March 26, 2024
After Texas’s DEI Ban, College Students Are Reconsidering State Schools
By Finn Cooley
In June, Governor Greg Abbott signed a law banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the state university system—including multicultural centers and campus identity groups.
(Brandon Bell / Getty)
In 2023, the Texas Legislature proposed SB 16, banning the teaching of critical race theory at Texas universities. Among the right, CRT has become a scapegoat, with legislators railing against public schools’ teaching the history and legacy of racial injustice in the United States.
Now, Texas politicians have gone even further, targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in state colleges.
SB 17, which went into effect January 1, has been a ticking time bomb since it was signed by Governor Greg Abbott in June. The bill bans DEI and its programs, clubs, and organizations within the University of Texas college system, the largest university system in the state with more than 250,000 enrolled students and 21,000 faculty.
