I am deeply concerned about House Bill 1193, which would prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion programs in public schools and universities.
A codified initiative that threatens academic programs that “promote divisive concepts” would be preposterous and antithetical to a liberal arts education where critical thought is essential to learning. It would tarnish the brave work of civil-rights leaders from this state like Medgar Evers, Ida B. Wells, James Meredith, William Winter, Chancellor Robert Khayat and others, taking away training programs that are essential to furthering the work of acknowledging the racial history of our state schools. Recruitment efforts at Mississippi institutes of higher learning would suffer as potential students and parents see that the state has attempted to erase decades of social progress. And the people who would be most affected are marginalized groups in Mississippi.
As a teacher and parent, I am specifically concerned about how this will affect marginalized students in our public schools. Mississippi is made up of beautiful citizens of all backgrounds, educational levels, races, religions, sexual orientations and gender identities.
As the person who started the first gay-straight alliance (GSA) at Tupelo High School over a decade ago, I’ve witnessed firsthand that our queer youth are some of the most vulnerable children in our state. Mandating that schools teach the “scientific policy that there are 2 genders” is scientifically inaccurate, first of all, and also doubly cruel to our students whose gender identity lies on a spectrum.
If H.B. 1193 passes and becomes law, will our Black students, queer students, Muslim students, Hispanic students and students with disabilities feel safe to go to school in a state that wants to erase their histories and existence? Will their existence call into question some complaint from a community member who doesn’t want their child going to school with a student that is different from them and use the law to punish the school and potentially that student or their families? What kind of society are we that our leadership wants to remove programs and learning opportunities that simply promote diverse perspectives, strive to provide equitable opportunities for all and work to include everyone? It pains me deeply to think about.
Many of us in the community are terrified about what this bill and potential law could look like for our public schools and for our students. Marginalized students are already socially othered through sexism, racism, transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia, ableism and more.
They are already at risk simply for existing, and now we want to codify policies that could lead to removing their histories and most pressing issues from their education because their very selves, their very existence is “too divisive”?
If this bill is made into law, it will have devastating financial consequences for our public schools and universities and could put our most vulnerable at risk. This bill will most certainly lead to more fear, harassment and discrimination against our children as well as chaos and uncertainty among our state’s educators.
Please, if you’re a parent, an educator or a constituent, please fight for our most vulnerable students. Their lives and stories are deserving of study and celebration. Their lives and stories are a necessary part of the fabric of Mississippi.
This MFP Voices opinion essay does not necessarily represent the views of the Mississippi Free Press, its staff or board members. To submit an opinion for the MFP Voices section, send up to 1,200 words and sources fact-checking the included information to voices@mississippifreepress.org. We welcome a wide variety of viewpoints.
