The State
University
of
New York
is requiring all new students to take a course focused on
diversity and inclusion
to graduate, the latest step in an apparent war between education and culture.
The course, called “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice,” will be required of all freshmen throughout the 64-campus college system beginning in fall 2023.
Members of SUNY’s board of trustees voted on including the course as part of its general education guidelines in November 2021,
per
Campus Reform. It was sent out to presidents of the universities in December of that year.
Each institution can tailor the course and expand on the definitions to “include additional aspects of diversity” but must focus on the societal and historical factors of identity, such as race, class, and gender, per the
guidelines
.
NYC SAYS CITY EMPLOYEES TOOK DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, NOT CRITICAL RACE THEORY, TRAINING
The class would also study the “creation and perpetuation of the dynamics of power, privilege, oppression, and opportunity” in the United States.
However, some professors are not as accepting of the guidelines.
“This is nuts,” Nicholas Giordano, a political science professor at SUNY’s Suffolk Community College, said in an interview with the New York Post. “SUNY is one of the best university systems in the country. Why are they doing this?”
“DEISJ is a cultural movement, not based on academics,” Giordano continued. “Unfortunately, SUNY responded to the mob.”
Several other colleges across the country — Drake University, Brandeis University, Villanova University, and the University of California system — have created similar courses, per the New York Post.
Jerry Kassar, chairman of the New York State Conservative Party, compared the course to critical race theory. Critical race theory has been used as a catch-all
term
for lessons and policies that encourage children to see themselves and others, as well as the history of America,
through the lens of systemic racism
.
“This is a woke, left-wing agenda,” Kassar told the New York Post. “It’s disturbing. It’s dangerous. They’re treating everybody as having prejudice. It’s like a socialist, communist state. It’s unbelievable. These ideas are best addressed at home.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
New York is the latest state to focus on diversity and inclusion in education. In Florida, activists and some educators are against moves by the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) to
block AP African American Studies in the high school curriculum
, arguing that it “lacks educational value” as the framework is currently written. The new framework for the course came out on Wednesday.
New York City came under scrutiny after multiple reports stated that all city employees were forced to take “critical race theory-inspired” training. However, a city spokesperson clarified the city has required employees to complete diversity and inclusion training for years that is unrelated to the hot-button topic.
