Abbott Takes Aim At DEI Policies At Public Universities & Agencies

Get our free mobile app

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is warning public Universities and state agencies not to considering DEI policies when hiring. A memo regarding the use of DEI policies went out Monday, the same day Texas Tech was the focus of a story regarding hiring policies and DEI.

According to the Texas Tribune, Abbott's Chief of Staff sent out the memo saying that use of such policies was illegal.

In a memo written Monday and obtained by The Texas Tribune, Abbott’s chief of staff Gardner Pate told agency leaders that using DEI policies violates federal and state employment laws, and hiring cannot be based on factors “other than merit.”

Pate said DEI initiatives illegally discriminate against certain demographic groups — though he did not specify which ones he was talking about.

“The innocuous sounding notion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has been manipulated to push policies that expressly favor some demographic groups to the detriment of others,” Pate wrote.

This is also an issue that the Texas Legislature could get into during the 88th Legislative session. State Representative Carl Tepper has filed legislation that would prohibit state funds going  toward “any office of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” or an office that "supports DEI goals".

This is also an issue that has gotten the attention of conservative lawmakers around the country including in Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has taken aim at DEI policies and offices in Florida.