I saw that too and my jaw dropped. I know this isn’t a unique take, but working at a large, high-needs urban district has made me super cynical, and I had a feeling (so have my previous colleagues) that one deeper goal of the “DEI” nonsense was ultimately a way to attack financial support for those this regime doesn’t want to have access to higher education. Because when they put it in writing, they state things like “schools cannot treat students differently based on identity,” which ultimately would lead to the inability to provide any specialized funding. Because they don’t just say, “LGBTQ+” or “disabled” or “immigrant,” they just say based on identity. That could be low-SES, POC, gender, sexual orientation, disability, immigrant, you name it. And when we can’t provide equitable access based on identity, those with access will be those that align with the accepted identity.
They represented DEI as only representing trans/NB/LGBTQ/POC because they are counting on their base and the public in general to say, “well those lost protections only affect a few people.” (Generalizing here, but they certainly won’t tell people up front that no identity, now, can be equitably supported.) I am proud of the schools that have taken a stand and still have DEI commitments up. Because as schools have already found out, the goal posts will keep moving until suddenly, we have irreversibly ruined education in this country.
No federal student loans? Now private loans are not only exorbitantly expensive, but they also require credit checks that - surprise, surprise - will make attendance impossible for those of lower-SES. I struggled through college at Penn State, because I did not have a parent with good credit who could cosign for me. Despite working 20+ hours a week, maintaining a 4.0, and applying and receiving many scholarships, I nearly dropped out every year over anywhere from $2k-$4k. Every summer I’d run around with a pit in my stomach, unsure if I’d actually get to finish that degree.
It’s not about merit. It never was.
It’s easy to pretend that you’re just attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, when really you’re unseating an entire system’s way to make that happen, including scholarships, disabled protections, etc. The end goal is to make it absolutely impossible for anyone deemed undesirable to access education and ultimately power. Scholarships and loans are at the heart of it, and I’m afraid to see this nightmare playing out as it has.
(true story - one of my last Sunday shifts before I left for the zoo internship). If I am drawing blood, cleaning kennels, etc, the big stuff isn't getting done.
