Union official says Education Department employees were placed on leave after taking diversity training during Trump’s first term

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/union-official-education-department-employees-leave-dei-training-rcna190337

created by wonderingsocrates on 02/02/2025 at 21:45 UTC

456 upvotes, 10 top-level comments (showing 10)

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Comment by wonderingsocrates at 02/02/2025 at 21:52 UTC*

30 upvotes, 1 direct replies

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Sheria Smith, president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, which represents hundreds of Education Department employees, told NBC News that at least 55 employees were placed on leave as of Friday evening and that she expected the number to grow as she learns more.

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“It looks like they’re entrapping people, because they encouraged people to take these trainings ... and are now maybe using these trainings as a basis to put them on administrative leave,” Smith said.

Smith added that she is worried Trump, who has said he wants to eliminate the Department of Education, is hoping “employees will eliminate themselves.”

“I think it is shock and awe. They’re trying to send us emails that make no sense and are super confusing, to intimidate us or to make us run scared so we quit,” Smith said.

“They’re trying to make employees feel like they will soon get fired. And at the same time, they are trying to entice employees with an offer to pay them eight months salary if they just resign," Smith added. "So it seems as if you’re choosing between affirmatively resigning, where they’re saying that you might possibly get paid eight months salary and benefits, or eventually getting fired.”

Smith and Brittany Holder, a spokeswoman for the American Federation of Government Employees, believe hundreds of employees attended the Diversity Change Agent trainings. An email shared with NBC News shows the department in 2019 had a goal of training 400 employees under this program.

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Comment by critiqueextension at 02/02/2025 at 22:38 UTC

13 upvotes, 0 direct replies

The Education Department placed at least 55 employees on leave for their involvement in a diversity training program called "Diversity Change Agent," reflecting Donald Trump's executive order aimed at curtailing federal diversity initiatives, despite the program being supported during his first term. The affected employees were informed their leave was not disciplinary but in accordance with the executive order, which has also led to the cancellation of contracts related to DEI services and the removal of resources for minority-serving institutions.