The Trump administration has issued a memo warning schools against using application essays, geography, and other factors as proxies for race in efforts to achieve diverse student bodies, potentially undermining university diversity initiatives. This move is part of a broader crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs affecting schools, including those in the Chicago area. Concurrently, the U.S. Supreme Court has been petitioned to hear several cases involving education and civil rights issues. One involves parents challenging a Massachusetts school district for secretly assisting their 11-year-old daughter in transitioning to identify as genderqueer without parental consent. The Alliance for Free Liberty and Democracy Studies (AFLDS) filed an amici curiae brief supporting the parents in Lee v. Poudre School District, arguing that schools have no right to transition children without parental knowledge. Another case involves a Christian baker from Bakersfield, California, who has petitioned the Supreme Court to review a state law requiring her to create wedding cakes for same-sex couples, which she contends violates her Christian faith. Additionally, South Carolina has asked the Supreme Court to allow enforcement of its policy barring transgender students from using bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity, seeking to overturn a lower court ruling. These cases reflect ongoing legal battles over religious freedom, transgender rights, and educational policies. Meanwhile, educational programs aimed at supporting Black students are reportedly facing legal vulnerabilities under the Trump administration's DEI policies. Legal experts note potential constitutional conflicts, including First Amendment concerns and debates over the constitutionality of federal funding cuts tied to state support for transgender youth.