May 29, 2025 (ATLANTA) – The Southern Education Foundation (SEF) has received formal notice from the U.S. Department of Education (Department) that, pursuant to a court order regarding a preliminary injunction issued last week, its Equity Assistance Center-South (EAC-South) grant has been reinstated. On May 21, 2025, a judge in the District of Columbia District Court granted SEF’s motion for preliminary injunction in SEF’s case against the Department seeking reinstatement of its Equity Assistance Center program grant, ordering the Department to reinstate the grant terminated on February 13, 2025 and reimburse SEF for all outstanding expenses. The preliminary injunction pertains to the period in which the case is pending, so the reinstatement is not permanent, but the court found SEF was likely to succeed on the merits of its claim that the Department violated federal law.
The reinstated grant enables SEF to continue operating the EAC-South, which serves public school districts and state agencies in 11 Southern states by providing technical assistance, at their request, to support compliance with federal civil rights law. Equity Assistance Centers were originally known as Desegregation Assistance Centers. In its grant termination letter, the Department alleged SEF conducted illegal diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. SEF’s mission for more than 150 years has been to advance educational opportunity for Black students in the South, dating back to the late 1800s when it supported education for individuals recently emancipated from enslavement.
“In view of the history of race in America and the mission of SEF since the Civil War, the audacity of terminating its grants based on ‘DEI’ concerns is truly breathtaking,” the court wrote in its May 21, 2025 opinion.
“We are pleased with the Department of Education’s compliance with the court order by reinstating our grant,” said SEF President and CEO Raymond Pierce. “With the grant reinstated, SEF can move forward with developing the assistance needed to free school districts from policies and practices that remain from the dark era of lawful segregation which continue to hinder equal education opportunity for far too many children.”
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