Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE, 1.0 Ethics, 1.0 Elimination of Bias
The United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights published a Dear Colleague letter, on February 14, 2025, that explained the DOE’s opinion that the mere teaching of inclusion of DEI violates federal law. But, on February 28, 2025, the DOE admitted that whether a policy or program violates Title VI does not depend upon the use of specific terminology such as “diversity,” “equity” or “inclusion.” Indeed, the two DOE publications appear to be in conflict This presentation therefore will discuss whether not DEI still has a place in the United States.
Learning objectives:
Speaker: Lawrence 'Larry' Altman, Attorney at Law, Overland Park, KS
Opinions and positions stated by presenters of MoBarCLE programs are those of the presenters and not necessarily those of The Missouri Bar. This program is intended as information for lawyers in Missouri, in conjunction with other research they deem necessary, in the exercise of their independent judgment.
Lawrence J. Altman is an adjunct professor at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri. Until he retired in January of 2016, Mr. Altman was the Special Education Lead Attorney and Compliance Officer for Kansas City Public Schools and the Title IX Coordinator for the Kansas City School District. Prior to that position, he was a practicing attorney in St. Louis County for 34 years. In addition to membership in the Missouri Bar, he is a member of the Kansas City Bar Association and the National School Board Association’s Counsel of School Attorneys. What’s more, he is a distinguished member of the American Law Society. In April of 2019, Mr. Altman was recognized as a Pinnacle Top Professor of 2019 for his work as Adjunct Professor with Avila University. Also, on February 6, 2023, Mr. Altman has been appointed as a member of the Advisory Board of Project Innovation for Mental Health Enhancement (PRIME) a project funded by the United States Department of Education. In addition, on May 24, 2024, Avila University, located in Kansas City, Missouri, awarded Mr. Altman its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ambassador Award for 2024. What’s more, on June 24, 2025, Mr. Altman was informed by the Missouri Bar Foundation that he was awarded the W. Oliver Rasch Award for the article he wrote and published in the Journal of the Missouri Bar entitled, “US Supreme Court’s June 23, 2023 ruling concludes Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 is constitutional”.
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