FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2025

Delegate Michael Feggans Condemns Virginia Beach School Board Vote to Eliminate DEI Initiatives

Virginia Beach, VA – Delegate Michael Feggans (District 97) is strongly condemning the Virginia Beach School Board’s recent decision to eliminate all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives from Virginia Beach City Public Schools. In a joint letter with Senator Aaron Rouse (District 22), Delegate Alex Askew (District 95), and Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler (District 96), Delegate Feggans calls the Board’s April 8, 2025 resolution a deeply troubling step backward for students and families across the city.

The resolution, passed under the justification of complying with federal requirements, effectively dismantles DEI-focused programs and replaces them with a rebranded “Office of Opportunity and Achievement.” Delegate Feggans and his colleagues argue this is a thinly veiled attempt to eliminate meaningful equity work in schools under political pressure.

“This decision is not about compliance—it’s about capitulation,” said Delegate Feggans. “It’s an alarming move that disregards the lived experiences of Black and Brown students, LGBTQ+ youth, and immigrant families. The message it sends is that their voices don’t matter.”

Delegate Feggans, who represents one of the most diverse districts in Virginia Beach, emphasized the harmful precedent this sets for school divisions statewide. “Virginia Beach has long served as a leader in public education. This reversal not only hurts our local students, but threatens decades of progress in creating inclusive and equitable learning environments.”

Feggans and fellow legislators are urging the School Board to reverse its decision and fully reinstate the DEI initiatives that ensure every student is supported, seen, and valued. They remain united in their commitment to fighting for a public education system that reflects the diversity and strength of the Commonwealth.