TX Governor Greg Abbott Tells State Agencies and Public Universities to Stop Considering Diversity in Hiring
“The innocuous sounding notion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has been manipulated to push policies that expressly favor some demographic groups to the detriment of others”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has advised state agencies and public universities to stop considering diversity in hiring practices.
Abbott said that these policies violate federal and state hiring laws.
The Texas Tribune reports:
Gov. Greg Abbott tells state agencies to stop considering diversity in hiring
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office is warning state agency and public university leaders this week that the use of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives — policies that support groups who have been historically underrepresented or discriminated against — is illegal in hiring.
In a memo written Monday and obtained by The Texas Tribune, Abbott’s chief of staff Gardner Pate told agency leaders that using DEI policies violates federal and state employment laws, and hiring cannot be based on factors “other than merit.”
Pate said DEI initiatives illegally discriminate against certain demographic groups — though he did not specify which ones he was talking about.
“The innocuous sounding notion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has been manipulated to push policies that expressly favor some demographic groups to the detriment of others,” Pate wrote.
The Daily Caller has more on this:
DEI initiatives “proactively encourage discrimination in the workplace” and use of diversity statements or commitment to DEI “as a condition of employment” discriminates against applicants, Pate wrote in the memo.
“As the head of your agency, you have a duty to follow the law,” Pate wrote. “When a state agency adjusts its employment practices based on factors other than merit, it is not following the law.”
“Rebranding” hiring procedures as “DEI does not make the practice any less illegal,” Pate wrote. He also warned university leaders that it is also unlawful to use “taxpayer dollars to fund offices, departments, or employee positions dedicated to promoting forbidden DEI initiatives.”
BREAKING: Texas Gov. Abbott's chief of staff sent a letter to all state universities warning that their DEI programs violate civil rights law.
The fight against left-wing racialist ideology has just begun—and we will not stop until colorblind equality is the law of the land. pic.twitter.com/SXe4JPw9IG
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) February 8, 2023
The Republican Governors Association should recommend this policy position to GOP governors nationwide.
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Comments
Sorry, but this is a nothingburger. Greg Abbott has been AWOL on DEI / CRT in Texas higher education for years.
Has he appointed any regents that have the stones to stand up against illegal conduct by universities, or with a mandate to root out DEI? Nope.
Now that he acknowledges that DEI practices by Texas state universities are, indeed illegal (in other news, water is wet), is he going to hold accountable those state employees who have been violating the law — often quite openly, and for years? Don’t hold your breath. They might say mean things about him, and he can’t have that.
Lawsuits have been filed against UT, TAMU, NTSU, and other state schools for illegal DEI policies. Is Abbott going to order those universities to comply with the law? Nope, he’s backing their defense AGAINST such lawsuits.
UT alumni / critics like Mark Pulliam, myself, and many others have been publicizing the “wokeness” being institutionalized at Texas universities as official policy for years, and pointing out its blatant illegality. The response from Greg Abbott’s handlers has uniformally been to shrug and say “nothing to see here.”
When Greg Abbott summons enough courage to do more than issue a “tut-tut” statement by his chief of staff (which was hastily issued in the wake of the bombshell article in the Wall Street Journal about DEI loyalty oaths being used at Texas Tech), ask me again. But having watched Abbott and Texas higher ed for years, expecting him to do anything substantive on this subject is akin to expecting to hear the truth from Joe Biden.
Bet he said it “strongly “
Geez…
The TX GoP leadership as a whole is not very aggressive. Neither Abbott nor the Speaker of the House, Dade Phelan, fully utilize the power of their offices to effect meaningful change. TX GoP voters deserve better as does the entire State.
“Not very aggressive”? That’s putting it mildly.
On DEI/CRT/“wokeness” in Texas state higher ed, they are complete cowards. Note that Abbott himself couldn’t even be bothered to issue the statement.
Deliberate understatement is my way of employing low key sarcasm. FWIW.
IMO, the GoP establishment in TX doesn’t want to rock the boat b/c they they don’t want to interrupt their grift or have people call them names and say mean things about them. Finding out how many legislators have ties to ED would be a good starting point to move the ball forward. The answer is many. Then confront those legislators and primary their ass if required.
Abbott has some real work to do. Here is part of the current ad for a position teaching Mechanical Engineering at the U of Texas:
“Interested applicants should submit the following: 1) a cover letter, 2) full curriculum vitae (C.V.), 3) 2-page statement describing past experience, philosophy and future plans for teaching, 4) 2-page statement describing past contributions and future plans for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion through teaching and service, and 5) a list of 3 references.”
The “statement describing . . . diversity, equity, and inclusion” is a forced political statement, and is unconstitutional. These “diversity” statements serve the purpose of eliminating any conservative applicants, and they have no relevance to the candidate’s abilities in mechanical engineering.
little late to the party, greg
He hasn’t even shown up yet. This is just his chief of staff saying he might be interested in attending. Maybe. But if history is any guide, Abbott and his handlers will find he has another engagement.
Example: two years ago, Abbott’s opponents in the GOP primary were pounding him for his inaction on CRT/DEI/“wokeness” in Texas higher ed. I sent his press officer some such statements and asked for official comment for an article I was writing. I got back an official statement saying the gov was concerned about the issue and would be adding it to the call of the upcoming special session he was ordering.
Only when the call for the special session was announced, the promised agenda item on CRT in higher ed was nowhere to be found. When I asked why he’d reneged . . . crickets.
Diversity, equity and inclusion amounts to placing poorly qualified people in jobs they are usually not competent for, in other words making them instant examples of the Peter Principle.
Bet the colleges are waiting for Abbot to get serious and say “Pretty please with sugar on top”.
What a limp-wrist letter with no down side.
These wokeatrons leave me confused.
“We’re so good at stuff, with so much surplus, we can decide who does what on some criteria other than “gets the job done” that makes somebody feel good, and things will still be fine. BTW, America sucks, and you are all terrible. U S A! U S A!”
Equity = forced & illegal racial discrimination against Whites & Asians
Everyone knows it, but democrats don’t seem to care.