On Wednesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a sweeping bill into law banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in public schools, universities, and state agencies. This is the latest move in a wave of Republican-led legislation that aims to restrict diversity efforts nationwide.
The governor signed the bill after the Republican-led state legislature gave final approval.
Ivey Approves DEI Programs Ban
The law, known as SB129, imposes restrictions around what it calls eight "divisive concepts," including discussions of whether "slavery and racism are aligned with the founding principles of the United States" and the assignment of "fault, blame or bias" to any race, religion, gender, or color.
State agencies are authorized to discipline or terminate employees or contractors who violate this act.
It also mandates that universities set aside facilities "for use based on biological sex," effectively prohibiting transgender people from accessing public restrooms that correspond with their gender identity.
The anti-DEI bill will be effective starting October 1.
Although Ivey pledged to halt bad actors on college campuses to push their liberal political movement counter to what most Alabamians believe, she stated that her administration would continue to value Alabama's rich diversity.
Democrats, civil rights activists, and student organizations fiercely opposed the law, claiming it was a blatant attempt to undermine efforts to promote diversity and free speech.
According to the free-speech advocacy group Pen America, the bill is similar to Florida's Stop Woke Act, which restricted the teaching of race and related topics in schools until it was overturned in court earlier this month. SB129 said it was "even more restrictive."
It further said that the end effect would be an intellectually hostile college climate and a state law so draconian that it would give Florida a run for its money.
Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin said he would advise Black athletes to consider enlisting in schools outside of the state.
"Why would you make it illegal for institutions of higher learning to promote diversity and inclusion among its faculty and staff? Why would you block fair representation and opportunities for all people?" he wrote in a Facebook post last month.
The ACLU of Alabama claimed on its website that SB129 is an anti-truth bill that shrinks an education on systemic injustices, racial violence, and the historic efforts to achieve civil rights and civil liberties for marginalized communities throughout the nation's history. The group said that SB129 planned to have a "chilling effect" on discussions about class, sexual orientation, national origin, and race.
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Alabama Students Rally Against Anti-DEI Bill
On Wednesday, dozens of college students protested outside the Alabama State House, urging lawmakers to stop a measure prohibiting diversity and inclusion initiatives on university campuses.
"They want to bring back Jim Crow," organizer Sean Atchison, a University of Alabama senior, said at a rally outside the building on Wednesday afternoon. He said they were determined to return them in the 60s and would not stand for it.
Over 5,400 people had signed a petition created by University of Alabama at Birmingham students opposing SB129 as of Wednesday night. At UA, the student government approved a resolution rejecting the bill following a demonstration by over 200 students in favor of the school's DEI initiatives.
Furthermore, over a hundred students from various colleges around the state came to the state capitol on Wednesday to inform lawmakers about how diversity programs have enhanced their time on campus, made them more equipped for the workplace, and, at some point, even saved their lives.
