On Jan. 29, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order eliminating federal funding and support for illegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination in K-12 schools, including policies based on gender ideology and equity programs.
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights reinforced the directive on Feb. 14, giving educational institutions until March 1 to shut down all DEI-related initiatives or risk losing federal funding.
However, California education officials are pushing back. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, a far-left political activist, has mobilized educators across the state to resist, telling them to “continue to stay the course with local programs.” Thurmond previously targeted parents in Chino Valley Unified School District for supporting a policy requiring administrators to inform parents if their child identifies as transgender.
At the local level, Oceanside Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Julie Vitale appears to follow Thurmond’s lead, signaling that the district will not comply with the executive order. OUSD leaders have opted to keep the district’s DEI office and programs, which include an LGBTQ-focused curriculum. In the most recent school board meeting, Vitale and OUSD reaffirmed their commitment to DEI, defying the White House directive.
This decision could risk tens of millions of dollars in federal funding.
OUSD’s 2024-25 budget cites more than $20 million in federal revenue. Additionally, the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) regularly grants OUSD around $2 million, most recently in August 2024, due to the district’s large population of military-connected students.
Approximately 2,500 military children attend base schools each year, with many more at off-base campuses. Military dependents make up nearly a quarter of OUSD’s student body.
Legally, if the OUSD Board of Trustees continues to defy the executive order, its members could face criminal charges for violating their oath of office. According to the legal resource NOLO, executive orders carry the same weight as federal statutes. Under 18 U.S.C. 1918, violating an oath of office under 5 U.S.C. 7311 can result in removal from office and possible confinement or fines. Additionally, charges of rebellion or insurrection could apply.
Some critical questions remain:
- Does the risk of losing more than $20 million in federal funding that benefits all students outweigh the personal political ideologies of Vitale and the school board?
- Is the school board prepared to face legal consequences for this decision?
- Does openly violating an executive order set a good example for students?
- If corporations like Google shut down DEI because it’s bad for business, shouldn’t OUSD do the same?
My goal is not to divide but to highlight the best choice for OUSD and the Oceanside community: closing the DEI department and removing divisive curriculum so all students receive a stronger education that prepares them for the workforce. What truly benefits society are AP and STEM courses, civic education, and career-based training. I would argue that reallocating DEI department salaries could fully fund education for all LGBTQ students in the district.
Public education should be nonpartisan and focused on service. Yet Vitale, the OUSD Board of Trustees, and other leaders’ actions suggest otherwise. The clock is ticking; only time will tell where their loyalties lie.
Bradley Tobias is a parent of children in Oceanside schools, the founder of Remnant on Duty Ministry, and an advocate for constitutional freedoms and governmental accountability.
