Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a bill limiting the teaching of "divisive concepts" and restricting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in public schools, universities, and state agencies. The legislation, pushed through by the GOP-controlled state legislature, bars sponsorship or requirement of DEI programs and prohibits punishing individuals for not endorsing such concepts.
Defined as divisive are teachings suggesting any race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior. The bill also mandates that public college and university students use bathrooms aligning with their biological sex at birth. Set to take effect on October 1, this move by Ivey aims to "protect" Alabama's educational institutions while opposing taxpayer-funded DEI initiatives that she perceives as liberal political movements.
Civil rights groups and PEN America have condemned the legislation, likening it to Florida's "Stop Woke Act" and arguing it further intensifies the politicization of educational spaces. Proponents, however, argue it aims to foster unity and return higher education to its foundational principles of academic integrity.
While the bill restricts state-funded DEI programs, it does not prohibit such initiatives entirely if they are privately funded.
Governor Kay Ivey's recent signing of the bill restricting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in Alabama's public schools represents a regressive step that undermines efforts to address systemic inequalities and promote inclusive education. By framing DEI initiatives as "divisive concepts" and imposing restrictions on their teaching, this legislation perpetuates a harmful narrative that erases the lived experiences and struggles of marginalized communities.
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Link: ABC News
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