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The North Carolina Senate on Wednesday passed a bill expanding restrictions for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts on college campuses.
And over in the House, voting on a separate bill banning DEI within state and local government was delayed for the second time this week.
The Republican-led Senate Bill 558 defines a range of “divisive concepts” and “discriminatory practices” that campuses are banned from endorsing or affirming. That includes treating a person differently “solely to advantage or disadvantage that individual.”
The UNC System last year repealed their DEI policy, replacing it with a statement of “principled neutrality.” And the Trump administration issued an executive order earlier this year banning DEI efforts on campuses nationally.
The UNC System board, as well as community colleges’ governing body, would be required to adopt new policies to comply with the bill.
“(DEI programming and practices) distracted our system of public higher education from their key goals and what they should be focused on,” said Sen. Brad Overcash (R-Gaston), one of the bill’s sponsors.
Overcash read a passage from “So You Want To Talk About Race,” the 2018 Ijeoma Oluo book, to demonstrate what he viewed as “divisive concepts” in question.
Democratic opponents said that the bill was vague, could have unintended impacts for programs like scholarships for rural students, and would have a chilling effect.
“We are opening Pandora’s box,” said Sen. Natalie Murdock (D-Chatham), who argued that any talk of “divisive concepts” should focus on the history of discrimination and racism against students of color at universities.
Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) told reporters Wednesday that if “unintended” programs like rural scholarships ended up being impacted by the bill, he would move to “take action” and fix it.
Across the building Wednesday, House Republicans again punted a vote on a bill to ban DEI efforts across state and local governments. It was originally scheduled for debate Tuesday.
House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) said the bill’s lead sponsor, Rep. Brenden Jones (R-Columbus), was absent. A group in the gallery came to protest the bill, including state Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton, for the second straight day.
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