The ABA Thought It Could Force DEI on Law Schools Forever - Then Trump Returned
The American Bar Association voted to repeal its core diversity standard, Standard 206, which required law schools to demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion, following pressure from the Trump administration. The repeal comes after an executive order questioned the ABA's role as the federal accreditor due to its DEI mandates, threatening its accreditation authority. While the ABA has formally stepped back, many law schools continue DEI initiatives under rebranded names, and related requirements like those in Standard 303(c) remain in place.
- ▪The ABA voted to repeal Standard 206, which mandated law schools to show commitment to diversity and inclusion in admissions and programming.
- ▪President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Education to review the ABA's role as the official law school accreditor due to its DEI requirements.
- ▪States including Texas, Florida, and Alabama have taken steps to reduce ABA influence over attorney licensing, and 72 law schools still maintain DEI programs under rebranded names.
- ▪The ABA's accrediting authority remains under federal review, and Standard 303(c), requiring education on bias and racism, was not suspended.
- ▪Some ABA members acknowledged the repeal was a strategic move to preserve accreditation status, not a shift in belief.
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The ABA Thought It Could Force DEI on Law Schools Forever - Then Trump Returned By Ben Smith | 8:50 AM on May 17, 2026 The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com. AP Photo/Eric Risberg The American Bar Association blinked. After years of using its stranglehold on law school accreditation to mandate DEI ideology across American legal education, the lawyers' guild voted Friday to repeal its core diversity standard — not because it wanted to, but because it had no choice.
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