A bill that would eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion courses (DEI) at state universities has advanced through multiple committees in the Arizona State Senate.
The legislation, S.B. 1694, was introduced by State Senator David Farnsworth; it passed the Senate Education Committee on Feb. 19 and the Senate Rules Committee on Feb. 24.
The proposal makes public universities “ineligible to receive state monies in any fiscal year in which the higher education institution offers one or more courses on diversity, equity and inclusion.”
A DEI course is defined by the bill as any course that relate to “critical theory, whiteness, systemic racism, institutional racism, anti-racism,” “gender identity,” or “social justice,” any course that opposes “racially neutral or colorblind laws,” or any course that promotes differential treatment based on race or asserts that a “student is biased on account of the student’s race or sex.”
The bill explicitly clarifies that it does not apply to courses that discuss “historical movements, ideologies or instances of racial hatred or race-based discrimination, including slavery, Indian removal, the Holocaust and Japanese-American internment.”
Farnsworth said that he introduced the bill to avoid division, according to the Arizona Capitol Times.
“I think we should love each other and respect each other, because we’re all creations of God,” Farnsworth explained. “Now, some of us are better than others about treating each other fairly, but I don’t think we should require teachers to be indoctrinated and divided by being taught that I’m a (white Anglo-Saxon Protestant) and you’re not, and I’m a bad guy, and I treat all women with disrespect.”
“We do not want to divide our culture,” the state senator added.
In a statement, a spokesperson for ASU told Campus Reform that the university is reviewing the U.S. Department of Education’s Feb. 14 nondiscrimination letter and intends to comply with all applicable law.
“Arizona State University is carefully reviewing all executive orders by President Trump as they are issued and as they are considered by the courts,” the spokesperson said. “In addition, we are reviewing the Dear Colleague letter dated February 14, 2025, issued by the U.S. Department of Education. ASU will comply with all applicable law.”
“ASU has been complying with Article 2, Section 36 of the Arizona State Constitution since the voters approved Proposition 107 in 2010,” the spokesperson continued. “This provision already prohibits ASU from giving preference on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in public employment, public education or public contracting.”
Campus Reform has also contacted the University of Arizona for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
This article was originally published at campusreform.org
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