Bill threatens to withhold state funds based on ‘complaints’ that anyone could lodge
By Michael Goldberg
Mississippi Today
Mississippi House Republican lawmakers advanced a bill that would shutter DEI programs in all of the state’s public schools, ban certain concepts from being taught in classrooms and dictate how schools define gender.
The sweeping legislation would impact all public schools from the K-12 to community colleges and universities. It threatens to withhold state funds based on “complaints” that anyone could lodge. It would empower people to sue schools accused of violating the law.
And it drew impassioned opposition from House Democrats, almost all of whom are Black, in the state with the nation’s highest percentage of Black residents.
“House Bill 1193 is not just another piece of legislation,” said Rep. Jeffery Harness, D-Fayette. “It is a direct attack on the hard-fought battles that African Americans, other minorities, women and marginalized communities have waged for centuries. It is a cowardly attempt to sanitize history, to pretend that racism no longer exists, and to maintain the status quo of privilege of those who have always held power in this country.”
The state House approved House Bill 1193, sponsored by Rep. Joey Hood, R-Ackerman, in a 74-41 vote. The bill would eliminate diversity training programs that increase awareness or understanding of issues related to “race, sex, color, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or national origin.” It also bans school officials from asking job applicants to submit diversity statements on such issues in the hiring process.
Hood said his proposal is necessary for ensuring employment decisions and student activities are based solely on individual merit without consideration of one’s views on DEI. He also said the bill targets programs and academic concepts that many people find objectionable and that no one group would be singled out.
The legislation goes further than regulating hiring and training procedures in educational settings. It also meddles with classroom instruction, barring universities from offering courses that promote “divisive concepts,” including “transgender ideology, gender-neutral pronouns, heteronormativity, gender theory, sexual privilege or any related formulation of these concepts.”
Schools would not be able to “promote” the ideas above, but the proposed law does direct them to promote a definition of gender.
The bill was updated in committee to add a provision that forces all public schools to teach and promote that there are two genders.
If the legislation were to become law, any public school or state-accredited nonpublic school that receives more than two complaints alleging a violation could lose state money.
Hood said there are already federal laws in place that protect minorities from discrimination.
Democrats said the bill could dissuade student-athletes from attending universities in Mississippi and chill freedom of speech. They also said the bill wouldn’t eliminate favoritism in college admissions and hiring.
Democratic Rep. Omeria Scott introduced an amendment banning “legacy admissions” — the practice of favoring applicants with family ties or connections to alumni. That amendment was defeated.
Rep. Willie Bailey, D-Greenville, argued against the bill, saying, “The Bible could not be taught under this bill — it talks about diversity, it talks about equity, it talks about inclusion.”
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration, which is expected to take up a proposal of its own restricting DEI.
Mississippi Today
Mississippi House Republican lawmakers advanced a bill that would shutter DEI programs in all of the state’s public schools, ban certain concepts from being taught in classrooms and dictate how schools define gender.
The sweeping legislation would impact all public schools from the K-12 to community colleges and universities. It threatens to withhold state funds based on “complaints” that anyone could lodge. It would empower people to sue schools accused of violating the law.
And it drew impassioned opposition from House Democrats, almost all of whom are Black, in the state with the nation’s highest percentage of Black residents.
“House Bill 1193 is not just another piece of legislation,” said Rep. Jeffery Harness, D-Fayette. “It is a direct attack on the hard-fought battles that African Americans, other minorities, women and marginalized communities have waged for centuries. It is a cowardly attempt to sanitize history, to pretend that racism no longer exists, and to maintain the status quo of privilege of those who have always held power in this country.”
The state House approved House Bill 1193, sponsored by Rep. Joey Hood, R-Ackerman, in a 74-41 vote. The bill would eliminate diversity training programs that increase awareness or understanding of issues related to “race, sex, color, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or national origin.” It also bans school officials from asking job applicants to submit diversity statements on such issues in the hiring process.
Hood said his proposal is necessary for ensuring employment decisions and student activities are based solely on individual merit without consideration of one’s views on DEI. He also said the bill targets programs and academic concepts that many people find objectionable and that no one group would be singled out.
The legislation goes further than regulating hiring and training procedures in educational settings. It also meddles with classroom instruction, barring universities from offering courses that promote “divisive concepts,” including “transgender ideology, gender-neutral pronouns, heteronormativity, gender theory, sexual privilege or any related formulation of these concepts.”
Schools would not be able to “promote” the ideas above, but the proposed law does direct them to promote a definition of gender.
The bill was updated in committee to add a provision that forces all public schools to teach and promote that there are two genders.
If the legislation were to become law, any public school or state-accredited nonpublic school that receives more than two complaints alleging a violation could lose state money.
Hood said there are already federal laws in place that protect minorities from discrimination.
Democrats said the bill could dissuade student-athletes from attending universities in Mississippi and chill freedom of speech. They also said the bill wouldn’t eliminate favoritism in college admissions and hiring.
Democratic Rep. Omeria Scott introduced an amendment banning “legacy admissions” — the practice of favoring applicants with family ties or connections to alumni. That amendment was defeated.
Rep. Willie Bailey, D-Greenville, argued against the bill, saying, “The Bible could not be taught under this bill — it talks about diversity, it talks about equity, it talks about inclusion.”
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration, which is expected to take up a proposal of its own restricting DEI.
