Staff Reports
Alabama’s legislature has just sent a bill to Governor Kay Ivey’s desk that aims to ban the teaching of divisive concepts related to race and gender in the state’s universities, public schools, and other institutions. This legislation, known as Senate Bill 129, would put a stop to the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and other so-called “divisive concepts” in the state.
The bill, which awaits the governor’s signature, would prohibit state support for DEI-related programs and mandatory DEI pledges for faculty, staff, and students. It also takes aim at the $16 million bureaucracy built around the ideology at state universities, dealing a significant blow to the DEI infrastructure.
— SheLooksJustLikeYouJohn (@AsilisArt) March 20, 2024
According to the legislation, state agencies and schools would no longer be able to endorse DEI-related programming or require DEI pledges from their members. This includes at least eight public universities in Alabama that currently have dedicated DEI programs, according to AL.com.
The bill defines “divisive concepts” broadly, including ideas that imply the superiority or inferiority of individuals based on race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin, or that promote discrimination based on these characteristics. It also deems the questioning of an individual’s moral character based on these traits as unacceptable, along with the notion that individuals should be held responsible for acts committed by others in the past based on their characteristics.
Furthermore, the bill condemns the idea that meritocracy is inherently racist and sexist and prohibits individuals from feeling guilt or complicity based on their immutable characteristics. In addition to these provisions, the bill would also prevent institutions of higher education in the state from allowing people to use restrooms that do not align with their biological sex.
Republican state Sen. Will Barfoot, the bill’s author, criticized schools for acting like “ideological activists” and stressed the importance of returning higher education to its fundamental principles of academic integrity and the pursuit of knowledge, rather than being influenced by “destructive ideologies.”
It appears that some Alabama schools are already preparing for the potential enactment of the law. The University of Alabama System presidents, representing campuses in Birmingham, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa, sent a letter to faculty and students outlining the changes they may need to make in response to the bill’s effective date, should Governor Ivey sign it into law.
The letter emphasized that while the bill defines divisive concepts and DEI programs specifically, it offers exceptions for accreditation requirements, academic freedom, medical and mental health care, research, recruiting and outreach, and other areas. It also reaffirmed the commitment to recruiting and retaining outstanding students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds and providing equal access to resources and opportunities.
If the bill is signed into law, Alabama will join other states like Texas and Florida in banning DEI programs at their universities. The bill’s passage reflects a broader trend, with numerous states and the U.S. Congress introducing bills to curtail DEI ideology. The Washington Examiner reported that some states have already taken significant measures to eliminate institutional DEI infrastructure, such as imposing layoffs for DEI staff and restructuring the roles of former DEI employees.
In summary, the Alabama legislature’s actions represent a firm stance against divisive concepts and DEI programs in the state’s educational institutions, signaling a strong commitment to upholding academic integrity and merit-based principles.
