Across the country, well-intentioned legislators are introducing and advocating for bills that prohibit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs from operating at public universities in their states. More than two dozen bills to ban DEI and similar programs in higher education have been introduced in state legislatures across the country, and at least nine states have adopted this legislation.
The fight against DEI has become much more urgent in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, which led to a dramatic spike in antisemitic activity at American universities. As a result, DEI has been exposed as a radical and dangerous ideology that fosters hate, antisemitism, and divisiveness. Legislators are taking action to root out this cancer from our public institutions and ensure that students are not radicalized under the guise of diversity and inclusion.
On the front lines of the war against DEI, Accuracy in Media investigators went undercover in Texas – where a DEI ban officially went into effect January 1 – to determine whether it was the state’s public universities were following the law. What we found should gravely concern parents and students alike, as well as citizens everywhere.
As part of our investigation, Accuracy in Media visited two dozen public universities across the state. We were encouraged to find that some universities are following the law, but as we suspected, many officials confirmed they simply renamed and rebranded their DEI offices and initiatives to continue operating them. We quickly learned that radical teachers and administrators will do anything in their power to circumvent the law.
Others admitted to passing down certain DEI-related roles and responsibilities to student organizations to make the programs appear less official. When asked whether the new law would result in the university shutting down DEI programs, one official at the University of Texas at Tyler responded, “No, you can still do it. You just have to be creative. … I plot. I plan.” Another official characterized the rebranded programs as “DEI lite.”
These underhanded tactics did not surprise us. Last year, Accuracy in Media went undercover to investigate whether public K-12 schools in Texas were complying with a state law banning CRT and the radical 1619 Project in public school curriculums statewide. Many teachers and administrators admitted to circumventing the law or ignoring it altogether. Our investigations have repeatedly shown that legislation alone is not enough to stop administrators and educators from indoctrinating students and allowing extremist ideologies to take root.
If we have learned anything in the aftermath of the horrific October 7 attacks, it is that we must do everything in our power to stop radical teachers and administrators from spreading their hateful ideology and implementing divisive and dangerous programs at our schools.
Banning CRT in K-12 schools and DEI at public universities are important first steps, and we applaud Texas lawmakers for taking action. However, our investigations are proof that these laws alone are not enough. While we were encouraged to see one university administrator has already been placed on leave as a result of our investigation, additional oversight is needed, and loopholes must be closed that allow radical teachers and administrators to continue pushing their DEI agenda.
Our investigations also highlight the fact that universal school choice is sorely needed in the Lone Star State. Educational freedom is the only way for parents to truly ensure that their children are not being radicalized. While these extreme ideologies will always exist in institutions of higher education, we should do everything in our power to ensure students receive a strong foundational education before heading off to college that will keep them from being susceptible to this influence.
Adam Guillette is the President of Accuracy in Media. Accuracy in Media uses investigative journalism and aggressive activism to expose corruption, and public policy failings at the intersection of politics and culture.