Alabama lawmakers recently pushed through legislation that restricts learning institutions and other public entities from having diversity and inclusion programs.
On Thursday, state senators approved an anti-DEI bill on a 26-7 vote after hours of unsuccessful attempts to change aspects of the law. The bill will now be moving along to the House of Representatives.
Proposed by state Republicans, the bill targets the DEI programs, labeling them as discriminatory because they “promote left-wing ideology.”
By listing race, religion, sex and ethnicity as “divisive concepts,” Republicans are preventing schools from funding programs that are based around these “divisive concepts,” barring “any training, orientation, or course work that advocates for or requires assent to a divisive concept.”
In a social media post, the mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, reacted to the latest news.
According to Randall Woodfin, if lawmakers pushed through the bill that bans diversity, equity and inclusion programs, parents of Black student-athletes shouldn’t send their children to Alabama higher learning institutions.
“To the parents of minority athletes who are helping their children decide if they want to play sports at those institutions: Would you be cool with your child playing at schools where diversity among staff is actively being discouraged?,” wrote Woodfin. “Although I’m the biggest Bama fan, I have no problem organizing Black parents and athletes to attend other institutions outside of the state where diversity and inclusion are prioritized.”
The latest news of the Alabama Senate’s approval comes amidst a rise in efforts to pass anti-DEI laws.
Per the National Education Association, since 2023, at least 73 anti-DEI bills have been proposed by legislators in 26 states. The states include Arizona, Kentucky, Florida, South Carolina, Iowa and Nebraska.
Overall, only approximately 25 of these proposals have been passed on, with eight being signed into law. Still, currently, 24 states are listening to arguments and weighing anti-DEI bills.
The latest state to pass anti-DEI legislation was Utah. Late last month, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed into law a bill that would ban institutions, such as public colleges, and government employers from taking part in DEI programs, labeling them as “discriminatory practices.”
The latest law also prohibits universities and government offices from having employees submit statements in support of DEI initiatives.
In response, a number of Democrats have introduced bills to maintain DEI initiatives. Per NPR, at least 20 bills have been proposed including one that addresses and attempts to reverse Florida’s ban on DEI programs in higher education.
