Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law on Wednesday a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public schools, positioning the state among a handful to enact broad measures against what she and other Republicans perceive as a left-leaning trend in U.S. education.
The legislation, passed by Alabama's Republican-dominated legislature on Tuesday, prohibits public schools from establishing diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or teaching what the bill labels as "divisive concepts" regarding race and identity. This includes the notion of holding individuals of a particular race accountable for actions committed by others of the same racial group in the past.
Additionally, the law mandates that public higher education institutions designate bathrooms exclusively for males or females, countering efforts by transgender rights advocates for gender-neutral restroom facilities.
Governor Ivey expressed her stance in a statement, saying, "My administration has and will continue to value Alabama’s rich diversity. However, I refuse to allow a few bad actors ... using taxpayer funds, to push their liberal political movement under the acronym of DEI."
The law is scheduled to go into effect in October.
Republicans have unified in opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in U.S. schools, arguing that curriculum and hiring practices focused on diversity are part of a liberal agenda aimed at fostering division and, in some cases, discriminating against white individuals. Proponents of DEI initiatives contend that they strive to advance equality for historically marginalized groups.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama criticized the legislation in a statement, characterizing it as not only a form of classroom censorship but also an anti-truth bill that restricts education on systemic inequities, racial violence, and the historical struggles for civil rights and liberties.
Alabama joins Texas, which mandated the closure of diversity offices in public schools last year, and Utah, where similar legislation was signed earlier this year. Several other states have introduced anti-DEI bills during their current legislative sessions.
