Texas: A Hostile Work Environment

The Texas Legislature is in session and has wasted little time proposing several controversial bills that will affect our educational landscape. In particular, I am talking about SB-17, the so-called “antiDEI” bill, and SB-18, eliminating university tenure and academic freedom. SB-17 has the potential to alter, revise, or eliminate any services or instruction perceived as promoting “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) at our state colleges and universities. These bills are not law yet, and regardless of if they do or not, they project hostility and intolerance by the State of Texas, especially by its political leadership.

Texas is one of the most ethnically diverse states in the country and second only to California in the number of Hispanics/Latinos that call their respective state home. Over 40% of Texas’ population and over 50% of students enrolled in Texas schools identify as Hispanic or Latino. We are a diverse state and population trends and demographics are proof of that fact. So, why the hostility? Fear.

The diversity of our communities and schools is terrifying for a segment of the population that sees itself disappearing. The centuries-old paradigm of racial hierarchy is becoming obsolete every day. Access to educational resources and intellectual inquiry challenges or upends time-honored notions of American exceptionalism, and racialized systems of oppression, and debunks many of the myths often taken as fact. Our local communities, state, and world are changing. Traditional structures and concepts are yielding newer and evolving models that seek to be more inclusive and democratic. Inclusivity suggests a communal sense of being and contributing to the common good that contradicts individualism and self-interest. As we gravitate to becoming more inclusive, we need to learn about people and places different from our own. Texas is a global actor and engages in a heterogeneous landscape. It is imperative for Texans to inform and educate themselves about different cultures, people, and ideas if they wish to be profitable and effective members of a globalized society. DEI initiatives are inherently