Air Force Removes Lesson Plans on Tuskegee Airmen and WASPs Amid DEI Review

Removed Air Force Lesson Plans on Tuskegee Airmen and WASPs Spark Controversy

Lesson plans about the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) have been removed from the U.S. Air Force curriculum, sparking controversy and raising questions about the impact of President Trump's executive order on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within the federal government.

The removed lesson plans were part of basic training courses on diversity. An Air Force official confirmed that these plans are under review to ensure compliance with the executive order. The official stated that immediate steps were taken to remove the curriculum and that historical videos were interwoven into the curriculum, not the direct focus of the removal.

The review's duration remains unclear, and the White House has not yet commented. While the historical videos themselves may not be the issue, their use in DEI coursework has triggered the review. This lack of clear guidance has led the Air Force and other agencies to take a broad approach to content removal to ensure compliance.

President Trump's executive order aims to eliminate DEI programs across the federal government. This includes cutting funding for DEI initiatives and rescinding previous executive orders promoting diversity. The order directs the Office of Management and Budget to end all related mandates, policies, and programs, aiming to restore a merit-based hiring system.

The removal of these lesson plans has sparked criticism, with some arguing that it erases the contributions of these groundbreaking pilots and undermines efforts to promote diversity and inclusion within the military. Others support the review, believing it aligns with the president's executive order and promotes a merit-based system.

The controversy surrounding the removal of these lesson plans highlights the ongoing debate about DEI programs within the federal government. It remains to be seen how this review will impact the Air Force curriculum and the broader conversation about diversity and inclusion in the military.