diversity

An Equality Texas study shows many LGBTQ+ students have considered leaving their schools — and the state entirely —since Senate Bill 17 went into effect last year.

In Texas, more than 45% of teachers are people of color, according to a new dashboard released Tuesday by the National Council on Teacher Quality, compared to nearly 74% of students. And the gap could worsen if fewer people of color pursue careers in education.

The Legislature banned diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public colleges and universities but the prohibition was not supposed to affect academics. Now, Republicans are suggesting DEI-related content in classrooms is hindering efforts to prepare students for the workforce.

Texas senators are getting an update on the steps public universities and colleges are taking to comply with a new state law banning diversity, equity and inclusion offices and programs on their campuses. Lawmakers will also hear testimony on free speech in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests.

Only about a quarter of teachers in Texas are men, and the number of those who are Black or Latino is even smaller.

Similar debates on hot-button social issues — from gender-affirming care to drag performances to DEI programs — are playing out in statehouses nationwide.

The University of North Texas is among the last systems in the state to make such a statement, which was prompted by Gov. Greg Abbott’s Feb. 6 memo to state agencies warning that diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are illegal in hiring.

The system leaders’ decision comes weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to stop considering diversity in their hiring practices. Texas A&M University also recently changed its hiring practices.

Dallas County commissioners approved a tax abatement for Nike, the athletic apparel powerhouse, for a distribution center in the southern part of the county. The vote came despite concerns over the diversity of the company’s top leadership.

A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office finds that public schools remain highly segregated along racial, ethnic and socioeconomic lines. One reason: school district secession.

The Biden administration has made a handful of changes to the White House website, from adding gender-inclusive pronouns to its contact form to restarting Spanish-language communications.

Justice Department whistleblowers are calling on federal watchdogs and members of Congress to investigate what they call illegal and abusive government directives that chill diversity speech.