New court filings reveal that federal officials under the Trump administration sent Head Start programs a six-page list of nearly 200 words and phrases to avoid using in grant applications and descriptions of their services, prompting a lawsuit from early childhood education providers.
Based on legal documents cited by multiple outlets, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) instructed Head Start and Early Head Start applicants to remove certain terms — including words such as “accessible,” “disability,” “Black,” “female,” “tribal,” and “belong” — from their funding requests or risk having their applications denied. The directive emerged as part of a review tied to broader federal efforts to limit the use of language associated with diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEI/A) in federal grant processes.
Head Start, which provides early education, health, and family support services to low-income children and families nationwide, is legally required by statute to offer “culturally and linguistically appropriate” services and support for children with disabilities. Providers argue in court that the new language restrictions conflict directly with these statutory duties, placing them in an untenable position between following federal funding rules and fulfilling legal obligations inherent to the program.
The lawsuit, filed by Head Start network organizations in several states, names the HHS and its leadership as defendants, and seeks judicial relief to block the word restrictions as part of the ongoing legal challenge. Advocates say these measures could undermine the ability of programs to clearly describe and deliver services to the communities they serve.
The controversial list surfaced amid broader White House directives aimed at curbing DEI initiatives across federal agencies, including an executive order early in the Trump administration that required the termination of DEI/A-related activities in government departments.
As of now, the legal case is pending, and HHS has declined public comment due to the ongoing litigation.
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