OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KOKH) — During a Monday press conference, State Sen. Adam Pugh (R-Edmond) highlighted legislation he authored to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts at public colleges and universities in Oklahoma.
“I also want higher [education] to remain a place where free speech is embraced and that we teach our young people how to be involved civically, how to engage with people who disagree. To that end, we are committed to ending DEI on our campuses in any form or fashion,” he explained.
In late 2023, Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-Okla.) signed an executive order nixing DEI at state universities and agencies.
Senate Bill 796 would codify such provisions related to higher education into law.
Sen. Pugh’s legislation would block public colleges and universities from developing programming that grants “preferential treatment based on one person’s particular race, color, ethnicity, or national origin over another’s.”
“I don’t think the interest in like banning DEI is misguided, I think it’s very intentional what they’re doing like there’s an active effort to push certain people out of our institutions,” argued University of Oklahoma student Blaire Smith.
She asserted that incidents like the infamous 2015 OU fraternity video showing students engaging in a racist chant highlight the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
“If you’re never having to, like, confront that or meet new people or, like, expand your own like perspective on cultural, like, diversity, it’s one, probably bad for your education and two, probably leads to those forms of exclusion and hate,” Smith added.
Sen. Pugh sees things differently.
“We’ve had a referendum in November on what people thought about DEI, and I think the people spoke very loudly,” he explained.
Republican politicians including President Donald Trump have DEI in their crosshairs.
Pugh’s legislation contains exceptions for supporting first-generation and low-income students, students with unique abilities, underserved populations, and veterans.
The proposal would also put an end to the mandated sharing of pronouns.
Sen. Pugh noted, “It is time to get that stuff off our college campuses and focus on giving people skillsets so that they can stay employed in the State of Oklahoma and help our state flourish.”
The bill also contains protections for academic freedom, scholarly research, student organization activities, and guest speakers and performances.
State lawmakers return to the capitol for the upcoming legislation on Feb. 3.
