Week in Review: One Mom vs. DEI—Guess Who Won?

Public schools nationwide are hiding discriminatory “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI) programs from the very parents they serve. But in Pennsylvania, a concerned mom can finally rip open the books on taxpayer-funded DEI.

Mom of three Ann Trethewey wanted to know if her children’s school district was indoctrinating students with divisive DEI ideology. But when she asked to see the district’s DEI materials, administrators claimed the records were “trade secrets”—a flimsy excuse designed to keep parents in the dark. Ann didn’t back down, and with the help of the Goldwater Institute and our American Freedom Network of pro bono attorneys, she took the district to court. In a landmark decision, a Pennsylvania appellate court confirmed that public school DEI training materials must be made available to the public.

With school districts across the country trying to bury ideological programs in secrecy, this decision sets a powerful precedent—because parents have a right to know what’s happening in their children’s classrooms.

Read more here.

No DEI, no Diploma: Texas’ $100M Indoctrination Boondoggle

Texas dismantled DEI bureaucracies in public higher education. But the indoctrination didn’t stop.

This week, Goldwater exclusively revealed that Texas universities are still forcing students to take politically charged DEI courses to graduate—courses that push concepts like “systemic barriers to equality” while asking students to reflect on how to “minimize marginalization.” These courses go beyond education—they’re indoctrination in disguise, encouraging students to engage in activism rather than academics. Making matters worse, students and taxpayers are being forced to subsidize these wasteful and destructive mandates to the tune of $100 million.

Texas should pass Goldwater’s Freedom from Indoctrination Act to end mandatory DEI coursework and ensure institutions of higher learning focus on education, not indoctrination.

Read more here.

Goldwater to Phoenix: Stop Violating Taxpayers’ Rights

Phoenix can’t balance its budget, so city officials are scheming to illegally raise taxes to cover the shortfall. This week, Goldwater delivered the city government a clear message: Stop violating taxpayers’ rights. 

The city has proposed a tax increase on businesses that provide services, even though the Arizona Constitution prohibits new taxes on “services”—a broad term encompassing businesses like hospitality and photography that do not provide tangible goods. And the burden of the new tax increase will ultimately fall hardest on Phoenix businesses and consumers.

The Goldwater Institute has a long record of holding local governments around the nation accountable when they try taking more of their citizens’ hard-earned money. It’s simple: City governments should focus on managing their budgets, not violating taxpayers’ rights to compensate for their own inability to balance the books.

Read more here.