JACKSON, Miss.—A Black state legislator from Jackson asked the white legislator from Ackerman if he had introduced his sweeping anti-DEI in education legislation to follow President Donald Trump’s priorities to abolish what is now broadly defined as “DEI” across government and industries in the U.S.
“This is just an issue that we are moving forward,” sponsor Rep. Joey Hood, an Ackerman Republican, told Rep. Bo Brown, a Jackson Democrat, of his House Bill 1193 on Feb. 5. “That could be your opinion, but I don’t think it has any respect right now. I think there’s a lot of members of this body that want to see this passed. I think their constituents have reached out to them, and I’m sure your constituents have reached out to you.”
Hood’s sweeping bill would prohibit Mississippi public schools, state-accredited nonpublic schools and state-supported institutions of higher learning from creating, teaching or promoting diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Nor would they be able to require diversity statements or training in hiring, admission and employment processes under a bill the Mississippi House passed the same day Brown asked him about Trump influence.
H.B. 1193 says that public schools cannot teach “divisive concepts” that say a “race, color, ethnicity, sex, gender, identity, sexual orientation, religion or national origin” is superior to another, a demographic is inherently oppressive, a person should discriminate against another person based on demographics, or members of a demographic group should treat members of another group with disrespect. It says schools should not teach concepts that a person’s moral character is determined by their “race, color, ethnicity, sex, gender, identity, sexual orientation, religion or national origin”, a person should not feel “discomfort, guilt, anguish” or “psychological distress” because of their demographic or that traits like “hard work ethic” are racist, sexist or oppressive.
In addition, public schools should not “maintain any programs, including academic programs or courses, or offices that promote or endorse divisive concepts or concepts promoting transgender ideology, gender-neutral pronouns, heteronormativity, gender theory, sexual privilege or any related formulation of these concepts.”
If successful, H.B. 1193 would require public schools to teach students that there are only two genders, male and female, as indicated by chromosomes and sex at birth. The legislation would not prevent a student from writing a paper about transgender or gender nonconforming people, but it would prevent schools from teaching a curriculum that acknowledges trans and nonbinary people, Hood said when introducing H.B. 1193 on the House floor on Feb. 5.
‘DEI’ Not Defined in Bill
“Diversity, equity and inclusion,” which has a specific definition, are not defined in the bill. Hood said that while the bill does not define DEI, it provides other definitions that encompass what DEI is. Rep. John Faulkner, D-Holly Springs, asked what DEI had been used for historically. Hood demurred, saying he was speaking on the floor to discuss the bill, not the history of DEI.
“The intent of this bill is to stop something that was put in place to stop the practices in the beginning from the start,” Faulkner told Hood on the House floor on Feb. 5. “Discrimination was happening all over this country; DEI was put in place to stop that and ensure there’s a level playing field. But you’re saying in this bill that you want to erase that and stop that, and it’s going to make it better. I mean, I just don’t understand that.”
Hood said he disagrees with Faulkner’s “characterization of the bill” and said H.B. 1193 addresses schools teaching “divisive concepts.”
Several Democrats separately asked Hood questions about his proposed legislation for over an hour. One question came up several times: Would schools still be able to teach about Black history and international cultures outside of white Americans? Hood said schools could still teach about other cultures while following the guidelines of H.B. 1193.
“We’re going in the right direction in the state, and I don’t see us going backwards,” Rep. Jeffrey Hulum, D-Gulfport, told Hood on the House floor on Feb. 5. “But I understand the nature and the concept and the scope in which we live in right now, but we’ve got so much we’re fighting for, so many tractions and gains we’ve made in this state from changing the flag to having a diverse, unified body. We can agree to disagree, but I think we are better and got more pressing legislation than this right now, even that you’ve put out to make our court systems safe, make our people safe.”
Complaint Process for Violators of House Bill 1193
H.B. 1193 does not prohibit schools from collecting or reporting demographic data. Schools must provide a report to the House, its speaker and the lieutenant governor by July of each year showing the schools’ compliance with H.B. 1193, the bill says.
If parents or students believe a school is violating H.B. 1193, they can make a complaint. The state would withhold applicable state grants from a school after it receives two complaints, the legislation indicates. Hood did not clarify what the complaint would look like or what information would need to be in the complaint after several Democrats asked him for more detail.
“There is an action that a school can lose their grant money for, and you don’t even tell them what the action is,” Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Natchez, said, asking Hood to define “complaint” since the word is not defined in the bill.
Hood did not provide the requested definition, but said he would consider it as the legislation moved forward. “Gentleman, I’m going to agree to disagree with you,” Hood replied to Johnson. “You know this bill is going to keep working itself through the process as it goes through this side of the body and the next side of the body and back and forth through conference and anything that you bring up to me at this day, I promise you I will look at it and consider it further.”
“All right, we’ll agree to work on the definition of ‘complaint.’ Can we do that?” Johnson asked.
“Gentleman, you are the learned attorney. I sat in front of you for about eight years back there. I’ve got an awful amount of respect for you. If you’ll sit down with me, I’m willing to consider any viewpoint,” Hood replied.
Rep. Tracey Rosebud, D-Tutwiler, asked if H.B. 1193 would allow job applications for public schools to ask demographic questions, like race, sex and disability status. Hood said job applications could still ask those questions because the proposed legislation addresses public schools not requiring diversity statements and programs.
Rep. Jeffery Harness, D-Fayette, asked Hood if H.B. 1193 restricts free speech. Hood said no.
“We’re not going to restrict anyone’s freedom of speech because that’s guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America,” Hood said. “There’s also an exception with this bill with regard to any violations of free speech. That’s not what it’s about. What it’s about is these institutions that are requiring these kinds of divisive concepts as part of an admissions process or being part of that school. Basically we’re outlining what the divisive concepts are. We’re not going to mistreat anybody on the basis of race, sex, color, gender—any of those things that I outlined. So students are free to do what students want to do.”
Comments are closed.