A handful of red states are working to dismantle racist diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in education and government that often and ironically discriminate against some groups of students while favoring other groups of students.
But Idaho is trailing the pack.
States like Texas, Florida, and Utah have taken steps in recent months and years to end higher education programs that liberals believe help lift minority students out of poverty. The programs, in reality, often end up discriminating against students and dividing their college communities in the name of equity.
For example, the University of Washington “refused to hire the #1 and #2 ranked candidates for a professor of psychology for no other reason than that they were white and Asian, respectively,” according to conservative policy institution the Heritage Foundation.
Even if the programs’ goals were noble — and that’s a big unknown — DEI programs have shown to be ineffective at achieving diversity and racial harmony. Tolerance, it seems, cannot be artificially manufactured through creating safe spaces for minority students or spending tens of thousands of dollars to bring anti-white woke preachers like Ibram X. Kendi to speak on campuses.
DEI programs, classes, and seminars have drawn the ire of many in the political sphere, including billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.
“DEI is just another word for racism,” Musk wrote on his social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, earlier this year. “Shame on anyone who uses it.”
Republicans across the nation have taken steps to address and dismantle these programs, seeing the opportunity to return higher education, in particular, to its roots of knowledge-seeking instead of political indoctrination.
In June 2023, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Senate Bill 17, which effectively banned the Lone Star State’s public universities and colleges from administering DEI programs.
The law, much maligned in the liberal media, came with added benefits besides the core purpose of ending indoctrination in higher education: massive cost savings.
The University of Texas system’s nine academic and five health campuses have slashed 311 full- and part-time positions since the ban took effect Jan. 1. The campuses also eliminated a combined 681 contracts, programs and trainings related to diversity, equity and inclusion — initiatives commonly grouped together under the acronym DEI.
It’s unclear exactly how much Texas will save by slashing those jobs, but the figure is significant.
Texas lawmakers are hardly alone in their crusade against divisive programs and offices.
In May 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, often seen as the top state executive in the nation, signed legislation banning DEI in the Sunshine State.
"If you look at the way this has actually been implemented across the country, DEI is better viewed as standing for discrimination, exclusion and indoctrination," DeSantis said during a news conference at New College of Florida in Sarasota last year. "And that has no place in our public institutions."
To comply with the law, the University of Florida fired 13 full-time DEI staff and terminated administrative appointments for 15 faculty members. After making the move, school officials transferred $5 million it would have spent on DEI into a fund for professor recruitment.
Most recently, while the Idaho legislature wavered, leaders in Alabama, Iowa, Wyoming, and Utah took action in the fight to preserve and cultivate an environment of free inquiry on our nation’s college campuses.
Iowa, in particular, has set itself apart as a model for combatting DEI. In May, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill that banned: “Any effort to promote…a particular, widely contested opinion referencing unconscious or implicit bias, cultural appropriation, allyship, transgender ideology, microaggressions, group marginalization, antiracism, systemic oppression, social justice, intersectionality, neo-pronouns, heteronormativity, disparate impact, gender theory, racial privilege, sexual privilege, or any related formulation of these concepts.”
In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey signed another commendable example of legislation that eliminated DEI offices and mandatory DEI training. Unfortunately, the University of Alabama has sought to skirt the law’s mandate by cleverly rebranding its DEI offices and staff. This development demonstrates just how embedded the DEI bureaucracy has become in our nation’s system of higher education and reinforces the need for legislatures to lay out in clear, unambiguous terms that this pernicious ideology will not be tolerated.
Idaho’s neighbor to the south, Utah, joined the effort earlier this year. In January, Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation to ban “prohibited discriminatory practices” in higher education hiring and program offerings.
While the Utah bill isn’t as restrictive as the Texas and Florida measure, the law’s intent is clear: no more discriminatory programs catering to students simply due to their minority status or ethnicity. The bill allows colleges and universities to redirect funds to all students who might need help.
Many employers, including government institutions and agencies, have drawn criticism for requiring applicants to sign left-wing diversity statements as a condition of employment. No signature, no job.
These statements have been widely panned as loyalty oaths to progressive ideas and ideals. One writer even likened diversity statements to “faith statements” long required by higher education institutions operated by churches.
Idaho is certainly behind the curve on dismantling DEI, but it has taken a step forward.
Earlier this year, lawmakers passed — and Gov. Brad Little signed — Senate Bill 1274, which effectively banned diversity statements as a condition of employment in Idaho government.
Little took to social media to celebrate the signing.
“It’s official – Idaho has banned ‘diversity statements’ ACROSS STATE GOVERNMENT!” the governor posted on X. “I’m proud to sign this bill and ensure Idahoans are hired or accepted into college based on merit and hard work.”
While it was a small step forward, Idaho could have done more.
Sen. Brian Lenney, in his first term, wrote and introduced legislation to dismantle DEI in Idaho’s institutions of higher education. But his effort ended in a chairman’s drawer; Sen. Jim Guthrie favored the leftists over the students.
According to a release sent out by Lenney late last year, his bill, eventually labeled Senate Bill 1357, would have:
Shortly after introduction, Senate Pro Tem Chuck Winder assigned the bill to the Senate State Affairs Committee, where chairman Jim Guthrie of McCammon declined to give the measure a hearing.
The effort isn’t over, though. Lenney has stated that he will bring the bill back again in the 2025 session, which kicks off in January.
Let’s hope his bill clears the Legislature next year. It’s time that Idaho catches up to other states in ending racist, discriminatory DEI programs in higher education.
