MELTDOWN: College DEI programs now BANNED in MULTIPLE states!

Alabama students and educators are still weighing the impacts of a new ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs in public colleges.
Gov. Kay Ivey signed SB129, known as the “divisive concepts” bill, into law March 20. The law becomes effective Oct. 1, 2024.

“Alabama lawmakers passed legislation that turns back the clock on the progress in the past 70 years to support students, faculty, and staff from a diverse range of backgrounds,” Paulette Granberry Russell, CEO of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, said in a statement to AL.com.

“It is especially shameful that this legislation is being enacted in a state with a deep history of racial discrimination and forced integration of education.”

The wide-ranging legislation asks for sweeping changes or cancellations to state agencies and public colleges that currently fund DEI offices and programming. Auburn University and the University of Alabama’s Tuscaloosa and Birmingham campuses support more than $3 million each in DEI budgets.

The law bans any program that “advocates for a divisive concept.” It also would prohibit higher education institutions from allowing individuals to use a restroom that is different from their sex as assigned at birth.
A ‘chilling effect’

Civil rights groups, professional organizations and educators say the law could have a negative impact on student wellbeing, employee retention and hiring, and even research and business opportunities.
“We’re watching very carefully because there’s going to be this short-term impact but also long-term impact,” said Heidi Tseu, associate vice president for national engagement at the American Council on Education. “And certainly the concern is that this is a chilling effect on student opportunities.”

Nationwide, similar bans have been proposed or enacted in at least 22 states, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. But institutions have responded in varied ways.

In Florida, one institution fired all its DEI staff, while another simply changed their titles.

It is not clear yet whether Alabama’s law will force some state colleges, which support a combined $16 million in diversity spending, to lay off staff.
According to the state’s legislative services agency, it is up to individual state agencies, local boards of education and college administration to decide how to discipline employees who violate the law. There is no civil or criminal penalty for noncompliance, but the legislature can withhold funding from institutions that don’t comply.

Tseu said it’s important for local colleges to fully understand the law – including what it does and does not prohibit – and set clear guidelines on how they will move forward.

“The continued priority needs to be that students from any type of background and all walks of life are being welcomed into our campus communities,” she said. “And that their needs get supported, their talents get supported and nurtured and then they’re positioned to succeed after they graduate to serve as the next generation of leaders. That is the thing that needs to continue to be the central focus.”

In an interview with AL.com, Benard Simelton of the Alabama NAACP called the legislation a “devastating bill for equality in the state of Alabama.”

A few years ago, the state NAACP started working with Auburn’s DEI office after hearing concerns from minority faculty members about the tenure and promotion process, Simelton said. He will be meeting with college officials in the next few days to discuss next steps, he said.
He also said the chapter is looking into options for federal funding of DEI programming, either through grants from the U.S. Department of Education or Department of Justice.

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[GazzaBoo]

DEI banned and nothing of value was lost.

[KermdoubleO]

Critiquing black people doesn't make you racist
Critiquing Jews doesn't make you antisemitic
Critiquing gays doesn't make you homophobic
Critiquing trans doesn't make you transphobic have a great day

[neilcampbell]

They need to publicise it as 'banning racist/sexist DEI departments'

[scottmcloughlin]

No more taxpayer-funded racist "grievance administrators." Do Americans grasp that these are toxic taxpayer-funded jobs programs? Salaries? Budgets? Offices? Computers? Entire "departments" of jerks doing nothing good.

[royceharrison]

I live here in Alabama and I thank God for Governor Ivey

[TheMistacrazybones]

Its funny they say they're for societies progression, yet society has never been so divided.

[amariah]

I was raised in Alabama. In the fifth grade, Alabama history was mandatory. I learned the good, the bad, and the ugly without being encouraged to hate whites.

[Chris-ewqp]

DEI lowering of standards: Leticia James. Monique Owens (Eastpointe-MI), Fani Willis, Marilyn Mosby, Tiffany Henyard (Dalton-IL), Cullors (BLM), Claudine Gay & Sherri Charleston (Harvard), Erica Ballou (LasVegas), LaToya Cantrell, London Breed-San Fran, Bowser-D.C., Adams-NYC, Johnson-Chicago, Stacey Abrams, DA Bragg-NYC, Cori Busch, Ilhan Omar, B. & M. Obama.

[iamthecoffeewhisperer]

This is good news. Now the universities need to get back to teaching critical thinking skills to help try and undo the damage done by promoting their ideas of DEI.

[martinwilliams]

The legalisation should be retroactive, biological men who have won awards & money competing against biological women should have to pay back their winnings & awards, which should then be given to the real winners.

[harleyironhead]

great job exposing this to the public for all to see, great video

[minacat]

The colleges will just call it something else.

[phred]

It's a bit of a misnomer to say sex was assigned at Birth.
After the baby's born we identify/recognize the gender/sex of the child.

We don't assign your skin color or your race or your height or your weight or your gender. You're 5'7 whether I say you are or not. And it doesn't change if I say something different.

Your weight is 182 regardless of what you want it to be. No one assigned you that weight.

You're born with a Y chromosome or you're not. No one was assigned a gender. They were born with one.

[ThisBishopGames]

@adampost dei is now rebranding to "bridge" just giving everyone a heads up.

[sweetkilla]

So much anger when they actually get the equality they have pushed for

[robsan]

But...but...but what about my $110k student loan bill for my Masters Degree in Gender Studies for Theatre Managment Hiring Practices!!?? What is my 6, 000 employee DEI staff going to do NOW!!?? How will the college continue without our supervision!!?? I have to go...I'm going to

[devildogsmom]

Way to be the example! I really hope this catches the attention of woke government. People are standing up.

[Sdin]

DEI executives make billions a year at colleges and companies. Just think of the educational scholarships that could have been created with that money annually for students who are smart but low income. Pathetic

[iainrobertson]

We need a prevention of divisive and disabling concepts act

[MegaMrken]

Every state needs to do it. Let's make it happen