Staff Reports
In a scathing takedown of Harvard’s mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statements, law professor Randall L. Kennedy has called for an end to what he deems as “ideological pledges of allegiance.” Kennedy, in an op-ed for the Council on Academic Freedom at Harvard, took aim at the practice of requiring prospective professors to submit statements outlining their commitment to DEI, labeling them as a threat to academic freedom.
Kennedy, a self-proclaimed leftist scholar committed to social justice, did not mince words as he lambasted the DEI regime for its overreach, coercion, and imposition of ideological litmus tests on academics. He argued that the proliferation of diversity statements is discrediting itself by forcing people to toe a political line and incentivizing insincerity, creating a circular mode of discourse impervious to self-questioning.
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So that Harvard professor calls to end DEI statements— Paul Pandrangi (@PaulPandrangi) April 3, 2024
Moreover, Kennedy highlighted the detrimental impact of the DEI bureaucracy on academic freedom, including the stifling of conservative thought in academia and the suppression of healthy skepticism about the significance of DEI. He railed against the soft-spoken yet real coercion embedded in DEI statements, asserting that academics are essentially coerced into the DEI movement with the implicit threat of job security being contingent on playing ball with the DEI ideology.
Kennedy’s critique coincides with mounting controversies at Harvard, including allegations of antisemitism, plagiarism, and affirmative action loopholes, with some critics pointing fingers at the DEI ideology as a contributing factor. Kennedy, however, did not stand alone in his opposition to mandatory DEI statements, as philosophy professor Edward J. Hall advocated for improving, rather than eliminating, DEI practices.
Hall cautioned against directing anger at diversity statements themselves, instead attributing frustration to the distorted view of what these statements should contain. He emphasized the importance of treating diverse ideas and perspectives with intellectual seriousness and honesty within the academic community. Despite the contrasting viewpoints within the Harvard Council on Academic Freedom, Kennedy’s powerful rebuke of the DEI regime has reignited the contentious debate surrounding ideological conformity and academic freedom.
