Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently upset the consultant class of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) activists because he signed into law a bill that outlaws diversity offices at public universities.
State-funded public colleges and universities in Texas will close their DEI offices, and if these higher education institutions do not comply with the law, they will not be able to spend its state funds for a year. The law mandates a state-run study every two years through 2029 to determine the law’s impact on students. The study will take into account students’ race, as well as overall application rates, acceptance rates, retention rates, graduation rates, and grade point averages.
The bill passed in both chambers of the Texas legislature, with a 83-62 vote in the House of Representatives and a 19-12 vote in the Senate.
The mainstream media criticized the Texas law. For example, NBC News blasted Texas Republicans and Abbott in its article. The news outlet wrote that Republicans like Abbott believe DEI efforts are “divisive or anti-white.” An opponent to the Texas law told the mainstream media outlet that “Texas lawmakers have chosen to prioritize a political agenda instead of the success of these students.”
But the media and the DEI consultant class fail to recognize the problems with DEI. DEI emphasizes that white Americans actively discriminate against non-white people in a show of so-called “white privilege” and pushes race and ethnicity over merit, skills, or achievement.
In the end, DEI activists ignored their critics and it has led to significant legislative and political backlash in recent months.
