Congressman Takes Action Against College DEI Regimes

Clear Facts

• Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) is introducing a bill to prevent colleges from receiving federal funding if they force students or employees to pledge allegiance to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) statements.
• The bill aims to protect constitutional principles and prevent federal funding from being used to contradict the foundations of republican government.
• The proposed legislation targets two anti-constitutional practices: disparate treatment based on ethnicity or creed, and compelled speech.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) is taking a bold step to counteract the overbearing aspects of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) ideologies on college campuses. He’s proposing a bill that would deny federal funding to post-secondary institutions that force students or employees to pledge allegiance to DEI statements. This move is not only commendable but also carefully crafted to avoid the potential pitfalls of using federal funding as a tool for ideological manipulation.

The Left has a notorious track record of ensnaring institutions, educational and otherwise, by making them dependent on federal funds. Once these institutions are hooked, they are then coerced into compliance with unwarranted intrusions. A handful of colleges, such as Hillsdale in Michigan, have managed to evade this ideological blackmail by refusing any federal funds.

Unfortunately, for the majority of higher education institutions, such resistance is unfeasible. Federal funding is so intertwined with student aid, research grants, and other incentives that institutions could crumble without it. Advocates of limited government must thwart attempts to turn the federal government into a sort of drug dealer, getting schools addicted and then keeping them like dependent junkies.

Crenshaw’s bill sidesteps this overreach. It asserts that the government has the right to demand public universities adhere to, and private universities respect the spirit of, basic constitutional principles. If taxpayers are footing the bill, their representatives have a duty to ensure that the money isn’t used to undermine the fundamental tenets of republican government.

Crenshaw’s bill is well-targeted on three different levels. Firstly, it takes aim at the Left’s DEI establishments, which are divisive and insist that substance and merit take a back seat to group “identity.” These regimes categorize people as either “oppressors” or “oppressed,” glorifying supposed victimhood while excusing low standards. They hinder the development of civic virtue.

However, the government should be cautious in imposing civic virtue. The Left could just as easily use federal funding for all sorts of outrages. What sets Crenshaw’s bill apart is that it aims to prohibit practices offensive to the Constitution itself. The government has every right to tie its funding to the pursuit of constitutional ends.

Crenshaw’s bill passes this test. It permits academic research, private advocacy, and voluntary adherence to DEI principles. However, it uses federal funding to prohibit two practices that are blatantly anti-constitutional in design and practice.

One such practice is disparate treatment based on ethnicity or creed. The other is compelled speech. The former contradicts the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, while the latter infringes on the First Amendment.

The Supreme Court has clarified that the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause does not permit any distinctions of law based on race or color. Crenshaw’s bill upholds this constitutional principle by stating that colleges may not require a statement from its students and workers that promotes differential treatment based on race, color, or ethnicity.

Similarly, the First Amendment not only protects against the restriction of nonthreatening speech but also prohibits rules that dictate specific speech content. The late Justice Robert Jackson wrote, and it has been repeatedly affirmed, that no official can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess their faith therein.

Crenshaw’s bill compels colleges to respect this principle. It is a further credit to the bill that the compelled speech it prohibits is so contrary to American tradition — and to basic human decency.

Clear Thoughts (op-ed)

Rep. Dan Crenshaw’s bill to deny federal funding to colleges forcing DEI pledges is a commendable step toward preserving the integrity of our republican government.

The Left, with its record of using federal funds for ideological coercion, has made many institutions vulnerable to unwarranted intrusions.

Crenshaw’s bill is a well-aimed counterstrike. It rightfully asserts that if public funds are used, the government has a duty to ensure these funds do not undermine our constitutional principles.

Moreover, the bill targets the divisive DEI establishments that prioritize identity over merit, and prohibits practices that are anti-constitutional: disparate treatment based on ethnicity or creed, and compelled speech.

Crenshaw’s bill is a testament to the importance of guarding our constitutional principles against ideological manipulation.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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