Sen. Standridge leads study on DEI in higher education

OKLAHOMA CITY – On Wednesday, Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, led a pivotal Education Committee interim study on the effects of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in higher education. This comprehensive examination of DEI in higher education was requested by Standridge.

The interim study consisted of highly respected authorities from around the country, from the Goldwater Institute, Manhattan Institute, and the Heritage Foundation. The study also welcomed the world-renowned author, James Lindsey, who has written extensively on DEI, and how its ever-growing presence is destroying institutions of higher learning and creating a toxic environment for students, most especially for those that might disagree with the leftist ideology that DEI and its prodigy push throughout our colleges and universities.

“DEI should more appropriately be called Divide, Exclude and Indoctrinate,” Standridge said. “One of the most disturbing aspects of this push for various types of discrimination towards the favored identity group of the day, is that many of those pushing this anti-racist ideology are supporting a policy that snatches opportunity away from their own children and grandchildren, to give it to someone that, from a merit perspective, is less deserving, in the name of equity. Personally, no amount of “fitting in” or virtue signaling could compel me to harm my own children, but those pushing this discrimination and exclusion often harm their own descendants while blatantly disregarding the constitutional protections these same descendants are afforded. Equity is not in our Constitution.”

The study produced numerous pieces of model legislation which many states, including Texas and Florida, have passed recently to stop this DEI bureaucratic machine. Standridge said he would make all the legislation and other information available to legislators at their request so that all would have the tools needed to champion the demise of this failed equity experiment.

In addition, the outcome of this interim study provided essential insights, including how employment DEI pledges are used to discriminate during the hiring process, indoctrinating DEI courses being forced on young incoming students, and how accreditation is being falsely used as the excuse for spending millions upon millions of dollars from taxpayers on this failed equity experiment that likely harms and often shames the children of the very taxpayers paying for it.

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For more information, contact: Sen. Rob Standridge at 405-521-5535 or email Rob.Standridge@oksenate.gov