Attacks on DEI

I have been closely following the attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion that began percolating at the state level a few years back. I complied my research on these changes into a presentation called Banned: How the Courts, States & Feds are Reshaping Education Policy, which I have presented to hundreds of educators and policymakers in hopes that we could understand and work collaboratively to combat these attacks.

In the presentation, I make a case that the wave of state-level anti-DEI laws backed by conservative courts has reddened purple states and cemented rightward shifts in state level education policy. Case in point is Florida. Democrats there had a 257,000 registered voter advantage over Republicans at the end of 2018 – the year Ron DeSantis was elected governor. His libertarian COVID policies (vax optional, schools open, masks off) led to a wave of new Republican transplants, while his so-called Don’t Say Gay bill and self-proclaimed War Against Woke drove Democrats out. By the end of 2024 it was Florida Republicans that had a one million registered voter advantage over Democrats.

Inspired by Florida and others, several states have now restricted or completely banned DEl, making the work of equity-focused scholars difficult and potentially imperiling their academic futures. That’s why my colleagues and I secured funding to bring five emerging scholars from states where DEI is banned to present their work at Boston University. This event served a dual purpose by uplifting these early-career scholars while warning our community of what could come our way if we don’t prepare and fight back.

As we have already seen through Executive Orders and a bizarre Dear Colleague letter, the second election of Donald Trump has the potential to bring Florida-like policies to every state.

That’s why I am working with colleagues to host and moderate a series called What’s Next for Education Policy? where experts with local, state, and federal experience will discuss the implications of ongoing and anticipated federal policy shifts for education policy and practice.

I also shared my own thoughts at the BU Wheelock Conversations with the Dean series, focused on the first 100 days of the T 2.0 presidency.

Finally, it appears likely that this battle for DEI and the larger battle for racial and social justice will be won or lost in the courts. That’s why I’m excited to bring together some of the greatest legal warriors in Massachusetts for an event called Racial Justice & The Courts: Legal Challenges and Strategies for the Next Four Years, where we’ll discuss the stakes, obstacles, and ways to keep pushing for racial justice.

This will be a long fight and I’ll be chronicling my thoughts and actions on Substack. I hope you’ll join me there.