Soap Box Saturday: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

 

Kathleen McElroy’s appointment as journalism director was celebrated at first. Credit...Meredith Seaver/Bryan-College Station Eagle

The New York Times today had an opinion piece about Kathleen McElroy. She was the director of the school of journalism at the University of Texas.

She was hired to take over the same position at Texas A&M. McElroy is a graduate of A&M in 1981, she was a supporter of the university and helped found and fund "The Battalion" the campus newspaper. She has decades of journalism experience and worked on the New York Times She also worked on the 1619 Project. 

It would seem she'd be the perfect candidate to revive a school of journalism that is not granting degrees at this time. 

There's another alumni group at A&M "The Rudder Group," that opposed her joining the staff. Seems she would promote diversity, equity and inclusion. They had help in their complaint as Texas governor Greg Abbot at about the same time signed a law that diversity, equity and inclusion cannot be taught at state public universities.

Seems to me the good Christian governor of Texas just outlawed Christ's Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you."

When asked about the charges she is quoted as saying, "Diversity, equity and inclusion, have been a small part of my journalism and academic career."

The school changed her contract from five years to one and offered her a non-tenured position. She chose to go back to her tenured position at UT, but they've replaced her directorship. I would not be surprised that all hell will break out an UT as well. 

The Declaration of Independence. It states quite plainly the "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men (that means everyone) are created equal and are endowed with certain inalienable rights and among these are the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." 

Isn't equity the same thing as equality? The definition of equity is: The quality of being fair and impartial. Oh, Golly Gee, isn't that what we want referees and umpires to be? Don't we want our judicial system to be fair and impartial? Don't we as parents with students in the public schools to expect the district, administration and teachers to be fair and impartial? But you can't teach it! Hogwash!

Why is teaching students that they are all equal in the classroom and they will be treated fairly and impartially regardless of their differences not allowed? D.E.I. should be mandatory in all educational settings in the United States regardless of public or private schools.

Everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty is the basis of Due Process of Law, mentioned numerous times in the amendments to the Constitution. Due Process has as its basis D.E.I.

Red state legislatures and governors that are banning the teaching of D.E.I are trying to erase the foundation of this country and our rule of law and using our children as guinea pigs to do it.

Here is the real witch hunt. I'm a retired teacher and I shudder for all my fellow public-school teachers across this country for being in the crosshairs of wannabe Cotton Mathers wanting to hang them for doing their jobs.