Dr. Owen Anderson, a longtime professor of philosophy, religious studies, and theology at Arizona State University, is suing the school over its mandatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training, arguing that it’s in violation of a state law that bans publicly-funded institutions from forcing such ideologies down the throats of employees.
He’s receiving assistance from the conservative nonprofit Goldwater Institute in arguing that the forced courses are contrary to a two-year-old state law that forbids training that presents any form of "blame or judgment on the basis of race, ethnicity or sex."
The professor says that when people actually see what’s behind these virtue-signaling courses, they are “stunned”:
When people see the content of this required training they are stunned. It is far beyond learning how to work in a diverse setting. Instead, it is about race blame, “whiteness,” and silencing those who disagree. The Goldwater Institute is representing me. Help me get the word… https://t.co/EgLQzkO9u1
— Dr Owen Anderson (@dr_owenanderson) March 19, 2024
Help me get the word out.
Anderson, like so many educators across the country in recent years, could face punishment if he refuses to subject himself to the forced indoctrination:
Anderson could face discipline from his superiors for refusing to participate in the DEI training, according to a press release from the Goldwater Institute. The complaint alleges the training discriminates by "compelling the speech of public employees by requiring faculty and staff to take an examination following a training that presents forms of blame or judgment on the basis of race, ethnicity or sex, and answer with Arizona State University’s ‘correct’ answers, in violation of the Arizona Constitution."
Anderson himself flat-out declares the required learning to be racism personified:
"I shouldn’t be forced to take training and affirm ideas with which I disagree as a condition of employment,’" Owen said in the press release. "This ‘training’ is simply racism under the guise of DEI. It goes against my conscience, and I want no part of it."
📢 @GoldwaterInst sues ASU on behalf of @dr_owenanderson for violating state's ban on mandatory race essentialism training under ARS 41-1494. According to the complaint, ASU required Professor Anderson to attend discriminatory training in 2022 - while at the same time ASU… https://t.co/EBLLFF5CSE pic.twitter.com/L8wcfJ3tM5
— TheLegalProcess (v2.0 | Post-Election Ed) (@ALegalProcess) March 20, 2024
The training is clearly nothing more than ideological indoctrination and should have no place on a college campus—or in any setting where people are forced to bow to ideas they don't agree with.
The training, titled "ASU Inclusive Communities," teaches faculty and staff that "white supremacy [is] normalized in society," "Sexual identities are linked to power, and heterosexuality, the dominant sexual identity in American culture, is privileged by going largely unquestioned," and "seemingly innocuous questions and comments" like asking people where they’re from or commenting on their hair, can be deemed "racist," according to the complaint. The course also discuses how to "critique whiteness" and other topics like "white privilege"; "white fragility"; and the need for "transformative justice."
Following the training, faculty are reportedly required to take a test and if they fail to provide what ASU deems to be the "right" answer, they’ll be reported to their supervising dean.
ASU responded to the suit with a statement saying that it "...provides its employees Inclusive Communities training which promotes an environment of respect for all backgrounds, beliefs, and life experiences." That is patently false, as it clearly does not respect the beliefs of many who believe this type of divisive, racist training is utter hogwash.
The university is not only attempting to brainwash its professors, it's hellbent on telling its students what they're allowed to think:
A day before filing the lawsuit, a new report issued by the Goldwater Institute, accused Arizona State University's Cronkite School of "forcing political indoctrination" on students by requiring them to learn about "racial microaggressions," and "cisgender privilege" in a mandatory course called "Diversity and Civility at Cronkite" for undergraduate students.
"More than 400 students were required to take this class in the Fall 2023 semester alone, with more than 2,000 hours of class time spent on what may as well be called Trendy Topics in Progressive Politics 101," Goldwater wrote in a press release.
This is everything that is wrong with American higher education right now.
This is @ASU today; teaching young people to hate themselves and hate our USA!@Ann_Atkinson_AZ@dr_owenandersonhttps://t.co/xR75pCu41z
— Anthony Kern (@anthonykernAZ) March 18, 2024
We need more people like Dr. Owen Anderson fighting back against this oppression and this denial of free thought and free speech. It's disturbing, to say the least, that a higher educational institution is telling its educators to "bend the knee or face the consequences."
We need to put a stop to it.
Update: This article has been updated to correct a sentence that said the professor worked at the University of Arizona. He teaches at Arizona State.
More nonsense:
University of Virginia Wastes $20 Million Per Year on DEI Staff, Including for One Real Nut
Ron DeSantis Nukes DEI at University of Florida, Staffers Fired and Department Shuttered
Ben Shapiro Exposes the Terrifying Reality of DEI in Medicine
