Education institutions face steep penalties for failure to comply with new rules

State Rep. Ken Borton on Wednesday announced his support for efforts to cut DEI and other discriminatory practices from Michigan schools, colleges, and universities. The House Republican education budgets attach financial penalties to educational institutions that continue to embrace race-based policies and programs. The proposals also include record $12,000 per-pupil funding for K-12 schools and a $5,500 per year scholarship for all Michigan high school graduates if they choose to attend a Michigan public or private university.

“Every Michigan student – whether a kindergartener or an undergraduate student – deserves a fair learning environment, free from race-based restrictions or discriminatory policies,” said Borton, R-Gaylord. “The color of someone’s skin shouldn’t be a qualifier to enter a common area or participate in a graduation ceremony. Biological males shouldn’t be participating in women’s sports. Grade school kids shouldn’t be subjected to biased and discriminatory DEI policies.”

Under the plan, Michigan’s K-12 institutions would be required to prohibit males from competing in female sports and not promote any form of race or gender stereotyping or fund DEI initiatives. If a district fails to meet these requirements, they face a 5% penalty on their per-pupil payment.

“Guidance on these issues has come from President Trump at the federal level and now House Republicans are laying down our own set of expectations,” Borton said. “If Michigan schools, universities, and colleges continue to look the other way and embrace these practices, they should expect to be penalized.”

The House proposal would also eliminate DEI policies in Michigan universities. If a school is found to have a DEI policy in place, state funding would be withheld until the university becomes compliant with state requirements. The plan also includes requirements keeping men out of women’s sports, putting Michigan in line with Supreme Court decisions banning discrimination in admissions, legal status verification for every student, and banning graduations based on race or sex.

Borton noted that the House Republican efforts to cut DEI are critical as the Michigan Senate tries to force Michigan universities to violate federal policies regarding DEI programming. The Senate proposal includes language requiring colleges and universities to report changes to DEI programming, including the submission of a plan to mitigate ‘negative consequences’ associated with program reduction.

“Senate Democrats are more focused on undercutting President Trump than actually delivering for the people of Michigan,” Borton said. “Imagine the road funding plan they could come up with if they stopped spending all their time finding convoluted ways to take shots at federal actions.”

###