State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) and colleagues vowed to cut funding for public universities over accusations of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) “programming” in a letter to every public university in the state.
Senate Bill 17, filed by Creighton in 2023, banned DEI in public universities. State senators also passed Senate Bill 12 (SB12) in February, extending the ban to public K-12 schools.
The Texas House should vote down SB12.
Public universities rely on state funding to keep tuition affordable, conduct research and provide essential services to students. Holding that money hostage puts education and opportunities at risk.
“Levels of state funding for higher education influence tuition prices, enrollment, and student outcomes,” the Bipartisan Research Center said in a 2024 study. “These studies generally show that reductions in state appropriations for higher education tend to lead to both higher costs for students and lower expenditures on instruction and student support services, though with substantial variation across institutions.”
SB12 also puts helpful student organizations at risk. Clubs “based on sexual orientation or gender identity” would be banned. However, studies show that students in schools with Gay-Straight Alliances “report better school functioning, lower substance use, and better mental health.” These benefits go away if SB12 passes.
Moreover, allegations of DEI lack credibility. In both his letter and speeches on the Senate floor, Creighton failed to give definitive proof of DEI “infiltrating our schools.” The letter writes that he and his colleagues have “found this to be the case in numerous instances” but leaves it at that. In court, claims lacking evidence are dismissed; the same should go for state law.
Supporters of SB12 say that DEI is discrimination. Julie Pickren, a member of the State Board of Education, said that such programs “may appear well intentioned,” but should still ultimately be eliminated.
“DEI fosters a culture of entitlement and disappointments that will steal the American dream from kids,” Pickren said. “Every minute that we spend on ‘woke’ DEI indoctrination is a minute that we are not teaching a child how to read or how to do math.”
This misunderstands DEI. It doesn’t promote discrimination against or indoctrinate kids. Its purpose is helping schools address implicit biases that cause disadvantages for some students.
Racial quotas are illegal. Refusing to hire someone because of their race or sex is illegal. DEI is further protection for these rights. It means making sure actions and institutions are actually impartial, rather than favoring one group over another.
Overall, while it should make sure that all students are receiving fair opportunities, the House should fail SB12. Shocker, but the “ban diversity, equity and inclusion” bill will harm some students more than others.
