Author: Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig
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In recent months, the current presidential administration has embarked on a rapid and aggressive campaign to reshape the federal landscape, targeting equity initiatives, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, governmental accountability, oversight mechanisms, and even the foundational principles upheld by Congress and the Supreme Court. This strategy, reminiscent of the World War II “blitzkrieg” approach,…
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Attached the Democracy Now! show from yesterday. Was a little nervous at first but gained momentum. Here’s a description: In the Democracy Now! episode titled “Will Universities Surrender or Resist?” Julian Vasquez Heilig, a professor at Western Michigan University, discusses the current administration’s efforts to eliminate DEI in Higher Education. Vasquez Heilig critiques these moves, suggesting they undermine public education…
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The frontal assault on education is escalating across the country, affecting both K-12 schools and higher education institutions. From legislative bans to administrative compliance, we are witnessing an unprecedented attack on the core values of education—academic freedom, inclusive learning, and professional autonomy. These actions don’t just impact individual educators; they weaken entire schools, districts, and…
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Higher education is at an inflection point. The stakes are clear. Will our universities continue to be spaces of truth and rigorous academic inquiry—or will they become fortresses of cowardice, where administrators prioritize their careers over their moral obligations and community? At Wesleyan University, President Michael S. Roth has taken a stand. He’s not whispering behind closed doors. He’s…
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Craig TrainorActing Assistant Secretary for Civil RightsUnited States Department of Education400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20202 Dear Acting Assistant Secretary Trainor, I write to you today to critically examine the claims made in your February 14, 2025, letter regarding race-conscious policies in education. Your letter, purportedly presented as a reaffirmation of nondiscrimination obligations, instead fundamentally…
Cloaking Inequity 