Daniel Thies (Chair, Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar), U.S. Law Schools Have Diverse Takes on DEI (Wall Street Journal Letter to the Editor (Apr. 23, 2026)):

I’d like to clarify a few points relevant to your editorial “How the ABA Spreads DEI in Law Schools” (April 17). The law school accreditation standards are silent on DEI, and have been since February 2025. As you note, the council suspended Standard 206 on diversity and inclusion at that time. Looking forward, the council—which has the final say on the content of the accreditation standards—has proposed a permanent repeal effective as soon as this August.

Your editorial cites Standard 303(c) as a still-active DEI requirement. But that standard requires only two modest extracurricular sessions on cross-cultural competency and related topics. Schools are free to determine the content of those sessions, even (if they so choose) teaching on the harms of diversity requirements or on the importance of religious liberty.

Josh Blackman (South Texas), ABA: Law Schools Can Satisfy “Cross-Cultural Competency” Standard By Criticizing DEI:

I have long suspected that one way to comply with DEI standards is to criticize DEI. … Now, the ABA seems to be taking a new position: a religious law school, for example, can satisfy Standard 303(c) by highlighting how DEI harms religious liberty.

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