Sen. Tyler Johnson (R-Leo) is the author of SB 235, which seeks to ban diversity, equity and inclusion in state agencies, educational institutions and any organization that receives money from the state.
(Brandon Smith)
Diversity, equity and inclusion — and a list of policies and beliefs tied to them — would be banned in state agencies, educational institutions and any organization that receives money from the state under a bill approved by a Senate committee Wednesday.
Under SB 235, DEI’s definition includes social justice, systemic oppression and antiracism. And it bans taking positions on those issues. It also limits training related to race, sex, color, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation. And it bans “influencing the composition” of employees related to race, sex, color or ethnicity.
Indiana University School of Medicine Professor Cindy Basinski said DEI is restricting free speech, particularly related to conservative views on abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.
“DEI has been bastardized in medical school to be a punishment tool against students who do not adhere to the ideology of administrators and educators,” Basinski said.
IU School of Medicine Professor Allon Friedman, who has long campaigned against DEI, said his free speech has been stifled because of such policies.
“DEI encourages a hostile mindset and grievance-based mentality that is not fit for an academic institution,” Friedman said.
Friedman also suggested the IU School of Medicine has lowered its academic standards for admittance to pursue DEI goals, though didn’t produce any evidence of that.
Jerell Blakeley said that’s a misunderstanding of DEI. Blakeley is the director of government, community, and racial and social justice for the Indiana State Teachers Association. He said this bill is part of a national attack on DEI that makes civil rights advocates scared.
“Because it’s demonizing a policy and set of practices that are created to address the historical injustices that we know exist in this country,” Blakeley said.
Chris Paulsen is the CEO of Indiana Youth Group, which helps LGBTQ+ youth across the state. She said state funding for their organization is at risk.
“I hope that you will consider working on this language to make it possible for organizations who receive state funding to continue to provide basic, life-saving services to some of our most neglected young people,” Paulsen said.
The bill, approved 8-2 along party lines, is headed to the Senate floor.
The Senate Judiciary Committee also approved SB 289, which would require schools to post online all training and curriculum materials that mention nondiscrimination, diversity, equity, inclusion, race, ethnicity, sex or bias.
Educators described the requirement as an excessive burden.
Sen. Gary Byrne (R-Byrneville), the bill’s author, was asked repeatedly for examples of a problem his legislation seeks to solve. He couldn’t provide any, repeatedly saying the bill is about “transparency and ending discrimination.”
