They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words; this photo of me in the anti-DEI “working group” on Thursday (my Birthday no less) sums it up!
The “working group” was formed by GOP members to “investigate DEI activities” on college campuses and ferret out programs and services that focused on underserved communities and to ensure that no state dollars were used to support them. Two years earlier, the GOP controlled legislature voted to remove $2 Million from university budgets to “punish them” (their words) for hosting or supporting programs geared towards marginalized communities or educating others about systemic oppression. So, the colleges learned their lesson and used grants, private donations, and auxiliary funds to support students.
But that wasn’t enough.
Extreme GOP legislators dogged the universities so much that last fall, pre-empting a State Board resolution in January, they closed all their student support centers geared to help traditionally underserved communities.
Still not enough!
And what’s troubling is that it is the same State Board of Education that 3 years earlier supported DEI in a documented resolution (that was never voted on it, but nonetheless was clear in it’s content) stating, it is the “expectation of each institution to promote and advance the principles of diversity, educational equity, and inclusion. These concepts are necessary components of educational experiences that challenge individuals to grow, improve critical thinking, refine skills, build character, develop awareness, and engage in freedom of thought and expression.”
In this last anti DEI meeting, Sen Ben Toews shared more of his proposed legislation that would not only outlaw any student success center focused on diversity of race, sex, national identity, etc., but also prohibit any required diversity training or teaching on college campuses that adheres to certain tenets relating to a slew of prohibited speech or concepts like “implicit bias, anti-racism, gender theory, etc.)
Toew’s bill is a page out of a larger extremist take over of the first amendment mimicking other states that have attempted to regulate free speech under the guise of ensuring a safe environment for differing opinions by regulating behavior like requiring training. However, just look at what happened with Florida and their Individual Freedom Act, aka the “Stop WOKE” Act.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed an injunction against enforcement of portions of Florida’s “anti-woke” law, which prohibits employers from requiring employees to attend training sessions or other activities that specific content based on race, sex, national origin, etc. The unanimous decision in Honeyfund.com, Inc. v. Governor, State of Florida (11th Cir. Mar. 4, 2024) held that the Florida law draws “distinctions based on viewpoint – the most pernicious forms of dividing lines under the First Amendment” – and cannot be sustained as an “attempt to control speech by recharacterizing it as conduct.”
It goes on to say,“By limiting its restrictions to a list of ideas designated as offensive, the [Florida] Act targets speech based on its content. And by barring only speech that endorses any of those ideas, it penalizes certain viewpoints – the greatest First Amendment sin.”
It’s a dystopian world where government will determine what can or cannot be discussed, to decide for all people what content is offensive or not.
I warned the committee that this bill is similar to Florida’s, already struck down as a violation of first amendment speech, so why waste this time and effort to going forward?
As I stated in committee, if we really are trying to promote free speech, the government would not be limiting what can or cannot be discussed to a one-sided viewpoint and then punish people with threats of civil lawsuits to be investigated by Idaho’s Attorney General who has proven he likes to litigate.
That threat alone is not only chilling speech, it is absolutely freezing it out.
This committee was an uphill battle from the start, and ultimately, this proposed legislation from Senator Toews received seven votes recommending that it be introduced into committee in the coming weeks.
In the coming days and weeks, it is important to keep track of this bill. Look for it be assigned a number HERE.
I want all of the students and community members who have attended these DEI committee meetings to know that you are seen and that showing up in support of programs and services that students value is important. As this bill moves through the chambers, please continue to show up and share your views. We need to protect our free speech and dialogue on collage campuses and fight against the government censoring content or speech.
It is important to remember that the First Amendment is clear and it does not apply differently for different viewpoints. Everyone has the right to free speech, whether you’re conservative or progressive, student or legislator.
You can watch all four meetings of the DEI committee here.