Authored by Jonathan Turley,
Below is my column in The Hill on the recent victory of a California professor in challenging diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies on free speech grounds.
It is a rare win for dissenting faculty as DEI policies become more expansive and mandatory. Here is the column:
From academia to corporations to the government, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies have expanded exponentially in the last 10 years.
At colleges and universities, administrators now monitor compliance with DEI on every level, from teaching to hiring to promotions.
And there is little subtlety or nuance in these programs. You object to DEI statements, priorities and training at your own peril.
This week, federal magistrate Judge Christopher Baker issued a major 44-page report finding that Bakersfield College in California violated the First Amendment rights of Professor Daymon Johnson with its DEI mandates for faculty.
If upheld, the report could be the foundation for a major free speech ruling.
The Johnson case is important because it challenges the claim of universities that DEI policies are simply guidelines and suggested practices. At the same time,…
Read the full article here