Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) commended Texas public universities last month for halting their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices.
“Bravo. Our universities need to end ideological and dishonest DEI programs that tear us apart and spread racial division and hatred,” Cruz said in a tweet.
Cruz claimed DEI policies within university systems are causing division. Since Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's directive was issued to all Texas public universities ordering them to stop using DEI while hiring, most big Texas universities, such as the University of Texas System, Texas A&M System, Texas Tech University System and the University of Houston System, have halted their DEI programs, according to the tweet.
Sen. Brandon Creighton, chair of the Senate Committee of Education, filed a bill on March 10 that would effectively ban DEI offices from Texas public universities, according to the Austin Journal.
“While every member of a university committee must be treated with equal dignity, so-called DEI offices are in fact the leading threat to true diversity and genuine inclusivity on university campuses,” Creighton said in a statement that was tweeted.
The bill also blocks any public office that promotes efforts “designed or implemented in reference to race, color or ethnicity” and bans training or activities “designed or implemented in reference to race, color, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation,” except those required under state or federal law. The proposed legislation would also prohibit universities from asking current students, employees, contractors, job applicants and students applying for admission for DEI statements or to endorse an ideology that promotes differential treatment based on race, color or ethnicity.
Public universities in Texas, including the University of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, the University of Houston and Texas Tech, have announced that they are halting and reviewing their DEI hiring policies due to a directive from the governor, Fox 26 reported. University of Houston Chancellor Renu Khator said to comply with state and federal law, they would not support or use DEI statements or factors in hiring or promotion anywhere within the University of Houston System in an email in early March.
Creighton said the universities halting their DEI policies is “the right thing to do,” ABC 13 reported. Many legislators heading into the legislative session at the capitol worry about these DEI departments promoting political indoctrination and division, he said. Some of them argue that this move is political gamesmanship and that DEI allows all kinds of people to thrive and ensures that everyone is included, he said.
“I don’t know that DEI programs have caused a problem anywhere,” Rep. Harold Dutton told ABC 13. “And if they have caused a problem, then we could simply fix whatever the problem is. But to do away with all DEI programs sounds quite shortsighted to me.”
