The article discusses the challenges facing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education, particularly under pressure from the government. It emphasizes the distinction between discomfort stemming from personal experiences, such as a left-handed student's writing challenges, versus structural invisibility in curriculum that erases minority identities. Harvard's resistance to dismantling its DEI programs and succumbing to federal pressure is highlighted as a crucial stance against equating discomfort with discrimination, reinforcing the necessity of DEI efforts to address systemic inequities in education.
Higher education is now facing a similar test of discernment. In recent weeks, the American Bar Association, under pressure from the Trump administration, suspended its DEI accreditation requirement for law schools.
Harvard's decision to reject the federal ultimatumâeven at the cost of more than $2 billion in research fundingâoffers a rare but vital example of institutional clarity.
Collection
[
|
...
]