a violation of free speech, the organizations say, and the directive is so vague that schools don’t know what practices cross the line.

According to the AP, the lawsuit stated “This letter radically upends and re-writes otherwise well-established jurisprudence. No federal law prevents teaching about race and race-related topics, and the Supreme Court has not banned efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in education.”

The lawsuit says the Education Department is applying the Supreme Court decision too broadly and overstepping the agency’s authority. It takes issue with a line in the memo condemning teaching about “systemic and structural racism,” The AP noted.

Opponents, The AP said, say it’s an overreach meant to have a chilling effect. The guidance appears to forbid everything from classroom lessons on racism to colleges’ efforts to recruit in diverse areas, and even voluntary student groups like Black student unions.

Education organizations have been urging a measured approach, warning institutions not to make any hasty cuts that would be difficult to undo. Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, is telling colleges that if they were in compliance with federal law before the memo, they still are.