Colleges using DEI requirements as 'political litmus tests,' to censor dissenting views: Education activist

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Education activist calls D.E.I. requirements at universities ‘political litmus tests’

FIRE executive director Robert Shibley reacts to news that some colleges, universities are tying diversity, equity and inclusivity requirements to hiring, tenure positions.

A new initiative in American universities is requiring compliance from faculty in the form of signed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) statement as conditions for tenure or promotion, but critics say the push is little more than a "political litmus test" being used to filter out dissenting viewpoints on college campuses.

As more colleges embrace the mandatory DEI push, parents and some faculty are pushing back, arguing that the DEI agenda actually challenges the diversity of viewpoints and opinions of students within the college environment. Critics say requiring new faculty members or existing ones seeking advancement to provide a statement demonstrating their support of DEI is a misguided effort that could be considered discrimination in itself.

"The problem with requirements like these is that they are all too often used as political litmus tests to make sure there are no dissenters on campus," Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Executive Director Robert Shibly told Fox News Wednesday in an interview on "America Reports."

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A new initiative in American universities is requiring compliance from faculty in the form of signed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) statement. (AP Images)

"It makes professors say things they don’t believe and make sure only people with ‘approved views’ are hired and promoted," he continued. "This isn’t nondiscrimination. This is going far beyond that, and actually requires discrimination based on potential faculty members and even current faculty members’ political beliefs."

Shibly said that while he believes there is "sincerity" behind the push, making DEI statements a mandatory requirement will fuel existing "cynicism" about the level of free speech afforded to students and faculty on college campuses. 

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"They think it will make the university a better place, but there is also I think more cynicism…on campus, there still are guarantees of free speech of academic freedom, people are guaranteed the right under the Constitution at public colleges to be able to speak their mind. We rely on professors to do that," he said.

Prospective college students take a tour of the University of Chicago campus. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

"But if you are able to on the way make sure that everybody sort of agrees on the same political principles you have a lot less opportunity for people to actually come out and do that disagreeing, and so if you really want a place where some people are excluded, this is kind of a back doorway of doing that."

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Critics take issue with the mandatory component of the DEI agenda, Shibly said, adding that the people he's spoken to support having the statements available to academic instructors who choose to sign it of their own volition.

"I think the only thing they can do to help is make sure they include everyone, and [accept] that people have different views on this," he said. "They need to have a broad enough brush that people can be different."