“SB 17, which bans DEI, sends a distressing message that Texas, a state which has the largest population of African Americans, is unwilling to confront systemic inequalities and provide an inclusive learning environment for all students,” said state Rep. Meanwhile, opponents of the bill slammed the move, arguing that it “perpetuates the cycle of ignorance and discrimination.” “With this bold, forward-thinking legislation to eliminate DEI programs, Texas is leading the nation, and ensuring our campuses return to focusing on the strength of diversity and promoting a merit-based approach where individuals are judged on their qualifications, skills, and contributions,” Creighton added Wednesday in a statement celebrating Abbott’s signature. Brandon Creighton described the law as “the most significant ban on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in higher education in the nation.”
However, the bill makes it clear that it does not restrict academic instruction related to race and diversity and makes an exception for equity measures required by a court order or federal law. The legislation adds that institutions can’t “endorse an ideology that promotes the differential treatment of an individual or group of individuals based on race, color, or ethnicity” or require students and employees to disclose their “race, color, ethnicity, or national origin” unless necessary for demographic information. SB 17 prohibits higher education institutions from establishing or maintaining a DEI office and bans mandatory diversity training for students and employees. With the signing, Texas joins more than a dozen, largely GOP-led state legislatures that have introduced or passed bills reining in DEI programs in colleges and universities.
The bill’s critics, however, argued that it promotes discrimination and would impact colleges from attracting diverse students. The state legislature passed the bill last month largely along party lines with supporters arguing that DEI efforts promote racial profiling and slashing funds for such programs will save taxpayers millions of dollars. Greg Abbott signed a bill Wednesday that bans diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices at public colleges and universities across the state, his spokesperson confirmed to CNN.
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