On Jan. 20, his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed a number of executive orders designed to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs throughout the federal government, its contractors and grant recipients. Many pejorative terms were used in association with the executive orders, but at no time was “DEI” defined.
Now, a bill in the Georgia Legislature, Senate Bill 120, to prohibit the “promotion, advocacy … of diversity, equity and inclusion” in our public schools and colleges has been introduced. The American Civil Liberties Union has argued, successfully, that this kind of government restriction on diversity, equity and inclusion and related concepts is viewpoint discrimination and prohibited by the U.S. Constitution.
In his presentation, the bill’s sponsor conflated admissions and grades with efforts to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all students. There has been no affirmative action in Georgia’s public colleges since 2001. No evidence was presented to support vague references that DEI initiatives are incompatible with individual achievement and merit.
So what is DEI, or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
The first definition of diversity is “the state of being diverse; variety.”
Georgia is certainly diverse. According to the latest U.S. Census data 58.7% of us are white; 33.2% Black; 0.6% indigenous; 4.9% Asian; 11.1% Hispanic. In addition 15% speak a language other than English at home and 9.3% live with a disability.
Our schools are even more diverse, as students of color comprise more than 70% of our K-12 classrooms. Our teacher corps remains overwhelmingly white. Shouldn’t our teachers charged with educating students who come with different experiences, religious practices and needs receive support?
Diversity is our reality, and it does a disservice to our children to pretend otherwise.
Equity simply means “the quality of being fair and impartial.” Do the sponsors mean to oppose fairness in our educational settings?
The opposition to inclusion may be the most confusing. Each of us can recall a painful experience of exclusion. Inclusion is: “1. The action of state of including or being included within a group or structure; and 2. the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded.”
These are the plain language meanings of these words and the plain language of the legislation is to prohibit practices to include people. The proponents of this view should be asked to explain why they oppose our diverse communities, why they oppose fairness and why they oppose including people who have been excluded?
I remember Georgia when I was excluded — from schools, movies, stores, restaurants, parks, libraries because of my race. I remember when our public schools excluded children with special needs, and I visited homes where children with Down syndrome were hidden away.
I remember when girls were treated unfairly; sexual harassment was just “boys being boys.” I can still remember the humiliation of having boys follow me down the hall making catcalls when I wore a dress my Dad brought me from Africa.
I never considered the University of Georgia when I graduated with honors from my Atlanta Public Schools high school — only a decade after the first Black students were admitted over campus protests. Also, the fraternities still flew the Confederate flag on game day. The atmosphere for Black students was much more welcoming when my daughter attended — she was active in both student government and the NAACP.
My granddaughter lives in a beautifully diverse world in Atlanta where children of many backgrounds play together, go camping and attend each other’s birthday parties. I believe she and all of her friends should experience feeling included, wherever they go to school.
I hope the proponents of this bill are not suggesting we should return to the days of segregation, of people being excluded and treated unfairly.
So, what do they mean?
Andrea Young is executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia.
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