Millions of dollars are at stake for Bangor-area schools and organizations as they scramble to understand how to respond to a string of executive orders from the president outlawing diversity programs.
In the first two weeks of his second term, President Donald Trump issued executive orders calling for an end to all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives in everything from federal agencies and public schools to the military.
However, the lack of details within Trump’s executive orders regarding what’s considered “DEI” is creating confusion and uncertainty among some of the region’s largest organizations regarding whether and how to obey them.
Many organizations, schools and companies across the country have adopted DEI policies in recent years in an effort to ensure all people, regardless of their differences, feel comfortable, respected and included. However, Trump’s executive orders accuse those practices of being “illegal and immoral discrimination programs.”
Representatives from several Bangor-area nonprofits gathered on Friday to express their outrage, fear and frustration over the slew of executive orders, pardons and funding freezes Trump issued in recent days. Those decisions, leaders said, put all Americans at risk.
“Maine has always been a place where we take care of each other and we stand up when we see something wrong — that’s just who we are,” said Megan Smith, a community organizer for the Maine People’s Alliance. “That’s why we’ll fight and win for a future where every Mainer, no matter their background, income or who they love, can thrive.”
Ray Phinney, a spokesperson for the Bangor School Department, said department leaders are unsure how the president’s recent executive orders could affect Bangor schools and how to obey them.
“Some of these executive orders aren’t exactly clear or extremely detailed, so there are a lot of questions,” Phinney said. “At this point, we’re waiting for more guidance and waiting to see what the actual outcome of these [executive orders] will be.”
Bangor schools receive roughly $2 million in federal funding from Titles 1, 2, 3 and 4, which are federal programs aimed at supporting students with disabilities and those who come from low-income families, according to Phinney.
The school department is also unsure whether it has to erase its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee, which formed in 2020 after Bangor High School students shared their experiences with racism at the predominantly white school with the Bangor Daily News. An outside investigation later confirmed those students’ reports.
“We have diverse individuals within our schools,” Phinney said. “Knowing what the law is so we can follow it and how it impacts us is something we’re waiting to know.”
On Jan. 3, the school department’s DEIB committee sent a letter to families reaffirming its commitment to making all schools welcoming to students, staff and families of all backgrounds.
The DEIB committee also reminded families that the department continues to comply with the Maine Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on a person’s race, hair style, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or any other category.
“While federal policies may change, Maine state law continues to uphold strong protections against discrimination in schools, and we remain fully committed to these legal standards,” the Bangor DEIB committee wrote.
Kody Varahramyan, the University of Maine’s vice president of research, sent an email to university employees earlier this week detailing memos the university had received from multiple federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy, NASA and the National Science Foundation.
Those memos explained Trump directed all federal agencies to discontinue all DEI-related programs and initiatives. Because of this, UMaine must also “immediately stop all DEI-related activities on federally funded projects,” Varahramyan’s email reads.
However, John Diamond, a UMaine spokesperson, could not give an example of a policy or practice that will change because of Trump’s DEI directive when asked on Wednesday.
“We are continuing to actively monitor the actions coming out of Washington and are assessing their known and potential impact on UMaine,” Diamond said.
In total, the University of Maine received more than $146 million in federal funding in fiscal year 2024, much of which is for student financial aid and federal funds for grants and contracts.
