"Reverse racism" is alleged here in the teaching of so-called "harmful ideologies" when the actual truth was expressed by Rep. Mary Gonzalez (D-Clint) as follows:
“The discourse over the last few weeks with these riders is like ‘We need this rider because we don't want there to be an ideology that supports hate or things like that,’ and I think it's the furthest thing from the truth,” said González, D-Clint. “The truth is that these programs, these initiatives are critical for not only the students but for the communities that we serve in Texas.”
When decades of research to support this kind of intervention in higher education and the workforce (see earlier post), then we're still not getting a real answer for this direction in policy. This leads one to conclude that these lawmakers are xenophobes, threatened by the potential political power and influence of students of color.
So short-sighted and self-serving. So disappointing.
-Angela Valenzuela
Texas House panel sticks funding ban for college DEI programs in draft budget. Here's why.
The Texas House Committee on Appropriations approved a rider to the House budget draft that would ban colleges and universities from using state funds on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
The rider — an additional provision added to a bill — would prohibit state-supported colleges and universities and other higher education institutions that receive state funding from using that money on DEI practices or programs, including any DEI personnel, training or activities.
“It is the intent of the Legislature that no funds appropriated by this Act may be expended for diversity, equity, & inclusion practices or similar programs, including personnel, training or activities, on state supported college campuses, state supported university campuses or those who receive state funding, notwithstanding state and federal law,” the rider states.
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Article III, which oversees public education and higher education funding, had previously adopted the rider, proposed by Rep. Carrie Isaac, R-Dripping Springs. On Thursday, the full House Appropriations committee met and approved adding the rider to House Bill 1 — the proposed House budget — as well as several other riders.
The committee only heard invited testimony from the Legislative Budget Board on Thursday, and members of the public did not have a chance to testify about the rider during the meeting.
More:University of Texas 'operational plan' to execute, track 2022 DEI goals remains unreleased
Friendswood Republican Rep. Greg Bonnen, chair of the Appropriations committee, said the DEI funding ban will be added to the new version of the proposed House budget bill, and the committee could potentially vote to advance the bill to the full House late next week.
The House Appropriations committee and the full Texas House have to approve the chamber's biennium budget. Once the House and the Senate both pass their budgets, if the bills are different, the drafts will be forwarded to a conference committee with members from both chambers that will produce a single bill for the House and Senate to vote on and send to Gov. Greg Abbott for final approval. The Texas Constitution requires lawmakers to pass a balanced budget.
'It hurts me when we have these divisive riders'
Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, made a motion to strike the rider from being included in the proposed House budget, but his motion failed by a 16-10 vote. He said he took issue with the rider being included after the committee had worked hard to minimize conflicts and politics in the bill.
“It hurts me when we have these divisive riders, amendments and bills because all that does is sow doubt,” Walle said. “It sows doubt into my sons and many children that have diverse backgrounds. They can't be who they can't see. And so for me, I take this as a personal affront. I take it personally because it hurts.”
More:How diverse are students, employees at Austin-area colleges and universities?
Rep. Gary Vandeaver, chair of the House Appropriations subcommittee that initially adopted the rider, said he recognizes the importance diversity and efforts to bring equity into schools but expressed concern over how he believes DEI principles are being promoted in higher education.
“We have reports that these principles are being used to promote an ideology that frankly, is concerning to many of us, and it's that promotion of that ideology that I think this rider is really intended to address,” said Vandeaver, R-New Boston.
Rep. Carl. Tepper, R-Lubbock, said that DEI offices in higher education were "blatantly partisan" and engaging in "reverse racism," a term for racism against white people or other privileged groups. Tepper, who has introduced several bills proposing limits on DEI in colleges and universities, said DEI offices are furthering division and "causing more consternation than they're fixing."Multiple Democratic lawmakers on the committee pushed back against including the rider in the budget, arguing that university leaders and state residents should have had an opportunity to speak on the proposal before it was put in the budget, and that it was not appropriate to propose the ban as a rider to the budget instead of in separate legislation.
Rep. Mary González, vice chair of the appropriations committee, said just having a conversation about banning state funds for DEI may lead students, faculty and staff to consider not coming to colleges and universities in the state.
“The discourse over the last few weeks with these riders is like ‘We need this rider because we don't want there to be an ideology that supports hate or things like that,’ and I think it's the furthest thing from the truth,” said González, D-Clint. “The truth is that these programs, these initiatives are critical for not only the students but for the communities that we serve in Texas.”
Eliminating 'good faith' effort to improve race diversity
The committee on Thursday also approved a rider removing a section from the House budget which states that the Legislature expects both the University of Texas and Texas A&M University to make a "good faith effort" to improve the racial diversity of their student populations.Several Texas colleges and universities have various DEI initiatives and programs in place, which are designed to make marginalized groups — such as people of color, LGBTQ people or disabled people — feel more supported on campus.
The full nature of those DEI efforts ranges wildly across campuses, but they often include broadly working to recruit diverse applicants for faculty and staff positions and to attract historically disadvantaged undergraduate and graduate students.
However, DEI policies and initiatives at higher education institutions have recently come under fire by Republican state lawmakers, who have proposed several bills to limit DEI in higher education, including bans on DEI-related offices, statements and training.
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